Overall sales in March rose 10%, Ford said, a bounce from the 1.3% decline in the first quarter overall. The biggest jump was in retail sales, or sales directly to consumers. That rose 5% in the quarter driven by a 19% surge in March.

According to Ivan Drury, director of insights at automotive research site Edmunds, cars assembled in the U.S. won't necessarily be safe from tariffs, due to manufacturers relying on foreign imports. Nissan, for example, has suppliers from all over the world, with many of them providing up to 70% or 80% of parts.