Why Ford’s Q2 Sales Should Have Rivals Worried

Three automakers defy the Q2 downturn

Most automakers’ Q2 sales in the U.S. didn’t fare well, and of the three that did experience gains, one stood out substantially. Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor North America, and General Motors were the only major manufacturers to report U.S. year-over-year sales gains during Q2, but Ford beat the latter two companies by 7% and 7.2%, respectively, at 14.2%. In Q2, Ford sold 612,095 new vehicles in the U.S., many of which were SUVs and pickups. For the first half of 2025, Ford reported that its domestic sales increased by 6.6% to 1,113,386 units, compared to the same period in 2024. Sales for Ford’s luxury subsidiary, Lincoln, increased 31% to 31,332 new vehicles during Q2, while Ford brand deliveries rose 13.4% to 580,763 new cars, the Detroit Free Press reports. 

Ford’s last-minute pivot made all the difference for Q2

Ford’s employee pricing campaign for most of its inventory, named “From America, For America,” which ended July 7, was a key catalyst in generating this sales success. The campaign was a direct response to the Trump administration’s automotive import tariffs set to increase vehicle prices. Ford had another ad campaign and incentive program ready to go, but it worked through a weekend at the end of March to develop “From America, For America.” The transition led to Ford capturing the first half of the year’s sales crown for the eighth time in the past decade. Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, said: “Toyota is a tough competitor, but this is about much more than a sales race, it’s about being a company Americans trust and turn to when it matters,” according to USA Today. Farley began his career in marketing at Toyota.

Where Ford thrived during Q2

Trucks and SUVs represented nearly 80% of Ford’s Q2 sales. Its F-Series pickup broke a Q2 record with 222,459 deliveries, the Maverick compact truck’s sales grew 26.3% to 48,041 units, and the Ranger’s numbers increased 36.3%, supported by the model’s new Raptor variant. Collectively, the F-Series, Ranger, and Maverick’s Q2 sales rose 15.1% year-over-year. Sales of Ford’s electrified lineup, which includes BEVs (battery electric vehicles), hybrids, and PHEVs (plug-in hybrids), jumped 6.6% during Q2 to 82,886 units, and Pro Super Duty numbers grew 13.5%, the best since 2004. Regarding Ford’s SUVs, Expedition sales led the way during Q2, at 43.9% to 31,298 units, marking the model’s best Q2 in 20 years. Lincoln Navigator sales rose 115% to 7,355, its strongest Q2 in 21 years, and the Bronco family, which includes the Bronco and Bronco Sport, sold a record 78,543 SUV examples for a 44.7% gain. Overall, Lincoln experienced its best quarter since 2007.

Final thoughts

Ford’s sales surging 14.2% during Q2 outpaced an industry growth of just 1.4%, AInvest reports. Much of this success was attributed to a last-minute promotional shift created over a single weekend, underscoring the impact of timely and customer-focused marketing. Additionally, Ford gained a competitive edge during Q2 by leveraging its robust vehicle supply of trucks and SUVs as rivals dealt with dwindling inventories. While Toyota and General Motors similarly posted Q2 gains, the progress of the two companies paled in comparison to Ford’s.