Hyundai poised to beat Ford and become top 3 U.S. seller for first time

Hyundai Motor Group is on track to overtake Ford Motor in U.S. sales in the third quarter, putting the Korean automaker among the top three sellers in the U.S. market for the first time.

Hyundai sold 511,421 vehicles in the United States during the July-to-September period, surpassing Ford’s 504,172, according to reports from CNBC and Bloomberg on Thursday. CNBC and Bloomberg both cited an analysis from Cox Automotive, an automobile tracker.

Sales across the group’s Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands rose 6.5 percent from a year earlier over the cited period, while Ford’s fell 7.1 percent.

If the figures hold, Hyundai would rank third in quarterly U.S. sales, behind General Motors at 671,706 vehicles and Toyota at 642,707.

Ford’s pickup trucks, among its most popular models, have faced supply disruptions since a fire struck a key supplier last year.

U.S. consumers’ shifting tastes — from gasoline to hybrids and EVs — have also played a role. With gasoline averaging $4.48 per gallon nationwide, drivers are trading trucks and SUVs for more fuel-efficient hybrids, benefiting Hyundai, Kia and Toyota, which offer a wide range of them, and helping them gain market share.

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]