Overview
Car and Driver’s Jan. 19 ranking shows Tesla’s Model Y as the top-selling U.S. EV in 2025 amid a volatile year. The outlet attributes a third-quarter buying rush to the looming end of the federal EV tax credit at September’s close, followed by a steep fourth-quarter slump across many models.
Top 10 U.S. EVs in 2025 (estimates where noted)
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1) Tesla Model Y: ~317,800 (Automotive News estimates); -22% YoY; still the bestselling EV and 7th overall vehicle.
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2) Tesla Model 3: ~172,800 (Automotive News estimates); +18% YoY.
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3) Chevrolet Equinox EV: 57,945; best-selling non-Tesla; ~2x 2024; Q4 -72% YoY.
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4) Ford Mustang Mach-E: 51,620; full-year dipped slightly; Q4 -40% YoY.
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5) Hyundai Ioniq 5: 47,039; +6% YoY; Q4 -58% YoY.
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6) Honda Prologue: 39,194; +19% YoY; softer finish to the year.
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7) Tesla Cybertruck: ~29,000 (Automotive News estimates); -3% YoY.
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8) Ford F-150 Lightning: 27,307; -19% YoY; Q4 -60% YoY.
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9) Chevrolet Blazer EV: 22,637; -2% YoY; Q4 -77% YoY.
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10) Volkswagen ID.4: 22,373; +31% YoY; Q4 -62% YoY (despite a 2024 stop-sale affecting the comparison).
Market Dynamics
Car and Driver reports a strong pull-forward into Q3 ahead of the tax credit’s elimination, then an “absolute decimation” for many models in Q4, with numerous year-over-year declines exceeding 50%.
Brand and Model Highlights
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Tesla: Automotive News estimates cited by the outlet show Model 3 up 18% and less affected late in the year, while Model Y fell 22%. Car and Driver suggests a shift to a refreshed 2026 Model Y and a sharper Q4 slide versus Model 3 may have contributed to the Y’s full-year decline; the Y reportedly sold about 20,000 fewer units than Model 3 in Q4.
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GM: Equinox EV scaled quickly to lead non-Tesla EVs but mirrored the broader Q4 pullback (-72% YoY). Blazer EV started 2025 strong but ended -2% after a late-year slump.
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Ford: Mach-E volume dipped slightly for the year after a 40% Q4 decline. Following a 60% Q4 drop and -19% full year for the F-150 Lightning, Ford said in December it would end production of the current battery-electric Lightning and bring back the nameplate as a plug-in hybrid with a gasoline range extender.
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Hyundai and Honda: Ioniq 5 (+6% YoY) and Prologue (+19% YoY) still finished ahead of 2024 despite steep Q4 declines.
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Volkswagen: ID.4 rose 31% for the year even though Q4 was 62% lower than a 2024 quarter already affected by a stop-sale.
Methodology Notes
Tesla does not report U.S. sales by model; positions for Model Y, Model 3, and Cybertruck rely on Automotive News estimates. Some nameplates combine gas and electric variants, complicating direct comparisons. Car and Driver states it used the best available data and notes these limitations.
Outlook
Car and Driver characterizes the 2026 outlook as murky, with Q3’s pull-forward leaving a demand hole in Q4. The late-2025 declines cut across segments and price bands, suggesting automaker responses through pricing, incentives, product updates, and powertrain strategy will shape the next chapter.
