Nissan Z Sales Exploded in America in Q1 2025, Blowing Away the Supra
Automakers are in the midst of releasing first-quarter sales results for 2025, and among all the chatter, we noticed something unexpected: Nissan Z sales positively exploded in the first quarter of the year, with the final tally coming to 2154 Zs going out the door.
That's more than triple the number of Z sports cars that Nissan sold in the first quarter of 2024 — and more examples than Nissan sold in the coupe's first full year on sale. It's the sort of explosion in sales we've been waiting to see from the very beginning of Z production.
Things started mightily slow for the revamped Z, with the first full year of sales (2023) only seeing 1771 copies leave dealer lots. The first quarter of 2025 has already crushed that entire calendar year, so things are looking up. Even compared to the steady growth Nissan saw in 2024, where it sold a total of 3164 Zs, 2025 is trending to destroy that number.
And Nissan handily beat its closest natural competitor for sales in this first quarter of 2025, the Toyota GR Supra. Toyota moved a paltry 421 Supras in the first quarter, meaning Nissan sold approximately five Zs for every one Supra that left the lot. That follows the trend of the Z finally surpassing the Supra in total sales last year — but instead of a neck-and-neck race, the Z is wildly outpacing Toyota's sports car.
That's not totally surprising, though, considering the Supra is toward the end of its lifecycle, while the Z is still relatively new. The Supra's best year was 2021, where it sold 6830 examples — much more in line with the pace of the Z in 2025.
We'll see if Nissan is able to maintain this momentum with the Z as the year soldiers on. There's virtually nothing alluringly new for the 2025 model, outside of the addition of Bayside Blue to the exterior paint palette. The price of every version (Sport, Performance, Nismo) is the same for 2025 as it was for the 2024 model year, but the looming threat of tariffs means there's no guarantee it will remain the same throughout the entirety of 2025.
You Might Also Like
You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox
Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners
The Man Who Signs Every Car
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
Wanted: EV batteries, dead or alive
Battery recycling is one way to secure critical minerals for electric vehicles without getting caught up in geopolitics, but it's not going to break the U.S. of its dependence on China any time soon. Why it matters: In order to produce new batteries with recycled minerals, you need to collect enough dead batteries to extract those materials. Most electric vehicles haven't been around long enough to reach the end of their lives. Plus, it turns out that EV batteries last much longer than anyone expected. While EV manufacturers typically guarantee the battery for at least eight years or 100,000 miles, evidence shows they'll last as long as 15 or 20 years, according to Recurrent, which tracks EV resale values. The big picture: A closed-loop supply of recycled battery materials would eliminate the need for additional mining or foreign minerals. Redwood Materials is the leader among a handful of companies trying to build that battery ecosystem. How it works: Redwood takes in batteries from used EVs, as well as phones, electronics and scrap from battery factories. Some batteries still have enough life to be remanufactured or reused, such as for backup power at data centers, while others are ready to be recycled. Redwood recovers more than 95% of the critical minerals inside — like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper — and returns them to the supply chain. Last year, it recycled more than 20 GWh of lithium-ion batteries, enough to power 250,000 new EVs. Yes, but: While Redwood has multi-billion-dollar deals with Toyota and Panasonic to buy its recycled materials, the envisioned market doesn't quite exist yet. Most of Redwood's $200 million in revenue last year came from selling minerals for other purposes like fertilizer or computer processors. By early next year, it will begin scaling up production of recycled cathode active material that Toyota, Panasonic and other customers will eventually use to manufacture new batteries. What they're saying: Already, Redwood is taking in more materials for recycling than it expected, says Dustin Krause, vice president of business development. "There's no concern on our side that there's going to be a shortage of material," he tells Axios. "It's going to grow very rapidly." Here's how Redwood expects things to play out:
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
One Toyota RAV4 Model Year Outperforms The Rest In Reliability
Toyota recently revealed an all-new generation of the RAV4, and it's expected to be just as popular as the five generations preceding it. A key to the success of the RAV4 has been the crossover's exceptional reputation for reliability. However, not every used RAV4 is automatically a smart buy, with some model years being a lot more reliable than others. We've done the research to find the single most reliable RAV4 model year. We consulted reputable sources like Car Complaints, J.D. Power, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Here, we scoured through consumer complaints and recalls. Importantly, we took into account both the severity of complaints/recalls and the total number of them, since not every automotive recall is serious enough to significantly affect long-term reliability. Looking at Toyota RAV4 reliability records by year, we have also excluded RAV4s from the 2021 model year and newer, as these model years are too new to accurately assess how dependable they'll be. All things considered, the 2018 model is what we consider the best year for the Toyota RAV4, if reliability is the key consideration. This model is the last of the fourth-generation RAV4, and often, the most recent model years of a specific generation are especially reliable, since manufacturers will have had enough time to sort through any early issues. The 2018 RAV4 has just 33 issues logged on Car Complaints, lower than all other fourth-gen RAV4s. On the NHTSA, it has three recalls, but two are for incorrect load-carrying labels, which have nothing to do with reliability. The third is for an unsecured battery that could short circuit, but all that's needed here is a replacement of the battery clamp sub-assembly, which has very likely been done by now. Furthermore, a stellar quality and reliability rating of 88 out of 100 from J.D. Power confirms this RAV4's high dependability. No vehicle is perfect, and the 2018 RAV4 does have some issues related to jerky transmission shifts, brake problems, and stalling issues. However, these appear isolated, with no clear pattern of any major faults. A large part of the 2018 RAV4's solidity comes down to its straightforward mechanicals. