{"id":34768,"date":"2025-07-24T14:34:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T18:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=34768"},"modified":"2025-07-24T14:34:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T18:34:34","slug":"payne-winners-losers-movers-highlights-of-u-s-auto-sales-six-months-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/payne-winners-losers-movers-highlights-of-u-s-auto-sales-six-months-in","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Winners, losers, movers. Highlights of U.S. auto sales six months in"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s never a dull moment in the U.S. market as automakers hustle to divine consumer trends, navigate federal regulations, juggle tariff-driven plant production, and dodge activist Molotov cocktails.<\/p>\n

The first six months of 2025 saw robust sales on track for an annual 16.3 million in unit sales as gas prices dropped and tariffs rose. America\u2019s love affair with trucks \u2018n\u2019 SUVs continued with sales making up 82% of the light vehicle market. Just 10 years ago, cars made up 43% of the market. This year? Just 18%.<\/p>\n

General Motors Co. brands led the herd with 17.6% of the market, followed by Japanese behemoth Toyota Motor Corp. at 15.2% and Ford Motor Co. with 13.6%, according to Autodata figures. The General gobbled a point-and-a-half of market share while its two closest rivals also gained.<\/p>\n

\"DespiteDespite the threat of potential price increases, the first six months of the year recorded robust sales as gas prices dropped and tariffs rose. America\u2019s love affair with trucks \u2018n\u2019 SUVs continued with sales making up 82% of the light vehicle market. Justin Sullivan, Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n
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On the other hand, compared to 2015, Stellantis NV (then Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) declined to 7.4% from 12.3% and Nissan fell to 6% from 8.7%, stumbling while a company named Tesla Inc. (despite losses the last 12 months) came out of nowhere to reach a 3.3% share versus 0.1% a decade ago.<\/p>\n

Enough macro, let\u2019s talk micro. Dig deeper and the numbers reveal a raft of rivalries and rages. What are the best-sellers? Are EVs still the bee\u2019s knees? Is Wrangler tying up Bronco?<\/p>\n

The Detroit News sifted the numbers.<\/p>\n

Best-sellers.<\/strong>\u00a0The Ford F-Series and Chevy Silverado continue to slug it out in the marquee pickup duel. F-Series was King of Sales (again) with 412,848 units sold over Silverado\u2019s 284,038. Throw in Chevy\u2019s premium sibling GMC Sierra, however, and the GM twins are tops with 453,220 units combined.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/p>\n
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Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff rolls onto the stage in a F-150 Powerboost Hybrid Detroit Lions Edition as Ford Motor Co. touts its metal before the start of the Detroit Auto Show. The iconic pickup is on track to again be the pickup sales leader this year. Daniel Mears, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

A year ago, three non-pickup SUVs were climbing their way to the 400,000-plus sales summit: Toyota RAV4 (248,295), Tesla Model Y (198,030), and Honda CR-V (196,204). This year, RAV4 (239,451) and CR-V (212,561) are on pace again, but Model Y has hit a pothole with just 150,171 in sales \u2014 a victim of the slow rollout of its remade 2025 model and an often violent, anti-Tesla campaign aimed at Trump ally and brand CEO, Elon Musk.<\/p>\n

EVs.<\/strong>\u00a0Tesla Model 3 took up some of the slack, registering a 38% sales jump (to 101,323 units) with its re-worked sedan. So popular is the Model 3 that it not only was the hands-down best-selling luxury sedan (out-selling its closest competitor and segment icon, the BMW 3-series, 7:1), but it outsold every mainstream compact sedan except for the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2025 Tesla Model 3’s recently improved interior, long range and enjoyable performance help make it the Edmunds Top Rated Electric Car for 2025 \u2014 and a stalwart in the sales race. AP<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Alas, for government regulators targeting 60% EV adoption by 2030, Model 3 sales were an anomaly as the electric market flat-lined at 7.4% share of the market, according to Cox Automotive, despite an expanded menu of offerings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe consumer tolerance level for EVs is about 7-8% of the market with all the federal incentives in place,\u201d said ISeeCars.com senior analyst Karl Brauer in an interview. \u201cAnd as those incentives go away over the next year, we expect to see EV sales continue to slide.\u201d<\/p>\n