February 2026 U.S. Auto Sales Results

The U.S. auto market delivered mixed results in February, with some automakers reporting declines while others posted gains during what analysts described as another soft month for the industry. Once March sales are recorded in early April, we can get a much better look at Q1 since most automakers report sales quarterly.

New car and light-truck sales fell 3.8 percent in February to about 1.18 million units, according to a preliminary report released March 4 by GlobalData and cited by Automotive News. Retail sales dropped 5.6 percent, while fleet deliveries increased 4.5 percent.

Analysts attributed the slowdown to several factors, including harsh winter weather, affordability concerns and the expiration of federal tax credits for electric-vehicle purchases.

The weakness is expected to continue into the early part of the spring selling season. According to the Automotive News report,  GlobalData said March and April sales volumes are “highly likely” to decline as well because of difficult year-over-year comparisons to 2025, when consumers rushed to buy vehicles before anticipated tariff increases during the first and second quarters.

Because of the sluggish start to the year and an uncertain near-term outlook, GlobalData trimmed its forecast for 2026 U.S. light-vehicle sales to 16.1 million units, down slightly from a previous projection of 16.2 million.

David Oakley, head of sales forecasting in the Americas for GlobalData, said the likelihood of a strong rebound in electric-vehicle sales is fading with each passing month. Oakley added that expectations for further interest-rate cuts remain uncertain because the U.S. job market continues to show solid growth.

Industry analysts say the market has cooled compared with the first three quarters of 2025, when buyers rushed to take advantage of pre-tariff vehicle pricing and the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles before the incentive expired in late September.

Automakers reported widely varying results for February.

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Co.’s U.S. sales fell 5.5 percent. Volume dropped 6.3 percent at the Ford brand but rose 12 percent at Lincoln. The automaker said the decline reflected weaker electric-vehicle demand and softer truck sales. Overall truck deliveries fell 9.4 percent, including a 16 percent decline for the F-Series pickup line, while combined crossover and SUV deliveries slipped 2.4 percent.

Toyota Motor Company

Toyota Motor Corp. posted stronger results, with U.S. deliveries rising 3.2 percent. Sales increased 3.3 percent at the Toyota brand and 2.5 percent at Lexus.

Toyota said the gains were fueled by a 22 percent increase in pickup sales and a 14 percent rise in passenger-car deliveries. All of the Toyota brand’s top-selling models recorded double-digit gains of at least 20 percent, helping offset a 57 percent drop in sales of the RAV4, the company’s top-selling vehicle. The decline reflects the transition to a redesigned version of the compact SUV. Toyota has said supplies will remain tight during the early stages of production as the new model launches at assembly plants in Canada, the United States and Japan.

American Honda Company

American Honda Motor Co. posted a modest increase, with total U.S. sales rising 1.1 percent. Sales slipped 0.5 percent at the Honda brand but jumped 17 percent at Acura. A 9.4 percent increase in passenger-car sales helped offset a 2 percent decline in light-truck deliveries. The company said major winter storms in the Northeast negatively affected showroom traffic during the month.

Hyundai Motor America/Kia

Hyundai Motor America and Kia both reported gains in February, driven by strong demand for crossovers and hybrid models.

Hyundai sales rose 5.9 percent to 65,677 vehicles, while Kia deliveries increased 4.3 percent to 66,005, the companies reported March 3. Both brands set February sales records, and Kia outsold Hyundai for the second consecutive month.

Hybrid demand surged, with Hyundai reporting a 79 percent jump in gasoline-electric hybrid sales and Kia posting a 53 percent increase.

Electric vehicle performance was mixed. Hyundai EV sales rose 6 percent, led by the Ioniq 5 and the newly introduced Ioniq 9. At Kia, EV sales declined sharply, with EV9 deliveries falling 40 percent and EV6 sales dropping 53 percent.

Across the industry, EV demand has softened following the expiration of the $7,500 federal tax credit for EV purchases last September.

Hyundai and Kia are both coming off record sales in 2025 and are expected to rely on redesigned versions of the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride large crossovers to drive growth in 2026.

Despite the slower start to the year for the broader U.S. auto market, Hyundai Motor America CEO Randy Parker said the company expects to grow sales and market share by offering “a seat for every purse.”

Both automakers also leaned on aggressive incentives. Hyundai offered zero-percent financing and deferred payments for 90 days on the Tucson and Santa Fe crossovers, along with discounts of up to $10,000 on the 2026 Ioniq 9 electric SUV. Kia promoted similar incentives on its core crossover lineup.

The Kia Sportage set a February sales record, while the Telluride, which is being redesigned for the 2027 model year, posted a monthly record of 13,198 deliveries, up 37 percent.

Subaru

Subaru reported an 8.2 percent decline in February sales, which the company attributed in part to severe weather in key markets. Forester sales reached a February record of 17,919, up 25 percent, but sales declined for Subaru’s other top models, including the Crosstrek and Outback. Subaru’s U.S. sales have now fallen for seven consecutive months.

Mazda

Mazda sales slipped 0.1 percent in February, marking the seventh straight month of declines. A company spokesperson said retail demand remained steady despite unfavorable weather in several major markets and noted the month was Mazda’s second-best February on record.

Mazda reported U.S. dealer inventory of 57,702 vehicles at the end of February, representing a 51-day supply heading into the key spring selling season. The company described its inventory levels as healthy and balanced.

Volvo

Among luxury brands, Volvo sales fell an estimated 42 percent in February, its second consecutive monthly decline.

Genesis

Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury division, set a February sales record with deliveries rising 3.3 percent to 5,730 vehicles, led largely by demand for the GV70 crossover. Genesis has now recorded year-over-year sales gains in the U.S. for 17 consecutive months.

Here are the winners and losers for February 2026 from the car companies that report monthly, and how each one fared versus February of 2025: