Hyundai expected to outsell Ford in third quarter as Detroit automakers lack hybrids

Hyundai signage at the New York International Auto Show on April 2, 2026.Danielle DeVries | CNBCDETROIT — Hyundai Motor is expected to outsell Ford Motor in quarterly sales for the first time ever, according to a new forecast released Thursday by Cox Automotive.The South Korean automaker is expected to report a 6.5% increase in year-over-year sales from July through September to 511,421 units. That compares with an expected 7.1% decline for Ford over the third quarter to 504,172 new vehicles sold, according to Cox predictions.The expected leaderboard change would make Hyundai the third best-selling automaker in the U.S. behind General Motors and Toyota Motor. That change comes as new vehicle sales have been stronger than expected this year. Cox on Thursday raised its 2026 forecast by roughly 2%, to 16.1 million units."The automotive market this year has been pretty resilient," Jeremy Robb, Cox chief economist, said Thursday during a media call. "New and used sales are both down year over year, but they're not down really that much."Hyundai's hot streakHyundai, including its luxury Genesis brand and corporate sibling Kia, has been making major inroads in the U.S. this year. Ford, me...