Ford And GM Market Share Plummets — The Reason Is Obvious
History is, again, repeating itself.
Given that the brands have abandoned selling small and fuel-efficient cars — not to mention sedans — reports have come in that Ford and General Motors are losing market share, and not just a little. Amidst skyrocketing gas prices, people are straying away from buying larger SUVs and shockingly expensive trucks.
According to Reuters (via Cox Automotive), Ford sales are expected to drop 8.8% through the first three quarters of 2026, which would drag it down to a 12.5% market share. General Motors, meanwhile, is looking at 6.2% shrinkage so far this year, which brings it down to 16.7% market share. There's (somehow) good news for Stellantis, though, which is expected to gain market share through the third quarter of the year.
Even so, the three American companies together are looking at a market share of only 36%, an all-time low.
Unsurprisingly, the Ford/GM market share drop is largely a reflection of their portfolios. The brands are leaning further into trucks and full-size SUVs than ever before, case in point being the new 8.3-liter Duramax that General Motors is putting into its new heavy-duty trucks and a brand new pair of V8s for its half-tons. GM doesn't have any hybrids but does have multiple electric vehicles, while Ford at least has one hybrid pickup truck and only one more traditional passenger-oriented EV.
Meanwhile, brands like Hyundai and Kia — which both have plentiful hybrids in their lineups — are thriving. This could help bring these automakers to sell more cars than Ford in the first three quarters of 2026 for the first time ever. Over at Toyota, the brand is looking at a 1.1% sales jump for this same period, while Honda is hoping for a 5.6% rise.
“Despite this volatile year, the new vehicle market has actually held up surprisingly steady,” said Erin Keating, Cox Automotive executive analyst. That's the good news since so much of the world feels like it's crumbling.
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Based in Connecticut, Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
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The marketing Exec's at Ford and Chevy have had their head in the ground for the last 10 years. They should all be replaced by people that are more in touch with what people want and need instead of trying to sell stuff that only rich people can afford.
I have a Ford Escape Titanium which I have loved. It is a 2017 and have had no issues with it. Now, they are NOT going to make them. I will be looking for some other SUV to purchase that will give me what I want.
Until GM fire that inept karen Mary Barra they won’t get out of the hole. “People don’t like hybrids “, keeps repeating the idiot.