Hyundai is expected to pass Ford in third-quarter U.S. sales

Hyundai is projected to outsell Ford in the U.S. during the third quarter, according to a new Cox Automotive forecast released Thursday. If the estimate holds, it would be the first time Hyundai has finished ahead of Ford in quarterly sales. Cox said Hyundai’s sales are expected to rise 6.5% year over year to 511,421 vehicles from July through September, while Ford’s sales are forecast to fall 7.1% to 504,172 units. That would place Hyundai behind only General Motors and Toyota in U.S. sales. Analysts said the shift reflects stronger demand for hybrid vehicles, a segment that has grown as fuel prices remain elevated. Ford and GM have fewer hybrid options than some rivals, while Toyota continues to narrow the gap with GM in the U.S. market. Ford said it still leads Hyundai through August and pointed to cost and supplychain advantages for building vehicles in Korea.