If I’m reading the numbers correctly, Ford sold more of the big Bronco last month than they’ve ever sold in any other month. It was already a great April for the Detroit automaker, and the company isn’t alone, but amid all the sales numbers coming out today, it’s the Bronco that sticks out like a sore thumb. Of course, that thumb is sore from giving thumbs up to all the many, many Bronco owners suddenly roaming the streets.
It’s the first day of the month, and around The Morning Dump that means sales data. Kia and Hyundai continue to set new records and, in particular, set records with hybrid powertrains. Why is this happening? People freaking out about the tariffs, of course, which is going to have an impact. GM says that the impact will be as much as $5 billion to the bottom line.
Mercedes is not as badly off as other automakers from Germany because it makes vehicles here in the United States, and it sounds like Mercedes will be doing more of that quite soon.
Employee Pricing Gambit Results In Bronco-thon
I am never unhappy to see a Ford Bronco. The reimagined off-roader is just fun incarnate — joy to the extreme. It’s also been a popular vehicle for Ford, offering an alternative to people who don’t want a Wrangler or a 4Runner/Taco.
It’s never been more popular than it has been in the last couple of months, with tariff-mania forcing buyers off the sidelines and into the game. Overall, Ford’s April numbers rebounded significantly, with 208,675 vehicles sold during the month, which is up 16.2% over last year.
The even better news for Ford might be what people actually purchased, which was heavy on high-profit vehicles and low on electric vehicles (which were down 39.4% year-over-year). The Ranger (61.9%), Maverick (67.1%), and F-150 (12.7%) were all up, while the money-losing Mach-E (-40.2%), F-150 Lightning (-16.7%), and E-Transit (-0.6%) were going in the opposite direction.
Some of this can be explained by better numbers for those vehicles earlier this year, when people were panicking about losing the IRA Tax Credit. Those sales have already been pulled forward. Now, it’s pre-tariff fears driving the market, although Ford is less impacted by them than other automakers. Sensing the opportunity, Ford announced employee-pricing for all, which it’s extending another month.
Proportionally, the biggest improvement has come in Bronco sales, which were hovering between 8-10,000 every month. Prior to the employee pricing offer, the biggest month was December, when Ford sold 12,067 trucks in the United States. March broke that record, with 13,702 driven off lots. This last month? 14,400, which is up a not-small 73.2% year-over-year. This means that the Bronco is just barely outselling the cheaper Bronco Sport this year.
Are there quirks here? Maybe. Ford made some adjustments to production last year in response to slower sales and the ramp-up of the new Ranger. Small production issues for certain models may have also slowed down some deliveries, but that likely wouldn’t account for the huge sales surge.
I am open to reasons why this is happening other than the obvious, which is that people like Broncos, are panic-buying cars, and by making the Bronco a little bit cheaper it opens it up to a bunch of potential customers.
Lincoln also had a banger of a month, up 40% year-over-year, as people with a little more money buy nice new Navigators.
More Proof That The Tariff Panic-Buying Is Over For EVs
EV sales were up in the United States for just about every automaker who wasn’t Tesla or Rivian, as buyers who were fearful of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $7,500 tax credit vanishing rushed to buy EVs. Looking at the numbers thus far, I think most of that demand has been sated.
As mentioned above, hybrids grew 29.6% last month at Ford while EVs dropped by 39.4% compared to the prior April, which was just enough to offset the strong EV sales in the first three months of the year. It’s much the same at Hyundai, where the Ioniq 5 and 6 are both down for April while pretty much everything else is up dramatically.
And Kia? The company sold 1,572 EV9s in April of 2024 and just 232 last month. The EV6 also dropped, plummeting to under 700 sales after being above 2,000 last year. You know what sold at Kia? Carnivals and Tellurides. The company’s “electrified” models were up 21%, which means Kia moved hybrids like our elected officials move investment allocations before a big market change.
GM Predicts Tariffs Will Cost Up To $5 Billion
General Motors had a fairly rosy picture of 2025 in its mind, especially as the automaker started seeing positive cash flow from electric cars. GM has issued new guidance, and it’s not quite as positive. CEO Mary Barra sent out a letter to investors explaining it today, and included the news that the full-year EBIT-adjusted profits aren’t going to be great. Why?
I want to begin this letter by saying how proud I am of our employees, dealers and suppliers for the results they helped deliver in the first quarter of 2025. We are also grateful to President Trump for his support of the U.S. automotive industry.
We have had continual discussions with the President and his team since before the inauguration. They have invested the time to understand what it takes to be successful in this capital-intensive and highly competitive global industry, how we can work together to grow American manufacturing, and the importance of companies like GM to communities across the country.
