US Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Jun)

Sales were down about 6% in June but up about 3% YTD. I say 'about' as there isn't an official source for data and each source you do find differs slightly.

Most manufacturers release total sales figures as well as a breakdown by model which is really helpful. Those that don't are estimated and rounded figures indicate that. Thankfully the major brands are obliging.

In larger market, movements in ranking are less likely. So are there any notable shifts in this regard? With issues around tariffs, this may increase fluidity.

For now, Ford has edged Toyota out of top spot, a position it has held since 2021. Stellantis brands are generally going downward. An extreme example is Dodge which has fallen from 21st to 27th.

Tesla's US figures are always estimates but based on them, its ranking has dropped from 9th to 11th. If Mr Musk or one of his associates wants to improve accuracy - if that is needed - my virtual door is always open.

The top selling models were:

Ford F-Series - 412,848 

(Top picture)

Chevrolet Silverado - 289,251

Toyota RAV4 - 239,451

Honda CR-V - 212,561

RAM PU - 174,320

GMC Sierra - 166,409

(Bottom picture)

Chevrolet Equinox - 157,638

Toyota Camry - 155,330

Toyota Tacoma - 130,873

Honda Civic - 128,236

Chevrolet Trax - 119,593

Hyundai Tucson - 113,310

Ford Explorer - 104,929

For the 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand. 

By model. 

Data source: Manufacturers & estimates.

Picture sources: Ford & GM.

US Model Sales : 2023/24

I've done a breakdown by model for many brands this year and now the summary chart I guess you could call it. The Ford F-Series took its customary place at the top with the Chevrolet Silverado was second for the third consecutive year. The RAM P/U range dropped to fifth, the last time it was lower was in 2012. 

Japanese brands are well represented, including Lexus which had the distinction of being the only premium marque represented. Korea too has some models here but notice not one from Europe and of course nothing from China.  

The top picture is of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, over 200,000 sold but down 12% as expected from a Stellantis model. Below the 'compact' Maverick pick-up with sales picking up nicely by 39% to 131,000. 

Data source: Manufacturers & estimates.

Mercedes US Model Sales : 2023/24

If there is one thing German marques do well in and that's complexity. It is at least partly fueled by intense competition and entering every niche they can think of. 

Looking at the list to the right bears this out and not all models available are here. Merecedes-Benz can point to the success they enjoy as justification and I can't deny that. It's a complex world and I believe at some point that becomes inefficient. 

Moving on, the GLE and GLC are the best selling passenger vehicles. Vans are combined and collectively they are up there with strong sales although they took a hit in 2024, taking them from top to third. The CLS and A-Class have been discontinued.

Data & pictures: Mercedes-Benz.

Sales for the year were the same as last year. The best performing models were the GLC (picture above) which was up 58% and the GLA up 65%. The CLE (picture below) arrived in 2024. 

Subaru / Genesis US Model Sales : 2023/24

Here we have two marques from Asia. Let's look at their place in the USA.

Subaru: Subaru relies on a handful of markets for most of its volume and does well in them, the US being the most important one of them.  

The brand is so successful in the US it's hard to imagine the brand exisiting without that success. 

Sales were up 6% YTD so a sound result. The Crosstrek and Forester are the main models with 54% of the total between then. The outback did OK but after that some reductions in sales.

Subaru has an outdoors, adventure image and that is what drives its success. The 668,000 sales gained in the US is enormous for what could be described as a niche brand. 

Genesis: It is a recent addition to the premium ranks and for now at least dependant on its protected home market. The US will be a target export market it will want to succeed in. 

Arriving in the USA in 2016, sales were at first up and down but for the two previous years there has been a strong increase. That has slowed in 2024 with no new models added. 

Volume was up 8% with the GV80 up 16% and the G80 down 22% (G is for sedan and GV SUV). 

Genesis is still a small player in the premium arena but it's early days. Conquest sales are a challenge in the premium segment. 

Data & pictures: Volvo & Genesis. V60 above & the GV70 below.

Volvo / Porsche US Model Sales : 2023/24

I've combined a Swede with a German Brand that are both premium and that compete with SUVs. Otherwise they are completely different. 

Volvo: Premium buyers are conservative and brand conscious so not always easily wooed. Volvo has a solid customer base and has recently attracted new customers as it returns to the former success it once enjoyed. 

Sales were down 3% with settled sales for most models. The 60 Series was up 29% so surprisingly the most successful ni 2024. 

That counted the C40's downward slump by 79%. Wow. Apparently, hybrids are doing well for Volvo but electric less so. This rush into electric has been pulled back by Volvo and others too.

SUVs lead the way for Volvo with the three at the top of the sales chart to the right of that persuasion. The usual USA's bigger is better philosophy is manifest as well. 125,000 sale is a good result I'd have thought.

Porsche: Sales were down 1%. The top selling model, the Macan dropped 7% which was the difference between sales being up or not. The Cayenne and 911 were OK but the rest down. Electric again not delivering with the Taycan down 37%.  

