Cars are seen for sale in Carlsbad, California, U.S., September 23, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Major automakers including General Motors, Tesla, Toyota Motor and Ford urged the Trump administration to extend a North American free trade deal they call crucial to American auto production.

The automakers made the comments in filings with the U.S. Trade Representative's Office ahead of the 2026 formal review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement but all suggested changes.

A group representing the Detroit Three automakers said USMCA "enables automakers operating in the U.S. to compete globally through regional integration, which delivers efficiency gains" and accounts "for tens of billions of dollars in annual savings."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese)