Automakers report stellar sales ahead of Trump's tariffs taking effect
[April 02, 2025]
NEW YORK (AP) The major car companies say sales rose sharply in March,
with most reporting double-digit gains. For some companies, the strong
performance last month helped make up for a sluggish start to the year.
Automakers sold nearly 1.6 million vehicles in the U.S. in March, up
13.6%. That brought total sales for the first quarter to more than 3.9
million vehicles, Motorintelligence.com said Tuesday. Almost all
automakers saw a surge in sales of electric vehicles.
What future months hold for the automakers is uncertain. President
Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on auto imports that go into effect
on April 3. The tariffs are set to expand to applicable auto parts in
the following weeks, through May 3. The tax hike means automakers could
face higher costs and lower sales, though Trump argues that the tariffs
will lead to more factories opening in the United States.
Auto industry analyst Sam Abuelsamid at Telemetry Insight said
expectations were that the March numbers would be higher due to some
pre-buying ahead of the imposition of tariffs, although the pre-buying
was likely limited to some degree by affordability and continuing high
interest rates.
Here's a look at the latest results:
General Motors
Overall U.S. sales rose 17% during the first quarter on strong sales
of full-size pickups and SUVs.
Chevrolet sales rose 14% during the quarter, making it the brand's
best quarter since 2019.
GMC sales rose 18% for the brand's best quarter ever, with electric
vehicle sales nearly tripling.
Ford Motor
Total sales rose 10% in March as strong sales of the F-150 pickup and
electric vehicles helped offset a drop in sales of SUVs.
Total sales fell 1% for the first quarter due to fewer sales to rental
car companies and the discontinuation of two models.
Sales of all-electric and hybrid vehicles increased and made up about
15% of total sales for the first quarter.
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The new Toyota Prius 2024 on display at the AutoMobility LA Auto
Show, Nov. 16, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes,
File)
 Toyota
U.S. sales for Toyota Motor North America rose 7.7% in March.
Electric vehicle sales rose 44.1% in March and represented nearly
half of the overall sales volume for the month.
Total sales for Toyota Motor North America rose 0.9% during the
first quarter.
Honda
Total sales for American Honda rose 13.2% in March as the
company's light trucks notched their best month of sales.
Electrified vehicle sales surged 89.1% in March and made up nearly
a third of all vehicle sales.
Total sales rose 5.3% during the first quarter, as a surge in
truck sales offset a drop in car sales.
Nissan
Total sales rose 5.7% in the first quarter, boosted by gains for
the Sentra sedan and the Kicks compact crossover.
Sales of the Leaf electric vehicle doubled in the quarter.
Hyundai
Total sales for Hyundai Motor America rose 13% in March, led by
sales of the Tucson and Santa FE SUVs and the Elantra Sedan.
Total sales for the first quarter rose 10%.
First-quarter sales of the company's hybrid-electric vehicles
jumped 68%.
KIA
Kia America said sales rose 13.1% in March and 10.7% for the first
quarter.
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