Photo Credit: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock.com
The U.S. new-vehicle market had a solid June on the surface, but the story underneath was not simply “sales were up.” It was more complicated, and more interesting. The month showed that shoppers are still buying when the product and payment make sense, but they are also becoming much more selective. Hybrids had the hot hand, EV demand remained uneven, and automakers with the right mix of crossovers, pickups and fuel-efficient models had a much better month than those waiting for buyers to suddenly fall back in love with $800-a-month payments.
Industry estimates put June new-vehicle volume in the neighborhood of 1.35 million to 1.4 million units, with the annualized selling pace landing in the mid-16-million range. J.D. Power and GlobalData had projected total June sales of 1,363,800 vehicles and a 16.5 million SAAR, while Cox Automotive had forecast June volume of 1.34 million and a SAAR near 16.1 million. Both pointed to a market that was stronger than many expected, though still under pressure from affordability, interest rates, high household expenses and policy uncertainty.
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Retail demand was not quite as rosy. J.D. Power and GlobalData projected first-half retail sales at 6.42 million, down 4.1 percent from the first half of 2025, even as total sales were helped by fleet deliveries. The average new-vehicle transaction price was projected at $46,387 in June, with the average monthly finance payment at $813. The average new-vehicle loan rate was projected at 6.66 percent, which is better than the worst of the recent market, but still not exactly a ticker-tape parade for buyers hoping for cheap money.
That is why the old-fashioned summer clearance season may not look very old-fashioned this year. There is more inventory across the market than during the worst of the pandemic shortage, but not every high-demand model is easy to find. On top of that, automakers and dealers are trying to protect margins while consumers are trying to protect their checking accounts. That makes for a market where deals exist, but they are not falling out of the sky like confetti at a Super Bowl parade.
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The clear winners were hybrids. With gasoline prices elevated, EV tax credits gone, and many buyers still reluctant to commit to a full electric vehicle, gasoline-electric models are hitting the sweet spot. Cox Automotive has said hybrid sales have climbed more than 80 percent since 2023 and that hybrids accounted for about 14 percent of light-vehicle sales earlier this year. That is a huge shift from the days when people acted like hybrids were just science projects for people who alphabetized their recycling.
Toyota remains the big dog in hybrids, and June showed why. Toyota Motor North America reported June U.S. sales of 212,793 vehicles, up 10.1 percent from a year earlier. Its electrified sales, which are mostly hybrids, totaled 122,063 for the month, up 35 percent and equal to 57.4 percent of total volume. The Toyota division rose 11.2 percent, Lexus rose 3.9 percent, and Toyota said RAV4 Hybrid achieved its best month ever.
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Toyota’s hybrid strength showed up across the showroom. Camry, RAV4, Sienna, Grand Highlander, Tacoma, 4Runner and Sequoia all benefited from hybrid availability, and the strategy is paying off because Toyota is not asking most buyers to change their lives. They do not have to install a charger, learn a new fueling routine, or plan trips around a charging map. They just buy the vehicle, drive it, and enjoy better fuel economy. That sounds simple because it is, and simple is winning right now.
Hyundai and Kia also had a strong June, with hybrids providing much of the momentum. Hyundai Motor America reported its best June ever, with 77,555 sales, up 11 percent. Hyundai said hybrid sales rose 74 percent in June, 71 percent in the second quarter, and 67 percent for the first half. Tucson overall sales rose 20 percent, and Tucson Hybrid rose 14 percent. Hyundai also posted record second-quarter and first-half results.
Kia sold 70,507 vehicles in June, also a record for the month and up 10 percent from June 2025. Kia’s hybrid sales jumped 187 percent, led by Sportage Hybrid and Sorento Hybrid, while retail sales rose 17 percent. Kia’s first-half sales reached 430,727, its best first half ever. The company also said SUV sales rose 4 percent in both June and the first half, which tells you where shoppers continue to spend their money.
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Honda was another major beneficiary of the hybrid trend. American Honda reported a strong June, with the Honda division up 17 percent and Acura up 13 percent. Honda said the Accord rose 49 percent, CR-V rose 30 percent and Civic rose 15 percent. The Honda brand also set a first-half hybrid sales record at 213,513 units, helped by demand for hybrid versions of its highest-volume models.
