One of the last truly independent mainstream automakers is having a hard time in 2026. Through the first four months of the year, almost every single Mazda model is selling worse than it was in the same time period in 2025, something that could probably be attributed to the Trump administration’s aggressive tariff tactics.
Only one Mazda is built in the United States, the CX-50, and that model (along with the suddenly popular Mazda3 hatchback) is seemingly immune to the company’s sales slump, with much-improved sales this year.
Built In Alabama, Made For America
Sales of the compact crossover rose nearly 6 percent in April 2026 compared to last year, totaling 8,201 units. Although that’s barely a fifth of the number of CR-Vs that Honda sells, it’s still a good result for such a small company.
And for the first four months of 2026, sales of the CX-50 came to 37,235, an improvement of 20 percent compared to the same time period last year despite fewer selling days. Part of its success could be form factor; small crossovers are big business these days, and the CX-50 is unique in the Mazda lineup for having rugged styling cues, which set it apart from the similarly sized but sleeker CX-5.
Of course, the CX-50 is also unique in that it’s also built in the United States. Both the internal combustion and hybrid variants are manufactured at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA near Huntsville, Alabama. By avoiding some tariffs thanks to its made-in-the-USA provenance, the CX-50 can maintain its impressive sub-$30k starting price. The Alabama plant also helps Mazda improve per-unit profits on the CX-50; the company strongly intimated that it was deliberately limiting production of the Mexico-manufactured CX-30, since tariffs were eating into its marketability and low starting price.
A Dark Horse Enters The Stable
The same logic doesn’t account for the increased popularity of a second vehicle, however. Sales of the Mazda 3 hatchback skyrocketed in the first third of 2026, with year-to-date sales totaling 5,591 units (or nearly 60 percent more than last year). The stylish five-door also racked up 1,149 total sales in April, a 34 percent jump from April 2025.
That said, the 3 sedan is still more popular, although its lead is shrinking, tumbling from more than 9,000 units in the first four months of 2025 to less than 7,000 units in the same time period this year. The hatchback’s improved showroom performance was enough to counter the sedan, and sales for the whole Mazda 3 family are flat year over year.
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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
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