Stellantis regroups after soft Q1, Kia plans electric pickup truck, Subaru teases second EV

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• Phil Smith Automotive: Controller (Florida)

• The Ford Store Morgan Hill: Sales Manager (California)

• Audi Fletcher Jones: Used Car Buyer (Remote)

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— CDG

Securing a car loan hasn’t been this easy since December 2022:

Access to auto loans (pre-tariffs) improved 3.1% year-over-year in March—thanks to increases in approval rates, subprime loan share, and down payment percentages.

But the number of borrowers who owe more on their loans than their cars are worth—

Also continues to rise…

And with tariff uncertainty in the mix—only time will tell how long this loosening will last.

(Data source: Cox Auto / Dealertrack Credit Availability Index)

Others say the silver linings aren’t as silver as they seem…

1. Stellantis Q1 shipments fell 9%—but signs of a rebound might be brewing

Stellantis just stumbled into 2025—but a rebound may still be in play.

• Q1 shipments fell 9% globally

• North America shipments were down 20%

• And Maserati took the largest hit—down by 48% from last year.

And according to Stellantis—longer factory downtimes and softer demand for light commercial vehicles are to blame.

The good news?

March retail sales hit their highest level since last summer, and inventories are still tightening across nearly every brand.

Looking ahead: Tariffs and potential price hikes are squeezing just about every major automaker—but Stellantis has narrowed its focus to two things: recovery and stability.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

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2. Kia to launch EV pickup in U.S., targets 90K annual sales

Kia’s eyeing a bold new lane in the U.S.—electric pickups.

The company just teased a new EV truck built on a fresh platform, designed for both city streets and off-road trails.

Details are still under wraps, but Kia’s aiming high—promising best-in-class space, serious towing power, off-road muscle, and advanced tech inside and out.

The target? Sell 90,000 units annually in North America, which is triple what the F-150 Lightning moved last year.

Bottom line: EV truck launches have been slow and scattered, but Kia’s betting it can break through—moving fast, building at scale, and pricing to win.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

3. Subaru teases rugged electric SUV ahead of New York Auto Show debut

Subaru’s not done with EVs—far from it.

What we know:

This week, the automaker is pulling the cover off the Trailseeker, a brand-new electric SUV debuting at the New York Auto Show.

Details are scarce here too, but all signs point to a Toyota collaboration—likely tied to a joint EV project announced last year. Think shared platform with Toyota’s CH-R+, compact, capable, and built on the flexible e-TNGA EV architecture.

Big picture: It’s not about flashy specs just yet. The Trailseeker marks another step in Subaru’s steady EV push as it plays the long game alongside Toyota in the evolving electric landscape.

(Go deeper: 2 min. read)

• Can Nissan survive the next 5 years? What the experts say

• Japan’s carmakers reckon with tariffs that may cost $25 billion a year

• 'Asleep at the wheel': Michigan city braces for impact of Trump's tariffs

• Tesla launches stripped down base Cybertruck at $72,235 amid disappointing sales

• NY International Auto Show back at Javits for 125th anniversary

Thanks for reading everyone.

— CDG

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