March sales were down for most of the industry, although the Detroit automakers continue to show that demand for their highly profitable pickup trucks and SUVs remains strong.
The details: Of the major foreign automakers that reported March results as of April 1, most posted sales declines for the month, with mixed results across the industry for the first quarter of 2026.
Honda sales fell 12% in March to 130,074 units, including a 12.9% drop for Honda and a 2.8% decline for Acura, with overall Q1 2026 Honda Motors sales down 4.2%, though total sales for Acura were up 5.2% for the quarter.
Hyundai Motor America's March sales dipped 3% to 84,087, but the brand closed Q1 with its strongest first quarter in company history at 205,388 units, up 1%, fueled largely by hybrid demand.
Still, Genesis added to the group's momentum, delivering 7,147 U.S. sales in March, up 4%, and finishing Q1 with a record 18,317 vehicles sold.
Kia's March sales fell 2.6% to 76,508 units, though the brand still landed its best-ever Q1 with 207,015 vehicles, up 4% vs last year, led by the all-new Telluride.
Mazda sales dropped 25.7% in March to 32,017 units, with year-to-date sales for the first quarter down 14.4% to 94,473 vehicles.
Similarly, Subaru sales slid 23.5% last month to 54,674 units delivered, with year-to-date sales down 15% to 141,944 vehicles.
Toyota Motor sales also dipped 8.5% in March to 211,617, with the Toyota brand down 6.9% to 182,606 units and Lexus falling 17.3% to 29,011 vehicles delivered.
Why it matters: Last year's tariff-driven pull-ahead inflated the comparison baseline, but the results still reinforce a split market, with many mainstream brands contending with softer sales, while demand for profitable trucks and SUVs continues to hold up.
That makes product mix, inventory strategy, and margin discipline especially important as stores navigate a more uneven selling environment.
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Zooming in: March and first-quarter 2026 sales results for Detroit automakers that had reported by press time (Stellantis NV and GM) were mixed, but continued to highlight the strength of the pickup segment.
U.S. sales of Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and other Stellantis brands collectively grew 4% YoY in Q1, with Ram sales up 20% and Jeep Grand Cherokee sales up 10%.
At GM, sales declined 9.7%, totaling 626,429 vehicles for the period compared with 2025, but posted its best-ever Q1 retail share for GMC, driven by sales of the Canyon pickup and Terrain SUV.
What they’re saying: “We saw showroom traffic and sales steadily improve after January’s storms and March was a much stronger month,” said Duncan Aldred, GM Senior Vice President and President of North America, per a press statement. “We are well-positioned for the future because of our operating discipline and the compelling value we offer, from affordable SUVs to premium vehicles and trucks.”
Bottom line: While March was seemingly tough for much of the industry, Detroit’s performance shows trucks and SUVs are still doing much of the heavy lifting. For dealers, that means the strongest near-term opportunities will likely remain concentrated in high-demand, high-margin utility vehicles, even as broader sales trends stay under pressure.
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