- Audi expects US sales to drop to 144,000 in 2026.
- That would be 37 percent below its 2023 peak.
- BMW and Mercedes, meanwhile, expect sales to climb.
Audi endured a bruising 2025 in the States, posting a 16 percent sales slide on top of an already disappointing 2024. The glow of those mid-2010s growth years feels distant now. Any hopes of a rebound have yet to materialize, and for 2026, the company is not forecasting a turnaround. Instead, it is preparing for another double-digit drop.
The projection has not been shared publicly. It emerged through a lawsuit. Audi is being sued by Luxury Autos of Smithtown in Long Island, which alleges the brand unfairly disadvantaged its two dealerships through margin programs tied to sales performance. In a February court filing connected to the case, Audi projected that it will sell 144,000 vehicles this year.
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If that figure holds, it would be down 13 percent from the 164,942 cars Audi delivered in the US last year. It would also mark a 37 percent decline from the record 228,550 vehicles the brand sold in 2023.
As reported by Auto News, the 2026 forecast would make this Audi’s weakest US sales year since 2012, when it moved 139,310 vehicles. Not exactly a stat you frame and hang in the boardroom. The brand cleared 200,000 annual US sales for five consecutive years between 2015 and 2019, showing how sharply volumes have retreated.
Audi’s struggles have been compounded by its exposure to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, as it lacks manufacturing facilities in the United States, unlike BMW and Mercedes-Benz. On top of that, it has implemented several price increases for the 2026 model year.
Parent company Volkswagen Group had previously suggested a decision on potential US production for Audi would come by the end of 2025, but no commitment followed. In January, VW Group CEO Oliver Blume said plans for a US-based Audi factory had been put on hold as tariffs continued to pressure earnings.
BMW And Mercedes Popularity Surges
The brand’s problems come as its rivals are thriving. BMW sold a record 388,897 vehicles in the US last year, its seventh consecutive year of growth, and is predicting a further increase this year. Mercedes-Benz edged up 0.5 percent to 303,200 sales and is forecasting a 7 percent bump this year to roughly 325,000 units.
Lexus also recorded a record year, delivering 370,260 vehicles, adding to the sense that Audi is increasingly out of step with the broader luxury segment.
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As for how Ingolstadt plans to respond, that part is still a little hazy. Recent months have brought updated versions of the A5, Q5, A6 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, and the combustion-powered A6.
Beyond the refresh cycle, Audi has redesigned the Q5, is rolling out a new-generation Q3, and plans a redesigned Q7 in 2026. There is also a new flagship crossover, the Q9, due in 2026 with a clear eye on US buyers. Whether that will be enough to shift the momentum is the bigger question.
