Toyota Is Closing In on the US Sales Lead as Its EVs Take Off

It is a split picture: GM is still the largest US vehicle producer, but Toyota is the top-selling individual brand and is gaining fast — especially on EVs. In Q1 2026 Toyota was down fewer than 1,000 units while GM lost about 67,000, narrowing the gap dramatically.

Where the two actually stand in 2026

• GM remains the top overall US vehicle producer by volume
• Toyota is the top-selling individual brand in the US
• Q1 2026: Toyota down fewer than 1,000 units; GM down about 67,000
• Toyota's bZ electric SUV sold 10,000+ units in Q1, outselling GM's Chevy Equinox EV
• Toyota's bZ and Lexus RZ more than doubled month over month
• The bZ outsold the Toyota Prius for the first three months of the year

Why Toyota is gaining

Balance is the edge. While EV-heavy rivals got punished when federal incentives vanished, Toyota's hybrid-heavy lineup kept selling — and now its EVs are finally landing too. Spreading bets across gas, hybrid, and electric let Toyota hold steady through the exact market shift that hurt competitors.

What it means for buyers

Toyota's momentum points to strong resale value and wide availability across every powertrain. GM's volume lead still means aggressive deals as it works to recover share — which is good news if you are cross-shopping a Chevy, GMC, or Buick against a Toyota.