Data & picture sources: Subaru, Porsche.

Nissan / Infiniti US Model Sales : 2023/24

Nissan sales for the year were up 4% which is not bad in the current climate. Infiniti was down 10% though. So how did sales by model go? The data source is Nissan and the photos are by Nissan and Infiniti.

Nissan: The Rogue is the main model with 31% of all sales and despite it being down 9.5%, it didn't stop the brand from increasing. The facelift Sentra (pictured above) was up 40% so that was a huge help. The Versa was up 72% and the Ariya 47%.

Some of the smaller selling models were the ones that went down the most. The Murano (-38%) is soon to be replaced with a new generation model. The Armada (-28%) dropped its base model which seems to have affected volume. 

The Titan pick up truck (-24%) is being dropped altogether. The Maxima sedan has been axed but will be replaced with an electric model that's coming in 2025. 

Infiniti: The marque's sales were down 10% which wasn't an impressive result. With Acura selling over 130,000 units, I would have thought Infiniti's 58,000 is a fair way short of where it should be. 

Over 153,000 Infiniti vehicles were sold in 2017, so the fall since then has been dramatic. Perhaps they were pushing volume too much back then. 

The QX50 compact crossover (picture above) was up 8% but the rest were down to varying degrees. A new QX80 large SUV is coming so that would explain the 19% drop there. The QX55 crossover coupe's sales dropped -31% and the Q60 coupe is discontinued. 

Toyota / Lexus US Model Sales : 2023/24

Toyota and Lexus are very popular in the US and it got better in 2024. Combined they sold over to 2.3 million. That's less than GM's 2.7 million but that puts it second for company sales. 

So what's selling?

Toyota Brand: Sales are up 3% or 59,000 units. That's not substantial but the total is which shows just how well the brand is viewed in the US. It's the biggest selling nameplate.

The RAV4 is the most popular model with 24% of the total sales for the brand. That's no mean feat considering the large range offered by Toyota. It's also up 9% for the year. 

The Camry is in a segment that many other brands have abandoned and it's enjoying success with less competition in a shrinking area of the market. 

The Corolla kept an even keel while its jacked up namesake had a 31% increase to 93,000 sales. 

The Tacoma pick up is down 18% while its bigger brother the Tundra is up 27% but when combined sales are down. Maybe they'll pick up next year. 

The Mirai hydrogen fuel cell model had a quiet 2024 but its hard to read anything into that, seeing that it's a technology that's yet to take off. 

I've combined the Highlander with the Grand Highlander, the latter closing in numerically on its smaller sibling as expected for the newer Grand model.

The Crown Signia SUV is supposed to be replacing the Venza but sales wouldn't give that impression so I've kept them apart. 

Data & picture source: Toyota & Lexus. Photo above the Toyota Venza and below the Lexus TX. 

Lexus: Sales are up here too, but only by 8%. That's over 25,000 more than 2023 so a good result. The US hasn't taken the LBX which is doing well elsewhere but small isn't what USA buyers go for so a fair call. 

The most popular model, the RX is up 4%, but the new TX is already proving popular. The GX is down 3% but may have been affected by the arrival of the slightly smaller but not too dissimilar sized TX. The bargelike LX did similar numbers to last year.

Those ladies below look shifty.

VW / Audi US Model Sales : 2023/24

VW and its premium marque Audi come together here to see how they went in 2024. Mainstrean Euro brands are thin on the ground in the US, Fiat being the only other example and they are rarer than hen's teeth. However, it's a different story in the premium segment where Euro marques are as popular as lederhosen at an Oktoberfest.  

VW: The brand was up 15% with the Tiguan and Atlas SUVs leading the way, both up 24%. The Jetta was up 52%, now the only sedan left as the Arteon is the way out. It was down 47%.

The ID.4 is currently the sole electric model and has slipped back. The headlong rush to get into that arena hasn't proved to be the eldorado it was expected to become by now. 

Overall an impressive result with most models contributing to that. The range is more limited than in other markets but in this market it's all that is needed. There will be a 'buzz' around VW's  US HQ.

Audi: In contrast, sales are down 14%, with the Q5 leading the way with a 23% drop and 17,346 fewer registrations. The Q3 is up 45% but unable to negative the volume loss of its larger sibling. The A5 was up 4% but the Q& and Q8 both dropped by over a quarter.

The range is wide and new models are arriving such as the Q6 but in many countries Audi sales have retreated in number. Audi gives the impression that it's pulling back on chasing volume and if that is the case, not a bad move. 

Data and picture source: VW Group.

Hyundai / Kia US Model Sales : 2023/24

Two brands from the same stable but carefully managed to be sufficiently distinct from each other. Could the differentiation between them be greater? I guess it's working as it is.

Hyundai: Sales are up 4% to 837,000. The Tucson SUV is the clear best selling model for the brand. The Elantra, Sonata and Ioniq 6 show that US buyers still quite like their sedans even if local brands have given up on them. 

