Q3 New-Car Sales Mixed
GM surges, peers also gain, though some see declines amid market pressures.

Ford saw a 16% surge in third-quarter U.S. sales.
IMAGE: Ford
Third-quarter U.S. new-vehicle sales were mixed, sending an unclear picture amid continued woes in the greater economy that include inflation and rising interest rates.
General Motors led the way with a 25% jump, followed by smaller gains at Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen. Luxury brands BMW and Hyundai Group’s Genesis also posted sales gains. Tesla’s worldwide sales – it doesn’t break them down by region -- were up, though off analyst estimates.
Meanwhile, Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Stellantis, Subaru and Volvo sales fell, though Toyota did have its first monthly sales increase since July 2021, up 17%.
Supply issues continue to cause problems for carmakers. Stellantis blamed “challenging industry supply constraints” for its 6% sales decline. But those issues, including the squeezing of the microchip supply, are showing signs of easing. GM said this week that its chip supply has improved.
Relaxed supply-chain pressures, though, could be replaced by larger market forces that could dampen consumer demand, especially in the face of increased new-vehicle prices.
More Dealer Ops

Dealer Debrief: Defection Data & EV Updates
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses how to use defection data to your advantage and the latest on EV sales and charging infrastructure.
Read More →
How Defection Data is Bridging the Dealership Conversion Gap
Lead volume is flat, cross-shopping is up and brand loyalty is in retreat. As confident sales teams keep losing buyers they thought they had, daily industry sales data is showing dealers exactly where their funnel is breaking and how to fix it without buying a single new lead.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Where are you losing customers?
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses the hidden leaks in dealerships where you might be losing customers without even realizing it.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Improving Your Inventory Management
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new survey that shows what service technicians really want and two launches that could help improve your inventory and vehicle life cycle management.
Read More →
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
What Market Timing Mistakes Mean for Your Reinsurance Program
When volatility hits, dealer-owned reinsurance programs face a familiar temptation: pull back and wait for calmer waters. New data from BOK Financial shows why that instinct can quietly cost you years of surplus growth.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
