GM’s 2025 Sales Surge 5.5% as Trucks and SUVs Rule American Roads

The Comeback Highway

Detroit—On a rain-slick morning outside General Motors’ headquarters, dealer Bill Karam hauled open the roll-up door of his showroom and grinned at the line of chrome-heavy Silverados glinting under the lights. “They’re gone before the paperwork dries,” he said, tapping the hood of a freshly-detailed Sierra Denali. Karam’s lot is microcosm of a bigger story: GM just closed 2025 with a 5.5 % U.S. sales jump—its fastest pace since 2019—powered almost single-handedly by brawny pickups and family-hauling SUVs.

By the Numbers

• Total deliveries: 2.87 million vehicles, up 153,000 from 2024.
• Truck and SUV mix: 84 % of all sales, a record high.
• Silverado family: +9 %; Suburban/Tahoe: +12 %; electric Equinox EV: 42,000 units in its first ten months.

GM’s North America president, Marissa West, told investors on a brisk conference call that “every percentage point came from the segments Americans actually want—utility, capability, and range.” Sedans, once the industry’s bread-and-butter, now account for less than one in ten GM show-room exits.

Why Trucks Still Trump EV Headlines

While headlines obsess over battery wars, dealer lots tell a simpler tale. Average transaction prices on full-size pickups hover near $58,000, juicing margins that fund GM’s $11 billion EV pipeline. “We’re minting cash on high-content crew cabs, then reinvesting in electrification,” West explained. The strategy appears to be working: GM’s EV market share has quietly doubled to 7 % even as gas models pay the bills.

The Rural Revolt

“My customers aren’t asking for 400 miles of electric range—they’re asking for 400 lb-ft of torque to pull a horse trailer.” —Linda Cho, GM dealer, Billings, Montana

Cho’s store sold 312 Silverados last quarter, 40 % to farmers replacing aging 2010-era pickups. Supply-chain snarls that once left lots barren have eased; GM’s U.S. inventory closed December at 689,000 units, the healthiest buffer since 2020.

Competitive Chessboard

Ford’s F-Series remains the segment king, but GM’s combined Silverado and Sierra lines narrowed the gap to just 47,000 units—down from 93,000 in 2024. Stellantis’ Ram slipped 3 % as it juggles plant retooling for electrified models. Meanwhile, Toyota’s Tundra gained only niche traction, leaving room for GM to muscle in on profitable high-trim pickups that can top $80,000.

Looking Ahead

GM CFO Paul Jacobson reaffirmed 2025 guidance of $13–15 billion in adjusted free cash flow, citing “pricing discipline and a pipeline of refreshed SUVs.” Next up: a redesigned Tahoe and Yukon in late 2026, plus a plug-in hybrid Silverado aimed at fleet buyers who aren’t ready to go full EV. Analysts at Wells Fargo called the roadmap “conservative but credible,” especially if interest rates taper through the second half.

Bottom Line

For all the talk of an electric future, GM’s 2025 victory lap was won on asphalt, towing boats and hauling plywood. Trucks still pay the bills, and for now, Detroit wouldn’t have it any other way.