Annual new vehicle sales results for 2025 reveal a mix of winners and losers, underscoring which segments are most likely to drive volume in 2026.
First things first: Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and General Motors $GM ( ▼ 2.67% ) led the pack in annual sales growth in 2025 while Rivian $RIVN ( ▼ 3.65% ), Subaru, Mazda, and Mitsubishi saw the largest declines in units delivered for the year.
Toyota sales were up +8.0% with 2,518,071 units sold, followed by Hyundai (+7.8%) with 901,686 vehicles, Kia (+7%) with 852,155 units, and GM (+6%) with 2.85M vehicles sold as the 2025 volume leader.
Rivian sales dropped -18% with 42,247 vehicles delivered, followed by Mitsubishi (-13.7%) with 94,754 vehicles, Subaru (-3.6%) with 643,591, and Mazda (-3.3%) with 410,346 vehicles delivered.
Overall, new vehicle sales rose 4% in 2025, with higher full-year volume, steadier pricing, and healthier per-unit margins, according to J.D. Power.
Why it matters: 2025 sales underscore that volume is consolidating among mainstream brands like GM, Toyota, and Hyundai while softer brands like Rivian and Mitsubishi remain under pressure, reinforcing the need for dealers to stock to value-driven demand, protect gross with disciplined pricing, and maximize trade capture and F&I.
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Between the lines: Volume growth in 2025 was driven by several key sales trends across brands, including an electrified mix with hybrids doing much of the heavy lifting, strong sales of SUVs and crossovers, and affordable models in high demand.
Toyota’s electrified mix accounted for 47% of its total volume, with electrified deliveries up +17.6%, while Hyundai saw its hybrid and EV volume surge +36% and +7%, respectively.
GM set a crossover sales record in 2025 with 1.28M deliveries (+12%), with both Kia and Hyundai indicating their SUV nameplates were record-year drivers.
Even amid Subaru’s overall sales decline, deliveries for its volume leader, the Crosstrek, were up +5.5% year-over-year with 191,724 units delivered.
GM explicitly highlights annual sales of nearly 700K Chevy/Buick vehicles with starting prices below $30,000, with Toyota crediting a meaningful degree of its 2025 sales momentum to $30,000 vehicles as well.
Bottom line: 2025 is a clean signal on what will turn fast and protect gross in 2026: hybrids, SUVs/crossovers, and sharp entry price points (around $30K). That mix widens the buyer pool, keeps payments workable, and reduces aging-inventory risk. The flip side is just as clear, premium-priced EV demand is fragile, and incentive swings can turn high-dollar EVs into floorplan and margin pain fast.
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