[New York = E-Daily Correspondent Seong Joowon ] HyundaiMotor Group is expected to overtake Ford for the first time ever to claim third place in U.S. auto sales for the third quarter of this year. As high gas prices have increased U.S. consumers’ preference for hybrid vehicles, HyundaiMotor(005380) andKIA CORPORATION(000270)—which offer a diverse lineup of hybrids—have made strong gains, while U.S. automakers, including Ford, are struggling due to a shortage of related products and production disruptions.

According to market research firm Cox Automotive on the 24th (local time), HyundaiMotor Group—comprising HyundaiMotor, KIA CORPORATION, and Genesis—is expected to sell 511,421 new vehicles in the U.S. in the third quarter, a 6.5% increase from the same period last year.
In contrast, Ford is projected to sell only 504,172 units during the same period, a 7.1% decrease. If these projections hold true, this will mark the first time HyundaiMotor Group has outperformed Ford in the U.S. market on a quarterly basis. It will rise to third place in U.S. sales, behind General Motors (GM) and Toyota.
Hybrid vehicles are playing a key role in HyundaiMotor Group’s strong performance. As U.S. gasoline prices continue to soar due to rising international oil prices, demand for hybrid vehicles—which offer relatively better fuel efficiency—is growing. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average price of gasoline in the U.S. currently stands at $4.48 per gallon (approximately 3.8 liters).
In contrast, Cox analyzed that U.S. automakers such as Ford and GM are struggling due to a lack of hybrid lineups. While Ford sells hybrid models of the Maverick and F-150 pickup, GM’s hybrid options are extremely limited.
Erin Keating, a senior analyst at Cox, explained, “If there aren’t vehicles to capture consumers where they want them, other manufacturers will fill that void.”
Ford has also faced production disruptions. Two supplier fires last year disrupted the production and sales of the F-Series pickup truck, a key model in the U.S. market.
Toyota, a hybrid powerhouse, is also rapidly catching up to GM, the U.S. market leader. Cox projected that GM’s third-quarter sales would total 671,706 units—a 5.2% decrease from the same period last year—while Toyota’s sales would rise 2.2% to 642,707 units. The gap in year-to-date sales has also narrowed to less than 121,100 units. If Toyota surpasses GM this year, it will claim the top spot in annual U.S. sales for the second time, following 2021, when supply chain disruptions were severe.
This shift in sales rankings is particularly noteworthy as U.S. automakers are once again focusing on V8 engines in large pickups and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in response to the Trump administration’s relaxation of emissions and fuel economy regulations. This is because, despite the regulatory easing, consumers are actually seeking fuel-efficient vehicles as high gas prices persist.
The U.S. auto market itself is proving more resilient than expected. Cox raised its forecast for U.S. new-car sales this year by about 2% to 16.1 million units. Jeremy Rob Cox, chief economist at Cox, assessed, “The auto market is showing considerable resilience this year.”