Ford, Subaru Miss Out on January Sales Enthusiasm
While most automakers that reported January sales Tuesday offered positive news, Ford Motor Co. didn’t follow suit Wednesday as its January sales fell 5.3 percent.
Many of the company’s biggest competitors, such as Toyota, Honda, Kia, and Hyundai, saw gains as high as 13 percent on a year-over-year basis. Those automakers rode hybrids and, in some cases, sedans to increases despite weather issues impacting much of the country. However, Ford didn’t fare nearly as well.
In Ford’s case, the vehicles that typically perform well for the company fell short. The company’s truck lineup was down 9.2 percent from the year-ago period, while SUVs were down 2 percent. The company’s electric vehicles suffered massive declines as well, the Mustang Mach-E fell 70.5 percent while the F-150 Lightning dropped 66.1 percent. Additionally, the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair were both down by double-digit numbers.
There were some bright spots as Bronco Sport sales rose 13.5 percent and Explorer more than doubled that, jumping 30.7 percent. Lincoln, Ford’s luxury unit, outperformed its mainstream sibling, with sales rising 9.8 percent, led by Navigator (69.4 percent) and Aviator (34.1 percent).
Ford was joined on the decline by Subaru of America Inc., which saw sales fall 9.1 percent. Just two of Subaru’s nine-car lineup posted sales increases last month: the sporty BRZ (6.3 percent) and the Forester SUV (22.2 percent). The Forester reported its best January ever.
“January brought major winter storms that blanketed much of the country and led to temporary closures at many locations, yet Subaru retailers delivered another standout month,” Troy Poston, senior vice president of Sales, Subaru of America Inc., in a release.
“Their resilience and industry-leading customer service shine through no matter the conditions. With a rugged, reliable lineup spanning gas, hybrid, and fully electric vehicles, Subaru is poised for continued growth and ready to help every customer find their ideal match.”
Analysts from Cox Automotive predicted industry sales would rise 3.2 percent for the industry; however, J.D. Power & Associates experts forecast was more dour, predicting a 2.7 percent decrease on a yer-over-year basis.
“January is historically the lowest volume sales month of the year and is also historically the least indicative of full-year sales performance,” said Thomas King, president of OEM solutions at J.D. Power. “Nevertheless, January opens 2026 with a modest performance with retail sales expected to increase by 1,317 units compared to a year ago.”
[Images: Ford, Subaru]
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Michael Strong has spent more than 25 years writing about the automotive industry. A Detroit-area native, he’s written about everything from local car shows to product reviews to financial news. Currently he writes and edits for a variety of national and local publications. He’s also a longtime member of the Automotive Press Association and the International Motor Press Association, and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Hail Southern! Despite a love for ’70s land yachts and BMWs from the late ’80s and early ’90s, his personal vehicle is neither of those.
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Ford is arrogant. They let the Escape wither like they did with the Taurus in the 90s and are now essentially conceding a mainstream segment. More Escape buyers will buy Equinoxes than Mavericks or Bronco Sports.
"“January brought major winter storms that blanketed much of the country and led to temporary closures at many locations, yet Subaru retailers delivered another standout month,” Troy Poston, senior vice president of Sales, Subaru of America Inc., in a release."
Yeah, blame the weather, Troy! The fact that your two best selling vehicles now look like a freeze frame from Roblox (Peyote Edition!) has nothing to do with it.