Ford Resists Industry Sales Slowdown Thanks to Entry-Level Trims

• Vehicle sales in the U.S. dropped 7% in November compared to the previous month.

• Ford saw its sales decline by only 0.9% over the same period.

• This is due to sharply rising sales of its most affordable models.

While the U.S. automotive market is cooling, Ford manages to maintain relatively stable sales thanks to value-seeking buyers.

Indeed, the manufacturer saw its sales decrease by only 0.9% in November, while the entire industry experienced a 7% drop compared to October.

According to data published by Ford, this relative success is explained by a skyrocketing increase in sales of its entry-level versions, many of which reached records last month.

For example, the Ford Maverick XL Hybrid, the least expensive pickup in North America, saw its sales jump by 76.2% in November.

All versions combined show a 43.3% increase, allowing the Maverick to set an annual sales record with December sales yet to be counted.

Similarly, the Explorer Active and ST-Line, the two most affordable trim levels of this midsize SUV, found 60.7% and 68.5% more buyers, respectively. This contributed to making last month the best November for Explorer sales since 2018, with a 41.5% increase over October.

Looking at the figures for the current year, this trend is even more evident, with an acceleration of 280.6% in Ford Explorer Active sales compared to the same period in 2024, and 176.6% in the case of the ST-Line.

The Ranger XL and Bronco Sport Big Bend have also become more popular than before, confirming that buyers are looking for lower prices due to an uncertain economy and an increasingly unaffordable cost of living in the U.S.

While Ford could not escape the slowdown in electric vehicle sales, its hybrid models fared well, reaching a record 16,301 units sold, which is 13.6% more than in October.

It is not just affordable models doing well, however, as the Ford Transit also had its best November ever in North America, and Super Duty trucks are posting year-to-date results unseen since 2004.

Furthermore, the F-150, the brand’s sales leader, is on track to mark its 49th consecutive year at the top of the full-size pickup category in the U.S., currently leading the Chevrolet Silverado by approximately 227,000 units.

Of course, buyers prioritizing value in their automotive purchases are also turning to certified pre-owned vehicles, with sales jumping 9% at Ford in November.

All of this allowed the manufacturer to grow its market share by 0.5% last month to reach 13.2% of the American automotive industry.

It will be interesting to see if this trend toward entry-level models convinces other manufacturers to prioritize these over high-end versions in the coming months.