Ford and GM Post the Biggest US Market Share Losses as Fuel Prices Climb

According to a Cox Automotive forecast published by Reuters and reported by Mehr News Agency on Friday, September 25, 2026, Ford's US sales will fall about 8.8 percent in the first nine months of 2026, cutting its market share by nearly one percentage point to 12.5 percent. GM's sales are estimated to be down 6.2 percent year on year through the end of September, with its share slipping from 17.4 percent to 16.7 percent.

The two companies posted the largest share losses among the 13 automakers Cox tracked, and the combined share of Detroit's three traditional automakers (GM, Ford and Stellantis) is set to reach about 36 percent at the end of the third quarter, which Cox calls a record low. Cox also expects Hyundai and Kia's combined third-quarter sales to top Ford's for the first time.

Analysts attribute the shift mainly to higher fuel prices pushing buyers toward fuel-efficient and hybrid models, a segment where Ford and GM offer fewer options. Higher US fuel prices are a direct result of the oil price surge that followed disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.