Selling cars isn’t a walk in the park in 2025. High interest rates, rising production costs, and fierce competition all make turning a profit a challenge. And then there’s the looming threat of tariffs. These 5 car brands are facing mounting challenges in the U.S. market, creating an increasingly uncertain future. These companies are grappling with rising inventory levels alongside a shrinking customer base as the likes of Toyota, Tesla, and Subaru have gained fans and taken market share. Many have struggled to secure a strong foothold in America, while others are American icons that seem to be on their way out.
The following analysis delves into the factors driving these trends and the implications for each brand. These are the automakers at risk of leaving the U.S. market in the years to come.
Nissan
Nissan appears to be hurtling toward financial disaster. A merger with Honda has officially fallen through, manufacturing facilities are running well below capacity, and Nissans are sitting on dealer lots for longer than ever before. It’s likely that Nissan’s corporate leadership is considering all options right now. Just this past week, news broke that Honda would reconsider reviving takeover talks if Nissan’s CEO steps down. In November 2024, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said that the automaker needed to undertake serious restructuring to get out of what he called an “extremely tough situation.” It’s not yet clear how this will play out for what was once a top-selling automaker.
A look at the numbers puts Nissan’s predicament in focus. In the United States, Nissan is set up for 8.5% market share in terms of dealer footprint and manufacturing capability. Yet, U.S. market share remains low, hovering around 4.5%. There’s a huge mismatch here that can’t continue forever.
The likes of Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru have taken market share from Nissan in the U.S. market. Sales haven’t exactly plummeted, but years of declines are starting to add up.
Here’s a look at how Nissan’s U.S. sales have fared compared to it’s immediate competitors over the last decade:
Although U.S. sales have steadily fallen, they’re still selling over 900,000 cars annually. However, Nissan’s corporate leadership has made it crystal clear that the company’s immediate threat is its balance sheet. Last year, an anonymous Nissan official told the Financial Times that the automaker has “12 to 14 months to survive.” A dire situation, indeed.
Mini
BMW owns the brand, and could pull the plug if sales continue to wane. Sales have tanked in recent years. It’s clear that Mini lost their niche in the American auto market as their vehicles grew in size. Mini’s best year was back in 2012, with 76,354 U.S. sales. How’s the bigger new model selling? Not well. There’s 188 days of supply for the new Countryman heading into spring car buying season.
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo once had a bright future in North America. Following the brand’s arrival in 2016, sales climbed quickly, and peaked at nearly 24,000 units sold in 2018. However, it’s been steadily downhill ever since. In 2024, Alfa Romeo sold just 8,865 cars in the U.S. The Quadrifoglio versions of the Giulia and Stelvio have officially been canceled, leaving an even narrower lineup for American car buyers.
With recent leadership shakeups at Stellantis, it’s more likely than ever that some brands are on the way out. Alfa Romeo is at the top of that unfortunate list.
Be sure to check out just how far several Stellantis brands have fallen in the interactive graph below.
Chrysler
In 2025, Chrysler is exclusively a seller of minivans. Since the sunset of the Chrysler 300 sedan, the Pacifica and resurrected Voyager are all that’s left. Sales have fallen by 50% over the past decade. With Chrysler’s Airflow EV officially dead, it’s not clear if there’s a future at all for Chrysler.
Mitsubishi
The good news is that Mitsubishi’s U.S. sales were up in 2025, led higher by sales of the Mirage, the most affordable new car in America. The bad news is that Mirage has officially been cancelled, just as drivers are increasingly desperate for cheap new cars.
Mitsubishi has fallen far behind its Japanese rivals. Back in 2000, Mitsubishi wasn’t too far behind the likes of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. In 2025, there are only 300 Mitsubishi dealers in the United States, a fraction of the competition’s footprint. It’s not clear if the success of the Outlander will be enough to keep the brand stateside in the long term.
Honorable mention: Fiat, Maserati, and Jaguar
Over the course of the past decade, sales of Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, and Ram models have fallen sharply. Jeep and Ram remain mainstays in the U.S., but other brands under the Stellantis umbrella have a less certain future. Here’a a look at how sales of Stellantis’ brands have contracted over the last ten years. As you’ll notice, Fiat, Maserati, Chrysler, and Alfa Romeo are just a fraction of today’s market:
Make no mistake: Stellantis is in deep trouble. In the U.S. market, Stellantis (and FCA US) sales are down 42% from 2015 to 2024, tumbling from 2,243,907 vehicles sold in 2015, to just 1,303,570 sold in 2024. New leadership is looking to trim the fat, of which there is plenty in the U.S. market. Alfa Romeo and Chrysler are high on the list, but Fiat and Maserati are the clear runner ups.
Jaguar is essentially taking a year off in 2025, which is without a doubt a bad sign. With electrification progressing slower than anticipated, and sales of ICE models on the decline, it’s not clear if Jaguar will have a future in North America beyond 2025. Jaguar sold just 13,210 cars in America in 2024. That’s not enough to remain relevant in the decade to come.
What This Means For Car Buyers
The writing is on the wall for these struggling automakers. Whether it’s declining sales, bloated inventories, or corporate shakeups, these brands are facing serious uncertainty in the U.S. market. For car buyers, this presents both risks and opportunities.
Deals on the Horizon – As automakers like Nissan, Chrysler, and Mitsubishi fight to stay relevant, expect steeper discounts, better incentives, and negotiable prices on their remaining inventory.
Resale Value Concerns – If a brand exits the market, resale values can plummet due to concerns over service, parts availability, and long-term support.
🔎 Do Your Research – Before buying, check for reliability ratings, resale projections, and market trends to avoid getting stuck with a depreciating asset.
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