Ford finished the third quarter as the No. 3 seller in the U.S., but only barely. Ford's own release puts its Q3 total at 509,764 vehicles, down 6.6%. Hyundai, Kia and Genesis together sold 506,200, up 5.4% and the first time the group has topped 500,000 in a quarter. On a light-duty basis, one report puts Ford at 507,395, a margin of about 1,195 vehicles.
The result matters because Cox Automotive had forecast the opposite. Its late-September outlook said Hyundai Motor Group would sell 511,421 vehicles, up 6.5%, and finish ahead of Ford for the first time on a quarterly basis. The group landed about 5,200 units under that forecast, and Ford held on.
Third-quarter 2026 U.S. sales
| Seller | Q3 2026 sales | Change vs. Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Ford (total, Ford release) | 509,764 | -6.6% |
| Hyundai Motor Group (combined) | 506,200 | +5.4% |
| Hyundai brand | 246,896 | +3% |
| Kia | 236,659 | +8% |
| Genesis | 22,645 | Not stated |
The Hyundai, Kia and Genesis figures add up to 506,200. Hyundai, Kia and Genesis report separately in the U.S.; the combined number is a group total. Sources: Ford, Hyundai Motor America, Kia America.
Why the gap stayed so narrow
Ford says the decline is mostly planned. The Escape and Corsair are being phased out, and excluding them Ford estimates its retail share rose about 0.4 percentage points to 12.1%. Adjusted for those two models, Ford says total volume was essentially unchanged against an industry that fell about 1%.
Trucks did the heavy lifting. F-Series sales rose 2.4% in September to 67,448 and total 561,508 through the month, more than 140,000 ahead of the Chevrolet Silverado. Bronco set a third-quarter record at 38,020, and Explorer is up 17.6% for the year at 189,210. The Maverick Hybrid posted a third-quarter record of 27,793, up 59.6%.
Hybrids carried Hyundai's side
Hyundai Motor America reported its best third quarter ever at 246,896 sales and a record September of 77,439, up 9%. Hybrids rose 35% in the quarter, a record, and made up 28% of September volume. Tucson led the quarter at 64,075 units, up 23%, followed by Santa Fe at 39,112, Palisade at 35,229 and Sonata at 17,273, up 34%.
Trade outlet CBT News, citing Hyundai's August results, reported that hybrids hit a record 29% of Hyundai's August volume, while the Ioniq 5 fell 51% in August after the federal EV tax credit ended. Kia America, which had its own best quarter ever at 236,659 sales, said hybrid sales rose 152% in September.
"Hybrid sales climbed 39% and represented 28% of September volume, while Tucson, Palisade, Sonata and Santa Fe all posted double-digit gains." - Randy Parker, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America
What it means for buyers
For shoppers, the ranking itself changes little. What the numbers show is where demand is moving: both companies are selling more hybrids, and both are selling them in volume, which gives shoppers more choice in the segment.
Ford says its dealers are turning inventory quickly. "Our dealers continue to turn our inventory quickly, and our vehicle stock is healthy as we head into the fourth quarter," said Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Model e. Shoppers considering a hybrid pickup now have a high-volume option in the Maverick Hybrid, while hybrid SUV buyers have Tucson, Santa Fe and Kia's hybrid lineup to compare.
The fight is likely to continue. Ford still leads Hyundai Motor Group by roughly 89,700 units for the year through September, according to one published comparison, but the third-quarter gap between them was a few thousand vehicles at most.
