US automakers are facing a cold snap: General Motors dropped 9.6%, while Toyota fell 8.5%.
The warm spring of the U.S. automotive market seems to have come to an end.

In the first quarter of this year, sales of many major automakers declined collectively: General Motors fell by 9.6%, Toyota by 8.5%, Honda by 4.2%, Nissan by 7.5%, and Mazda plunged by as much as 26%.
The only one bucking the trend with growth is Stellantis, whose sales rose by 4.1%, marking growth for the third consecutive quarter. Among its brands, Ram surged by 20% and Jeep grew by 2.8%.
High base + high price + bad weather
Electric vehicle stalls
With the expiration of the $7,500 federal tax credit last September, the U.S. electric vehicle market has continued to cool down.
Cox Automotive forecasts that electric vehicle sales in the first quarter will reach 213,600 units, a year-on-year drop of 28%, with its share of total industry sales falling from the peak of 10.5% in the third quarter of last year to between 5% and 6%.
General Motors believes that the electric vehicle market is showing early signs of stabilizing.
Zero interest rates coupled with deferred down payments
Conclusion
General Motors fell 9.6%, Toyota dropped 8.5%, and Stellantis rose 4.1% — the performance gap in the U.S. automotive market is widening. Amid an electric vehicle downturn, persistently high prices and cautious consumers, the spring of 2026 has turned rather chilly for automakers.





