U.S. vehicle sales of North American car brands Q1 2019 & 2020

In the first quarter of 2020, Ford Motor Company sold around 489,000 vehicles under its namesake brand. The company sold an additional 25,600 units under the Lincoln brand. Vehicle sales were particularly poor in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many manufacturers are reducing production and low sales can be expected in the second quarter.

American car brands dependent on light truck sales

In 2019, Ford’s F-Series truck was the best-selling light truck in the United States, while FCA’s Ram Pickup and GM’s Chevrolet Silverado came in second and third. The increase in light truck sales and SUVs comes at the disadvantage of other segments, including midsized and compact cars, which are mainly produced by Asian OEMs, including Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.

General Motors was the largest North America-based car manufacturer during the fourth quarter of 2019. The company sold more than 734,000 light vehicles in the United States. GM sells vehicles under its various brands, including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. Although under the wing of a European carmaker, Chrysler is often still considered one of the Detroit Big Three automakers; Chrysler’s holding company, FCA, owns the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands. Meanwhile, Ford sells vehicles mainly under its Ford and Lincoln brands.