GM Third-Quarter Sales Dip 6%, but Trucks, Big SUVs, and Small Crossovers Stay Strong

Cory Fourniquet   |  

Oct 1, 2026

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General Motors sold 670,974 vehicles in the U.S. during the third quarter, according to GM’s sales release. That is down 6% compared with a year ago, which GM attributes to a much smaller EV market and discontinued vehicles.

The more important takeaway is that GM’s highest-volume vehicles kept pace with last year’s strong results. Its full-size pickups, full-size SUVs, fleet business, and affordable small SUVs all had a good quarter.

GM’s Core Lineup Held Steady

GM’s top five best-selling vehicles are the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse, and Chevrolet Trax. GM says all five continue to show multiple years of growth based on strong consumer demand.

“Our business is performing very well, the launch of our next-generation full-size pickup trucks is on track,” said Duncan Aldred, president of GM North America.

Full-Size Pickups Extend Their Lead

GM extended its lead in the full-size pickup segment, and the timing matters. The next-generation 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are scheduled to begin arriving at dealerships in the fourth quarter.

We have already spent time with several of the new trucks, including the 2027 Silverado High Country and the 2027 GMC Sierra Denali. GM Fleet also led the industry in sales for the fourth consecutive quarter, driven by commercial pickup demand.

Small SUVs Have Their Best Quarter Ever

GM’s family of affordable small SUVs, led by the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Envista, had its best quarterly sales ever. Trax sales rose 16%, and the Chevrolet Trailblazer had its best third quarter since 2007.

Buick’s total sales were up 8% for the quarter, and its Envista and Encore GX are on pace for their second-best calendar year. For budget-minded families, those numbers show how much demand there still is for a well-equipped small SUV at an approachable price.

Brand-by-Brand Highlights

GMC’s Sierra is on track for its second-best calendar year, and the midsize Canyon pickup had its best quarter ever. Over at Chevrolet, Corvette sales climbed 29%.

Cadillac expanded its lead in the luxury EV market, growing its share by 1.3 percentage points through August. The CT5 Blackwing also had its best third quarter ever and is on pace for its best year yet. Still, Cadillac’s total sales fell 30% in the quarter, with steep declines for the XT6, Lyriq, and Escalade IQ.

GM Third-Quarter Sales by Model

Here is how every GM model performed in the third quarter, according to GM’s Q3 deliveries report. Brand totals include discontinued models.

Chevrolet

GMC

Buick

Cadillac

GM also reported 568,151 vehicles in dealer inventory at the end of September, including units in transit to dealers.

What Comes Next

With the redesigned Silverado and Sierra arriving soon, GM’s fourth quarter will be one to watch. The new trucks bring all-new interiors and new V8 engines, which we broke down in our story on 2027 Silverado engines by trim.