Ford (F) Narrowly Retains Third Place Despite 6.6% Q3 Sales Decline

TLDR

• Ford delivered 507,395 light-duty vehicles in Q3, a 6.6% year-over-year decline.
• The Dearborn-based manufacturer retained third place nationally, edging out Hyundai by approximately 1,200 units.
• Shares of Ford stock (F) declined 0.69%, losing $0.08 following the announcement.
• F-Series truck deliveries decreased just 1.9%, aided by recovered production capacity after previous supplier disruptions.
• Electric vehicle deliveries collapsed 67.5% annually as buyers lost access to federal tax credits.

Shares of Ford stock (F) fell 0.69% after the manufacturer disclosed a 6.6% decline in U.S. sales for the third quarter. Despite the downturn, the automaker successfully defended its third-place ranking against aggressive competition from Hyundai.

Ford Motor Company, F

The automaker moved 507,395 light-duty vehicles throughout the three-month period. This total does not include heavy-duty commercial trucks, which Ford reports in a separate category.

Hyundai Motor Group, combining sales from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis nameplates, recorded 506,200 vehicle deliveries—a 5.4% year-over-year gain. Industry analysts at Cox Automotive had earlier projected that Hyundai would surpass Ford during this period.

However, both manufacturers exceeded expectations. Through nine months of 2025, Ford maintains a lead of approximately 89,700 vehicles over the Korean conglomerate.

Ford representatives emphasized that Hyundai and Kia maintain distinct dealer networks and brand identities in the United States. The company minimized the significance of the narrow competitive margin.

What Drove the Decline

Ford discontinued both the Escape crossover and Lincoln Corsair SUV earlier this year. Removing these models from the portfolio naturally affects comparative sales figures since they generated volume in the prior-year quarter.

Production disruptions stemming from two separate supplier facility fires in 2024 also created challenges. These incidents interrupted F-Series manufacturing and constrained available inventory for several months.

Rob Kaffl, who oversees Ford’s U.S. sales operations, indicated that supply chain constraints have largely been resolved. He anticipates improved performance in the final quarter of the year.

Sales of the F-Series lineup, encompassing the F-150 and related models, declined just 1.9% during the quarter. This represents a significantly better result than the company-wide performance.

However, the discontinued F-150 Lightning electric variant negatively impacted that segment. Lightning deliveries plummeted 97.1% compared to the same quarter last year.

The core Ford brand experienced roughly a 6% quarterly decline. Lincoln, the premium division, suffered a steeper 18% drop.

Fuel Costs and Electrification Trends

Gasoline prices have risen substantially throughout 2025. According to AAA data, the national average reached $4.43 per gallon in September, up significantly from $3.20 during the same month in 2024.

Ford leadership reports this price pressure is driving increased consumer interest in hybrid technology. Demand for electrified versions of vehicles like the F-150 has strengthened considerably.

The compact Maverick pickup truck, offered with standard hybrid propulsion, posted sales gains exceeding 20% to reach 41,970 units. This made it among Ford’s top-performing nameplates for the quarter.

Ford’s overall truck category, which includes the F-Series family, actually grew 0.5% to 315,112 units delivered. Pickup trucks continue to represent the core of Ford’s revenue generation.

Vehicle affordability remains a challenge throughout the automotive sector. Cox Automotive reports the average new-vehicle selling price increased 1.9% to $50,089 in August.

Ford’s battery-electric vehicle segment showed significant weakness. EV sales dropped 67.5% year-over-year through September, including an 80% collapse during the third quarter specifically.

The year-ago comparison is complicated by an artificial spike in demand. Consumers accelerated purchases in 2024 to secure federal tax incentives worth up to $7,500 before the Trump administration eliminated the program.

Ford’s dramatic year-over-year EV contraction primarily reflects the absence of those government subsidies rather than fundamental demand shifts. The automaker has not introduced new promotional programs to compensate for the lost incentives.