Almost one million people in this country depend on GM for their livelihoods, including our employees, suppliers, and dealers. We have a network of 50 U.S. manufacturing plants and parts facilities in 19 states, which includes 11 vehicle assembly plants. And we have invested $60 billion here over the last five years. Our business is growing, and we will continue to grow our investments as we move forward.
Incorporating the positive impact of the Administration’s actions this week, we are updating our full-year EBIT-adjusted guidance to a range of $10 billion – $12.5 billion, including a current tariff exposure of $4 billion – $5 billion.
It’s admittedly feeling a little strange around here when every executive has to go out of their way to thank the President before softly admitting it’s going to cost, in GM’s case, up to $5 billion to react to his decisions.
Mercedes Will Build Another ‘Core Segment Vehicle’ In Alabama
Alabama is home to both Mercedes production and Nick Saban, the football coach who suddenly seems a lot more sane when compared to some other college football coaches I could name. In addition to being in seemingly every commercial that doesn’t already feature Rob Gronkowski, Saban co-owns a bunch of Mercedes dealers.
There’s good news for the home team as Mercedes has admitted it’s probably going to need to move some production to the United States to offset tariffs.
The German automaker said in a statement that it will shift assembly of a “core segment vehicle” to its factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, by 2027. It didn’t specify which model.
Mercedes’ most popular import in that category is the GLC sport-utility vehicle, which sold 64,163 units in the US last year, an increase of 58%. Mercedes had said in April that it was considering moving some production due to added costs stemming from the duties.
Any guesses as to what it’ll be?
My general and poorly concealed view of tariffs is that they’re going to increase costs and decrease choices in the market for the next 2-3 years in exchange for a disproportionately small number of jobs, but that doesn’t mean some regions won’t benefit. Anyone near a German car plant in the South is probably going to see more employment.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
I got a perfect 1-2 punch from Apple Music recently of Jenny Lewis doing “The Moneymaker” and The Police performing “Roxanne.” The Autopian leaves it to you as to whether you should or should not put out the red light, though we strongly suggest you enjoy this Lollapalooza concert from Jenny Lewis.
The Big Question
If you’re getting a Bronco, which Bronco are you getting? All time periods, all trims, all answers accepted.
Top photo: Ford
If you’re getting a Bronco, which Bronco are you getting?
Eh, I’m keeping my 1975 Sport Bronco forever!
1 family owned (My Grandfather bought it brand new in ’75 for my Mom when she graduated from College and she and I were relocating from sea level up to 4000 ft.+ elevation snow country. She taught me how to drive a car in it at age 9.
Mom has kept it all these years, but wet macular degeneration has stolen her eyesight and she can no longer drive, so I have “inherited” it prematurely.
I know it’s not everyone’s favorite or “best” concept of what an ideal vehicle should be, but with 50 years of it as a major part of my life, it’s priceless and irreplaceable to me.
If you’re getting a Bronco, which Bronco are you getting?
Unlike Homer Simpson, I would gladly accept the Denver Broncos.
“If you’re getting a Bronco, which Bronco are you getting? “
I’d get the Bronco that has the plug-in hybrid or the electric powertrain with at least 250 miles of range.
Which is to say that until Ford makes a plug-in hybrid or electric Bronco, I’m not at all interested.
This column often reads like a series of Trump pronouncements.
Thursday Morning Dump: Ford sells a record number of X
Friday Morning Dump: Ford recalls a record number of X
I’m no Ford fan but I’d probably take this over a 4Runner. The Bronco’s are more ‘affordable’ as well in comparison here (Ontario, Canada). I thought 50 grand for a base 4-door was insane until I went to the Toyota site loll
This is just an anecdote, but the small-town Ford dealer near me stocked itself to the gills with Broncos this spring. They usually have one or two out front, sometimes on a pedestal near the entrance, but I drove by a few weeks ago and holy cow they had like 20 lined up across the entire front of the lot, two deep in some places.
Maybe this dealer is a genius and just saw big demand coming, but I’m guessing this is either blatant channel stuffing on Ford’s part or at least some kind of abnormal production / distribution / inventory shenanigans at work.
I’m seeing this too, but the mix seems to be one or two base models (always in white or black to drive you away) ten in the 50k range, and twenty or so between 60k and the Raptor’s purely insane price of 80-95k.
Regardless of discounts, I’m going to assume that it’s going to be real tough to move anything beyond the 50k models.
“Thank you sir may I have another” – Mary Barra
– every CEO that doesn’t want a sitting president going on a tirade against their company that is not only cruel and unusual, but also factually incorrect.
SNAFU predates the hamburglar, but you have to admit, he’s perfected it.