April Auto Sales: How Tariffs Shaped the Market

As April comes to a close, the pressing question on everyone’s mind is what impact the newly implemented auto tariffs have had on the retail and wholesale auto market. Everyone in the industry has been closely watching the effects of these tariffs, and the anticipation has been significant.

To get a clearer picture, we turned to the experts. We asked the leaders of our Economic and Industry Insights team to share their analysis and insights on how the sudden and significant tariffs have influenced the auto market throughout April. Their perspectives shed light on the complexities and nuances of this situation, which may well shift even further today, April 29, as President Trump heads to the Motor City for a rally marking his first 100 days in office. The president will be speaking from a podium just a few miles from where the leaders of General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and the U.S. management of Stellantis spend their days. Everyone is expecting an update on auto tariffs, and more uncertainty ahead.

Here’s what our Economic and Industry Insights team had to say:

Tariffs: Our Insights

Since the first announcements of coming auto tariffs were made, Cox Automotive’s Economic and Industry Insights team has been closely monitoring this evolving story and has published related content. Read the additional commentary.