by Ford and Lincoln Sales Plummet in May
May turned out to be a bad month for the Ford and Lincoln brands, which recorded a significant drop in sales. Following the discontinuation of the Escape model, Ford sales fell by 13.3%. At the same time, every Lincoln model showed a decline, leading to a 20.5% drop.
Unsuccessful Incentive Program
After Ford’s first-quarter sales fell by 8.8%, the company reintroduced its employee pricing program for all buyers starting May 1st. The offer is valid until July 6th, and consumers can save about $2,000 on a range of models, including the Bronco, Bronco Sport, and Mustang.
Unfortunately for Ford, this incentive did not work: total May sales fell by 13.6% compared to last year. The automaker sold 190,828 vehicles last month, which is 30,131 units fewer than in 2025.
Main Reasons for the Decline
The decline can largely be attributed to Ford’s own decisions. Sales of the discontinued Escape model plummeted by 80.3% to 3,427 units. It is also worth noting that Escape buyers are not switching to the Bronco Sport, as sales of this crossover fell by 8.3%.
Interestingly, the Mustang Mach-E does not seem to be benefiting from high gas prices. Its sales fell by 44% to 2,647 units, which sharply contrasts with the Hyundai Ioniq 5. This model celebrated its best May ever, with sales growing by 28% to 5,002 units.
Speaking of declines, the Expedition fell by 24.4%, and the F-Series by 13.3%. The Ranger dropped by 23.3%, while the Mustang showed a slight decrease of 1.8%.
It wasn’t all bad: Explorer sales grew by 8.8% to 22,316 units. The Bronco also reported a 5.2% increase, and the Maverick saw a 10% rise.
Crisis at Lincoln
While total Ford sales fell by 13.3% to 181,627 units, Lincoln dropped by 20.5% to 9,201 vehicles. This is largely attributable to the phase-out of the entry-level Corsair model. Sales of this model fell by 65.7% as inventories begin to run dry.
The bad news was compounded by the fact that all other vehicles also suffered declines. The fuel-thirsty Navigator fell by 10.8%, while the Nautilus and Aviator showed decreases of 7.6% and 6.1%, respectively.
While blame can be distributed in various ways, a significant portion lies with Ford itself. Beyond discontinuing the Escape and Corsair, Ford no longer offers a hybrid crossover for the mass consumer. This looks increasingly short-sighted, especially when gas prices exceed $4 per gallon and competitors offer multiple hybrids.
Ford Sales Table for May 2026
| Model | May 26 | May 25 | % Change | YTD 26 | YTD 25 | % Change |
| Bronco Sport | 13,272 | 14,472 | -8.3 | 58,809 | 59,721 | -1.5 |
| Escape | 3,427 | 17,395 | -80.3 | 20,874 | 67,655 | -69.1 |
| Bronco | 15,389 | 14,629 | 5.2 | 63,659 | 61,624 | 3.3 |
| Mustang Mach-E | 2,647 | 4,724 | -44.0 | 9,917 | 19,258 | -48.5 |
| Edge | 0 | 0 | N/A | 0 | 3,040 | -100.0 |
| Explorer | 22,316 | 20,504 | 8.8 | 104,894 | 88,807 | 18.1 |
| Expedition | 8,537 | 11,298 | -24.4 | 32,842 | 35,896 | -8.5 |
| Ford SUVs | 65,588 | 83,022 | -21.0 | 290,995 | 336,001 | -13.4 |
| F-Series | 69,175 | 79,817 | -13.3 | 291,124 | 342,971 | -15.1 |
| *F-150 Lightning | 1,046 | 1,902 | -45.0 | 3,990 | 10,829 | -63.2 |
| Ranger | 4,849 | 6,319 | -23.3 | 27,869 | 28,238 | -1.3 |
| Maverick | 17,055 | 15,508 | 10.0 | 65,112 | 73,706 | -11.7 |
| E-Series | 2,998 | 3,379 | -11.3 | 15,245 | 16,757 | -9.0 |
| Transit | 15,859 | 15,219 | 4.2 | 65,156 | 62,139 | 4.9 |
| *E-Transit | 76 | 97 | -21.6 | 377 | 4,045 | -90.7 |
| Mustang | 4,920 | 5,010 | -1.8 | 24,824 | 19,309 | 28.6 |
| Total | 181,627 | 209,386 | -13.3 | 784,872 | 884,006 | -11.2 |
Lincoln Sales Table for May 2026
| Model | May 26 | May 25 | % Change | YTD 26 | YTD 25 | % Change |
| Corsair | 851 | 2,483 | -65.7 | 7,535 | 10,957 | -31.2 |
| Nautilus | 3,232 | 3,498 | -7.6 | 15,044 | 16,003 | -6.0 |
| Aviator | 2,582 | 2,749 | -6.1 | 10,901 | 10,313 | 5.7 |
| Navigator | 2,536 | 2,843 | -10.8 | 8,458 | 9,646 | -12.3 |
| Total | 9,201 | 11,573 | -20.5 | 41,938 | 46,919 | -10.6 |
This data points to serious structural problems in Ford’s model lineup. Abandoning compact crossovers like the Escape and Corsair without providing hybrid alternatives has proven to be a strategic mistake in the context of high fuel prices. Although some models, like the Explorer and Bronco, show growth, the overall trend indicates a loss of competitiveness, especially in the electric vehicle segment, where the Mustang Mach-E significantly lags behind models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. To regain its position, Ford will likely need to rethink its product strategy and accelerate the development of affordable hybrid powertrains.
