TLDR
- Ford’s third-quarter US sales fell 6.6% to 507,395 light-duty vehicles.
- The automaker held onto the No. 3 US sales spot, narrowly beating Hyundai’s 506,200 vehicles.
- Ford stock (F) traded down 0.69% to -$0.08 on the news.
- F-Series pickup sales dipped only 1.9%, helped by improving inventory after supplier fires.
- EV sales plunged 67.5% year-over-year as federal incentives expired.
Ford stock (F) slipped 0.69% as the automaker reported a 6.6% drop in third-quarter US sales. The company still managed to hold off a surging Hyundai for the No. 3 spot in the country.
Ford sold 507,395 light-duty vehicles during the quarter. That number excludes heavy-duty trucks, which get counted separately.
Hyundai, including its Kia and Genesis brands, posted a 5.4% sales increase to 506,200 vehicles. Cox Automotive had actually predicted Hyundai would overtake Ford this quarter.
Both companies beat that forecast in the end. Ford still leads Hyundai by roughly 89,700 units for the year so far.
Ford pointed out that Hyundai and Kia operate as separate brands in the US. The company downplayed how close the Korean automaker has gotten.
Why Sales Dropped
Ford phased out the Escape and the Lincoln Corsair this year. That makes year-over-year comparisons tougher since those models aren’t selling anymore.
Ford announced today that it sold 6,047 EVs in the U.S. in Q3 2026, -80.2% YoY.
Units sold:
• Mach-E: 5,574 (-72% YoY)
• F-150 Lightning: 289 (discontinued)
• E-Transit: 184 (-57% YoY) pic.twitter.com/eRgRo4YXMD— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 2, 2026
The company also dealt with two supplier fires last year. Those disrupted F-Series production and held back sales for months.
Rob Kaffl, Ford’s head of US sales, said those problems are mostly resolved now. He expects a stronger fourth quarter as a result.
F-Series sales, which include the F-150, were only down 1.9% for the quarter. That’s a much smaller decline than the company’s overall numbers.
The discontinued F-150 Lightning electric pickup dragged that figure down though. Lightning sales fell 97.1% during the quarter.
Ford’s main brand was down about 6% for the quarter. Lincoln, the luxury arm, fell harder at 18%.
Gas Prices and EV Demand
Gas prices have climbed sharply this year. The national average hit $4.43 a gallon in September, up from $3.20 a year earlier, according to AAA.
Ford executives say that’s pushing buyers toward hybrids. Demand on hybrid powertrains, including the F-150, has picked up noticeably.
The Maverick pickup, which comes with a hybrid option, saw sales jump over 20% to 41,970 units. That’s one of Ford’s strongest performers this quarter.
Ford’s truck sales overall, including F-Series, actually rose 0.5% to 315,112 units. Trucks remain the backbone of the company’s business.
Affordability is still a sticking point for buyers across the industry. The average new-vehicle transaction price rose 1.9% to $50,089 in August, per Cox Automotive.
Ford’s EV sales told a rougher story. They fell 67.5% year-over-year through September, with an 80% drop in the third quarter alone.
That comparison is tough partly because last year’s EV sales spiked. Buyers rushed to grab federal incentives of up to $7,500 before they expired under the Trump administration.
Ford’s year-over-year EV decline reflects that expired incentive more than anything else. The company hasn’t announced new EV promotions to offset the drop.
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