They took 26.1% of sales in 2024 . The Elantra is up 2%, Sonata 53% and the IONIQ 6 -6%. The top two SUVs both dropped in numbers but others compensated. Overall a solid result.

Kia: Sales were up by 2%, despite the top two being up 15% and 13%. The K5 was on run out and that has affected the total. The EV9 has arrived this year and has already nearly chalked up 10,000 sales. Losing the Rio hurt numbers. 

The Stinger has already left without a replacement but a K4 model is coming which seems to be replacing both the Forte and K5, slotting in between them in terms of size. 

Data and pictures: Hyundai and Kia.

Mazda / Mitsubishi US Model Sales : 2023/24

Two M brands from Japan share this page together. That's about the only connection they have though. Mazda is the larger of the two here and has a more comprehensive range. However, both Mazda and Mitsubishi are smaller mainstream companies.

Mazda: Sales in the US are up a decent 17%. The leading model (CX-5) is down 13% but that is more than compensated by other models. The CX-30 is up 25% and the CX-50 by 83%. The CX-90 is replacing the CX-9. SUVs dominate the range.

For cars, the 3 is the only regular passenger car, sold as a sedan and hatchback. It enjoyed a 27% hike in sales. The MX-5 was down 10%. 

Mitsubishi: A small range of models and modest volume characterise the brand in the US as is the case in many other markets. The Mirage is the sole passenger car and it had a strong 125% increase in sales. It has few competitors in the US.

However, it's the Outlander that is the backbone of the range with 48% of all sales. The Outlander Sport is known as the ASX in other markets such as here in New Zealand. It and the Eclipse Cross are small for US tastes so sell in subdued numbers. 

Data and pictures: Mazda and Mitsubishi. 

Honda / Acura US Model Sales : 2023/24

Both Honda and Acura have a good reputation in the USA. Honda in particular sells very strongly. Acura has its work cut out against several bigger selling premium marques, including fellow countryman Lexus.

Honda: The brand was up 11%  with the CR-V up 11% too and the Civic +21%. The Accord is down 18% and the HR-V up 24%. 

The CR-V is clearly the best selling model but for many years before it was the Accord, until 2014. In 2015, the Civic took over for just one year and then the CR-V has been top since. Those three are still on top but the HR-V looks destined to change that.

Acura: A North American brand which doesn't even feature in Japan. It has occasionally been used elsewhere but without much success but it works well in the US. 

Passenger cars were down 35% and SUVs were up 4% but combined sales were down 9% at 132,000. 

Acura is currently based around three main models, the RDX crossover the only one up at the present (+10%). The ADX SUV will join the range in 2025.

The new electric ZDX (picture to the left) is an interesting one. Honda has a cousin in the form of the Prologue and it has relatives in Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac. That's quite a family! It's built at a GM factory in Tenessee. 

Obviously, there are cost savings in sharing costs (which I think the industry doesn't do enough of) but the brands all have their own level of trim and sophistication so it's the way forward for the industry. 

Data & photo source Honda.  

Stellantis US Model Sales Part 1 : 2023/24

Stellantis is a huge amalgam of brands from the US and Europe. There are seven operating in the States and here it's the US side of the company that's under the spotlight. Sales are not going that well but there seems to be a policy of reducing unit sales. Anyway, Part 1 covers the two larger brands. 

Jeep. An iconic brand that has had many owners but is currently settled in that regard. Sales are down 9% YTD with only the Compass and Wagoneer (pic above) in positive territory. 

The Grand Cherokee is the biggest selling but is -12% and at the other end of the list is the Cherokee which has been discontinued. In between the Galaiator was -3%.

The Renegade is in runout mode, to return in 2027 as an EV which will be quite different to the outgoing model.

RAM: It does mainly pick ups but also vans, the compact City which has been dropped and the larger standard van (pic below) which experienced a 19% fall in sales. With the pick up also down 16%, Ram was collectively -19%.

Ford / Lincoln US Model Sales : 2023/24

There are two makes that comprise Ford USA. Ford's 'bread 'n butter' brand accounts for 95% of sales and the premium Lincoln marque just 5%. 

Ford: Sales were up 3% YTD, just short of two million units finding new private homes or corporate parking lots. 

All of this done with virtually no sedan passenger cars. The Mustang would be the only one and that represents less than 3% of the total. 

The F-Series pick up commands 39% of the total, an amazing figure but a long standing one. The Maverick pick up (picture above) was up 39% so proving a successful model for Ford. 

The Ranger is a slightly larger size compared to the Maverick but dearer and not selling anywhere near as well. Still, it increased 43%.

The Transit van was up 18% to 153,000 sales but the Transit Connect was down 51% to 8,800 and on the way out. The E-Series light truck was up slightly. 

Lincoln: One of the success stories of 2024, perhaps the success story. All the models increased (bar the big Navigator SUV) which gave the marque a 28% overall gain. They achieved 50, 12 and 62% growth respectively for the top three models of the range.

Lincoln is without a sedan but that is not a surprise these days. The Nautilus is pictured above. The sales increase by Lincoln certainly has the mercury rising.