General Motors has reported a dip in third-quarter auto, as a drop in demand for electric vehicles more than offset rising interest in small, lower-priced SUVs.
The big US automaker reported deliveries of 670,974, down 5.5% from the year-ago level.
In the 2025 period, GM and other automakers saw a boom in EV sales as US consumers flocked to dealerships ahead of the expiration of a tax credit on September 30, 2025 following a policy change backed by US President Donald Trump.
But the surge in third-quarter 2025 EV sales translated into a more than 90 % decline in GM's sales of the electric version of the Chevrolet Equinox SUV in the just-finished quarter.
While the gasoline-powered Equinox also saw a modest decline compared with last year, GM pointed to smaller sport utility vehicles as a strong point in the quarter.
Overall sales of "affordable small SUVs" were up 27 % said GM, with the Chevrolet Trax, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Buick Envista all higher.
Although persistent inflation continues to weigh on consumers, shoppers are still going to dealerships and purchasing cars, in some cases trading "down" to lower-cost options if they can't afford their first choice, auto analyst say.
Cox Automotive estimated that overall third-quarter US sales would be 4.1mn, down 0.7% from the year ago level.
