General Motors held onto its position as the U.S. auto sales leader in the third quarter, but Toyota continued to close the gap.
GM sold 670,974 vehicles in the U.S. during the quarter, down 5.5% from a year earlier. Toyota reported sales of 633,223, up 0.6%, putting the two automakers fewer than 38,000 vehicles apart for the quarter.
GM has held the U.S. sales crown for years, including leading the full-year market in 2025. The company sold about 6% more vehicles last year, while also maintaining its position as the country's full-size pickup leader.
Toyota's gains in Q3 came as demand for its electrified lineup continued to grow. Toyota sold 363,367 electrified vehicles during the quarter, up 28.5% from a year earlier and accounting for 57.4% of its total U.S. sales. Corolla Hybrid sales increased nearly 36% to 13,003 units.
Higher fuel prices are another factor in the market. Regular gasoline averaged $4.43 per gallon in September, compared with $3.20 a year earlier, according to AAA data cited by Reuters.
GM's third-quarter results were also affected by a sharp drop in EV sales following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit. GM's EV sales fell about 62% from the same quarter last year, when buyers accelerated purchases ahead of the credit's expiration.
For dealers, the bigger market shift may be the growing divide in powertrain mix. Toyota's hybrid-heavy lineup is helping it gain ground on the longtime U.S. sales leader while shoppers continue to weigh fuel costs and vehicle affordability.
