Six months into 2023, the supply shortages that had handcuffed sales for several years were fading, and volume was up year over year in nearly every vehicle segment.
General Motors outsold Toyota at the halfway point for a second consecutive year, and Ford was on pace to become the top brand for the first time in three years. Hyundai-Kia leapfrogged Stellantis to become the No. 4 automaker, as Tesla — based on estimates since it doesn’t report US results — climbed to No. 8. Tesla still has three of the four most popular electric vehicles, though others are grabbing more market share every quarter.
It’s a tight race for pickup sales supremacy between Ford Motor Co., which was No. 1 in the second quarter, and GM, which had a slight lead year to date. GM’s highly profitable large SUVs easily outsold the competition from Stellantis and Ford combined. And among gasoline-powered pony cars, the Ford Mustang is making a bid to reclaim its crown from the Dodge Challenger after two years in second place.