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine has no turbochargers or electrification to worry about. Although it produces just 176 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, it has good mid-range torque, and with proper maintenance, this engine can last for many thousands of miles. Complementing the reliable four-pot is a simple six-speed automatic transmission; this is a conventional torque converter automatic, unlike the RAV4 Hybrid, which uses a CVT. Speaking of the hybrid, it makes 194 hp combined, so is a better performer. While reliable, there are more components in the hybrid's powertrain, so we'd trust the standard 2.5L with front-wheel drive for the most risk-free RAV4 experience. According to RepairPal, the annual repair cost for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 works out to $424, whereas the average for all compact SUVs is almost $100 more annually, at $521. Not only is the 2018 Toyota RAV4 reliable, but it won't cost much to maintain, either. Adding to the reasonable running costs is the FWD model's commendable efficiency, at 23/30/26 mpg city/highway/combined. With AWD, the 2018 RAV4 returns 22/28/25 mpg. The EPA estimates annual fuel costs of $1,800 for the FWD RAV4, assuming you cover 15,000 miles per year. This figure is also based on the current price of a gallon of gas, so is subject to change. According to Kelley Blue Book, a base 2018 Toyota RAV4 LE will cost just under $16,000 today, compared to its original MSRP of $27,464. The range-topping Platinum model will be approximately $21k today. These low prices, combined with the Toyota RAV4's reliability, make the 2018 model quite tempting. Those prices will get you behind the wheel of an exceptionally reliable and practical crossover that can still last for many years. Yes, the fourth-gen RAV4 isn't the most exciting vehicle on the planet, but most RAV4 customers are more than willing to trade a thrilling drive for the peace of mind that comes with owning a Toyota. Almost any Toyota RAV4 can be considered reliable if cared for, but there are a few other best years for the Toyota RAV4 in terms of sheer reliability. 2000 Toyota RAV4: First Generation The most recent first-gen RAV4 is now 25 years old, but it has a strong reliability record and few major complaints. Look out for a problematic airbag inflator, which is the most serious issue. Other than that, it's a frill-free crossover, and you can even get in sporty two-door form. It's one of the best RAV4 years. 2004 Toyota RAV4: Second Generation A mere 20 complaints were logged on Car Complaints for the 2004 RAV4. The 2002 model has 519 complaints, showing just how much reliability improved in a fairly short space of time. Part of the second generation, the 2004 model introduced a new 2.4-liter engine, which was more powerful but still reliable. The only red flag is the 2004 RAV4's involvement in the Takata airbag debacle, which affected millions of vehicles from various brands. If you look for a 2004 RAV4, make sure it has had its airbags checked. Other than that, it can be considered one of the RAV4's best years. There are few more logical used car purchases than a Toyota RAV4. With the all-new sixth-generation model recently revealed, we expect a new generation of buyers to enjoy the safety, reliability, and value imbued across all generations of the RAV4. The 2018 model, in particular, represents Toyota RAV4 dependability at its best. If you can find one with a full service history, it should be dependable for years to come and fairly affordable to fix if anything does go wrong. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Volvo Cars sales plunge 12% in May as tariff challenges continue
Volvo Cars announced worldwide sales of 59,822 cars in May, which was a decrease of 12% compared with the same month in 2024. This was partly due to the company struggling with recently imposed US automotive tariffs. Electrified models — both plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles — made up 44% of all car sales in May. This was a fall from 66% in May 2024. While fully electric models made up 21% of all May sales, plug-in hybrid models accounted for 23%. The best-selling model in May was the XC60, which sold 19,408 units — a slight dip from the 20,507 units sold in the same month last year. The XC40/EX40 model took second place, with 14,892 units sold — an increase on May 2024's 13,640 units. The third best-selling model was the XC90 with 8,794 units sold in May 2025. By contrast, 9,072 units of this model were sold in May 2024. As of December 2024, Volvo Cars had about 42,600 full-time employees, with its head office based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and production plants across the US, Belgium and in China. Volvo Cars also recently announced that it would be slashing 3,000 jobs, as part of wide-ranging cost-cutting measures, which are expected to save the company about SEK 18 billion (€1.6bn). These layoffs will primarily affect office-based positions in Sweden, which make up around 15% of Volvo Cars' white collar workforce. Out of these 3,000 layoffs, around 1,000 will be consultant positions. Earlier in May, the company laid off 5% of its staff in its Ridgeland, South Carolina facility, which accounted for 125 roles. Volvo Cars said in a press release about the redundancies on its website: 'These structural changes are necessary for Volvo Cars to deliver on its long-term strategy, strengthening its foundations for profitable growth. 'Volvo Cars remains firm on its ambition of becoming a fully electric car company, as fully electric is the fastest growing market segment and Volvo Cars is a leader in this transition.' Back in 2021, the company revealed that all its models would be electric by the end of the decade. However, it has pushed back this goal, citing rising uncertainties due to electric vehicle (EV) tariffs in many markets. Apart from tariffs, slower European sales and the higher cost of materials have also affected several major car companies in Europe. Nissan, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen, Tesla and Stellantis have all announced layoffs in the last few months, as car companies scramble to become more efficient and adaptive in the current uncertain economic environment. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