Subaru also had a big June, with 54,909 U.S. sales, up 18.1 percent from a year earlier. Forester remained Subaru’s top seller, Crosstrek had its best June ever, and Outback sales rose 32.7 percent. Subaru said hybrid and electric vehicles accounted for more than 20 percent of its June volume, a meaningful development for a brand that has not traditionally been thought of as a hybrid powerhouse.
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Mazda joined the June winners list, reporting its best June ever at 37,167 sales, up 11.3 percent from a year earlier. The first half was still down 4 percent, but June gave Mazda some badly needed momentum. Mazda’s car sales rose sharply for the month, while trucks and SUVs remained the overwhelming majority of its volume.
General Motors stayed No. 1 in the U.S. market for the second quarter, but its results were softer. GM reported second-quarter sales of 714,896 vehicles, down 4.2 percent, citing a smaller EV market, discontinued vehicles and some inventory constraints. GM said Chevrolet’s SUV lineup had its best second quarter ever, with Trailblazer up 28 percent and Traverse up 20 percent, while GMC posted record Sierra sales for the quarter and record Canyon sales for the first half. Cadillac also reported its best-ever second quarter for EV sales, helped by OPTIQ and VISTIQ.
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Still, GM’s broader result shows a problem: when hybrids are driving a lot of industry growth, GM does not have the same hybrid ammunition as Toyota, Honda, Hyundai or Kia. GM has strong trucks, big SUVs, a growing EV portfolio and strong fleet business, but in the middle of the market, the consumer mood is clearly shifting toward fuel efficiency without full EV commitment. That is exactly where hybrids shine.
Ford had a rougher quarter. Ford reported second-quarter U.S. sales of 549,200 vehicles, down 10 percent. The company pointed to model phaseouts, including the planned transition away from Escape and Lincoln Corsair, along with a 69 percent drop in daily rental sales. Ford also said F-Series demand remained high, but first-half F-Series sales were affected by commercial production timing tied to earlier aluminum supply shortages. Ford expects supply to improve more fully in the second half.
Ford also said that excluding the model transitions and assuming daily rental volume had stayed flat, its second-quarter sales would have risen about 0.5 percent. That is an important qualifier, but shoppers do not buy qualifiers. They buy what is on the lot, at a payment they can live with, and right now Ford is working through a product and supply transition at the same time the market is demanding sharper value.
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Stellantis had a much better story to tell. The automaker said U.S. sales rose 10 percent in June, 6 percent in the second quarter and 5 percent for the first half. Stellantis sold 634,187 vehicles in the first six months of the year. Ram pickup sales were up 14 percent in the second quarter, while Stellantis also cited gains for Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Ram 1500, Dodge Durango and Chrysler Pacifica retail sales.
Nissan also gained ground. Nissan Group reported second-quarter U.S. sales of 242,741 vehicles, up 9.6 percent, while Nissan Division sales rose 10.2 percent. The company has now posted 16 straight months of year-over-year retail sales gains, helped by models including Rogue, Sentra and Frontier.
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Among luxury brands, BMW bounced back in the second quarter after a slower start to the year. BMW brand sales totaled 102,713 vehicles, up 13 percent from the second quarter of 2025, and first-half BMW sales rose 4.7 percent. BMW said plug-in hybrid sales increased 22.9 percent in the quarter, although total electrified sales, combining EVs and plug-in hybrids, were down 18.1 percent.
Genesis continued its long growth streak, reporting June sales of 7,525 vehicles, up 10 percent, and 39,088 sales for the first half, up 5 percent. Genesis has now posted 21 consecutive months of year-over-year sales increases in the U.S., helped by continued demand for its SUV lineup.
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Volvo’s second quarter also improved, but its results came with a warning label. Volvo Car USA reported 34,228 sales in the second quarter, up 9 percent, driven by stronger XC60 and XC90 demand. However, Volvo said electrified vehicles, which it defines as fully electric and plug-in hybrid models, fell 17.1 percent from a year earlier. Volvo also said the broader market remains affected by weak consumer sentiment, increased SUV competition and a slower-than-expected recovery in EV and plug-in hybrid demand after subsidy removal.
