Now that all the automakers have reported first quarter 2026 sales, I wanted to take a little deeper dive into what drove the downturn in sales for the 3-month period. We expected some drop off due to the first quarter of 2025 when many people got new cars trying to bet tariff price increases we all knew was coming. The war in Iran hasn’t helped things either, they never do as far as the car biz. Then gas jumping one dollar per gallon or more makes consumers think harder about their choices, and they should. There were enough electric cars sold in Q1 2025, to affect Q1 2026 sales numbers with the inevitable drop off in EV sales.
Here are some headlines that caught my attention:
- BMW narrowly tops Lexus in early 2026 luxury sales race
BMW barely held off Lexus to remain atop the 2026 U.S. luxury sales standings in the first quarter by fewer than 3,300 vehicles. The German brand delivered 84,231 vehicles from January through March, 3.9 percent fewer than it sold in the same period a year ago. BMW car sales dropped 17 percent, while utility vehicles rose 9.5 percent. The Trump administration’s pullback of federal incentives on electrified vehicles caused BMW’s plug-in sales to plunge 50 percent from a year ago.
- VW, Audi sales slide again, deepening U.S. struggles
VW sales fell 16 percent in the first quarter with only two nameplates, the Tiguan compact crossover and low-volume Golf R hatchback, posting increases. Audi deliveries fared even worse, plunging 30 percent. Overall, VW deliveries totaled 73,803 in the quarter. VW sales have now declined four consecutive quarters.
- GM sales fall 9.6% in Q1 after pre-tariff surge
General Motors said its U.S. light-vehicle sales declined nearly 10 percent in the first quarter. GM, like much of the industry, saw sales surge in early 2025 as consumers rushed to buy vehicles before new U.S. tariffs took effect. Sales declined 33 percent for Buick, 26 percent at Cadillac, 7.9 percent for Chevrolet and 0.2 percent at GMC. GMC had its best-ever first-quarter retail share, the company said.
- Ford flags ‘uneven’ F-Series inventory as Q1 sales drop
Ford Motor Co.’s U.S. light-vehicle sales fell 8.7 percent in the first quarter as the aftermath of a September fire at a key supplier continues squeezing inventory of some of the automaker’s most profitable trucks and SUVs. Sales of the F-Series, Ford’s top-selling vehicle line, tumbled 16 percent in the quarter, attributable partly to a “retiming of commercial production” as it recovers from disruptions at a Novelis aluminum plant in New York.
- Toyota, Lexus sales dip, but EV volume surges on new models
Toyota and Lexus both saw U.S. sales fall sharply in March against a pre-tariff rush a year earlier, but the Japanese automaker saw EV deliveries more than double as it prepares to add more models to its lineups. For the month, Toyota sales fell 6.9 percent to 182,606, while Lexus volume dropped 17 percent to 29,011, ending a streak of three consecutive monthly gains at Toyota and 12 at Lexus. On a quarterly basis, the results were better: Toyota sales edged up 0.3 percent to 488,468, while Lexus sales slipped 2.5 percent to 80,952.
- Stellantis U.S. sales rise 4% in Q1 on Ram, Jeep, Dodge strength
Stellantis’ U.S. sales rose 4.1 percent in the first quarter after gains at Ram, Jeep and Dodge. It’s the third quarterly gain in a row for the automaker, which is working to turn things around under new CEO Antonio Filosa after seven consecutive annual sales declines. Ram was up 20 percent overall, with sales of the 1500 jumping 27 percent and heavy-duty volume increasing 21 percent. Stellantis said it was Ram’s best first quarter since 2023. Jeep sales grew 2.8 percent. The Grand Wagoneer, buoyed by the arrival of the freshened 2026 variant, had a 667 percent sales bounce in the quarter with 14,174 deliveries. The Wrangler was up 17 percent to 44,461.
- Redesigned Telluride drives Kia to record Q1 sales
The redesigned 2027 Telluride is emerging as THE superstar of the Kia lineup. The value-packed, three-row crossover helped power Kia to record first-quarter U.S. sales, with Telluride volume rising 20 percent to 35,928 for the quarter, up 6,085 year over year. Sales of the Telluride have now topped 13,000 two months in a row. The results helped Kia pull off a rare feat: Kia outsold its sibling brand, Hyundai, for the first time since the third quarter of 2023.
- Acura logs best Q1 in 4 years; hybrid sales cushion Honda decline
American Honda Motor Co.’s U.S. sales dipped 4.2 percent in the first quarter, but the slide tells only half the story. The Japanese automaker blamed the softer year-over-year comparison on last year’s surge in buying ahead of the Trump administration’s import tariffs. Demand for the Honda and Acura brands was propelled by strong light-truck volume and fuel-efficient passenger cars in the January-March period. Combined sales reached 336,830. Honda division deliveries totaled 304,478, down 5.1 percent from a year earlier. Acura reported its best first-quarter performance in four years, with deliveries rising 5.2 percent to 32,352.
- Nissan cuts fleet sales 31% in Q1; total volume declines 7.5%
Nissan Motor Co. is deprioritizing fleet sales to rebuild dealer profitability and sharpen its focus on retail customers this year. Nissan and Infiniti reported combined U.S. sales of 247,068 in the January-March period, down 7.5 percent from a year earlier. Retail sales climbed 9.6 percent, marking six consecutive months of growth, while fleet sales fell 31 percent. The Nissan division sold 234,318 vehicles in the final quarter of the latest fiscal year, down 7.7 percent. Infiniti volume dipped 3.2 percent to 12,750.
Biggest Gainers & Losers from Q1:
% CHANGE IN SALES BY BRAND – Q1 2026
Top Gainers:
- Ram: 20.1%
- Acura: 5.2%
- Genesis: 4.6%
- Dodge: 4.3%
- Kia: 4.1%
Top Losers:
- Fiat: -73.4%
- Jaguar: -67.9%
- Alfa Romeo: -52.9%
- Buick -32.6%
- Volvo: -31.9%
TOP-SELLING LIGHT VEHICLES – Q1 2026:
- Ford F-Series: 159,901
- Chevy Silverado: 127,545
- Honda CR-V: 99,437
- Ram pickup: 98,425
- Toyota Camry: 78,255
- Tesla Model Y: 78,000
- GMC Sierra: 75,607
- Chevy Equinox: 70,987
- Nissan Rogue: 70,174
- Toyota Tacoma: 69,263
TOP-SELLING CARS – Q1 2026:
- Toyota Camry: 78,255
- Toyota Corolla: 62,574
- Honda Civic: 57,600
- Honda Accord: 37,317
- Kia K4/Forte: 37,220
- Nissan Sentra: 35,732
- Hyundai Elantra: 33,063
- Nissan Altima: 22,971
- Kia K5: 18,806
- Tesla Model 3: 18,000
TOP-SELLING LIGHT TRUCKS – Q1 2026:
- Ford F-Series: 159,901
- Chevy Silverado: 127,545
- Honda CR-V: 99,437
- Ram pickup: 98,425
- Tesla Model Y: 78,000
- GMC Sierra: 75,607
- Chevy Equinox: 70,987
- Nissan Rogue: 70,174
- Toyota Tacoma: 69,263
- Ford Explorer: 61,387
Tesla sales numbers are estimates supplied by Tesla.
Photo: 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 eTorque. Credit: Stellantis.