The message from June is pretty clear. Buyers are still out there, but they are not saying yes to everything. They are rewarding automakers that have fresh product, practical fuel savings, strong crossover lineups and inventory in the right places. They are being tougher on brands that are short on high-demand models, too dependent on EV growth that has not materialized, or waiting for consumers to ignore affordability.
For the rest of 2026, hybrids look like the powertrain to beat. EVs are not going away, and neither are gasoline vehicles, but hybrids are the practical middle ground at exactly the right time. They give shoppers better fuel economy without asking them to remodel the garage or study charging curves like they are preparing for a medical board exam.
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That may not be the future some automakers wanted to sell. But in June, it was the future consumers were actually buying.
At deadline, we did not have sales numbers from Volkswagen or Audi.
Mid-Year 2026 U.S. Auto Sales
Here are your winners and losers halfway through 2026 and how that compares with the midway point of 2025:
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Manufacturer Mid-Year 2026 vs 2025 1. Toyota 1,073,678 1.5% 2. Ford 950,963 10% 3. Chevrolet 861,561
6%
4. Honda 687,205
2.5%
5. Hyundai 489,656
3%
6. Nissan 464,761 Flat 7. Kia 430,727
3%
8. GMC 315,156 Flat 9. Subaru 307,340
4%
10.Jeep 285,394 1%
11. Ram
235,332 15% 12. Mazda 201,834 4%
13. BMW
186,944
5%
14. Lexus 169,712
5%
15. Mercedes-Benz 163,000
3%
16. Buick 91,821
21%
17. Acura 69,715
2%
18. Chrysler 67,133
15%
19. Cadillac 66,923
22%
20. Volvo 56,879
12%
21. Mitsubishi 50,111
7%
22. Land Rover
44,900
26%
23. Dodge 44,492
6%
24. Genesis 39,088
5%
25. Porsche 33,012
15%
26. Infiniti 25,048
2%
27. Mini 13,717
6%
28. Ineos
2,800
8%
29. Alfa Romeo
1,747 44% 30. Jaguar 1,600 66%
31. Maserati
1,600
38%
32. Lamborghini 1,350
17%
33. Bentley
1,295
13%
34. Rolls-Royce 850 Flat 35. McLaren 515
10% 36. Fiat 228 75%
*Estimated sales reported by the automaker, which I put no stock in.
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Mid-Year 2026 U.S. Auto Sales
Toyota:
1.073,678
Up 1.5%
Ford:
950,963
Down 10%
Chevrolet:
861,561
Down 6%
Honda:
687,205
Up 2.5%
Hyundai:
489,656
Up 3%
Nissan:
464,761
Flat
Kia:
430,727
Up 3%
GMC:
315,156
Flat
Subaru:
307,340
Down 4%
Jeep:
285,394
Down 1%
Ram:
235,332
Up 15%
Mazda:
201,834
Down 4%
BMW:
186,944
Up 5%
Lexus:
169,712
Down 5%
Mercedes-Benz:
163,000
Down 3%
Buick:
91,821
Down 21%
Acura:
69,715
Up 2%
Chrysler:
67,133
Up 15%
Cadillac:
66,923
Down 22%
Volvo:
56,879
Down 12%
Mitsubishi:
50,111
Down 7%
Land Rover:
44,900
Down 26%
Dodge:
44,492
Down 6%
Genesis:
39,088
Up 5%
Porsche 33,012 Down 15%
Infiniti:
25,048
Down 2%
Mini:
13,717
Down 6%
Ineos:
2,800
Up 8%
Alfa Romeo:
1,747
Down 44%
Jaguar:
1,600
Down 66%
Maserati:
1,600
Down 38%
Lamborghini:
1,350
Down 17%
Bentley:
1,295
Down 13%
Rolls-Royce
850
Flat
McLaren:
515
Down 10%
Fiat:
228
All-Electric Brands as reported by the automakers with no way to verify the information:
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Tesla: 225,500 Down 12%
Rivian: 18,200 Down 4%
Lucid: 5,400 Up 59%
Polestar: 2,450 Down 31%
Vinfast: 600
Photo Credit: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock.com
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