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<\/p>\nAnother month has passed, and a handful of automakers have reported their May sales results. Hybrids were a strong driver of growth, as the average price of gas remains well above $4 a gallon. \u00a0<\/p>\n
This has been huge for brands like Hyundai and Kia, which offer a range of hybrid and electric vehicles, but last month wasn\u2019t a success for all. Ford saw sales falter last month, continuing a trend, while the affordable Maverick stands out as a popular model. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The auto industry is facing numerous hurdles right now, including tariffs that are upending products and plans. There\u2019s still plenty of time for the market to change, but until then, here are the May auto sales winners and losers. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Winner: Kia Breaks An All-Time Sales Record<\/p>\n
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Photo by: Kia<\/p>\n
Last month, Kia<\/a> set a sales record, selling 80,502 vehicles. That\u2019s an 11 percent increase over May 2025, with the Sportage SUV outselling every other Kia model. Hybrids accounted for a large percentage of Kia\u2019s sales last month, which were up 179 percent. \u00a0<\/p>\n Sales for the Sportage Hybrid and Sorento Hybrid were up 171 and 101 percent, respectively, while Carnival Hybrid sales jumped 32 percent. So far this year, Kia has sold 360,220 vehicles\u20142.0 percent more than in the first five months of 2025. \u00a0<\/p>\n Loser: Ford’s Sales Slip<\/p>\n Photo by: Ford<\/p>\n In May, Ford\u2019s sales slipped 13.3 percent year over year to 181,627 vehicles. Most models saw their sales decline, including the Ford Mustang<\/a>, Bronco Sport, Expedition, and F-Series. The Ford Ranger saw the largest decline of 23.3 percent, more than any other model. \u00a0<\/p>\n Strong sellers included the Maverick<\/a>, up 10 percent for the month. It\u2019s available with a hybrid powertrain, which makes it look appealing amid high gas prices. Bronco sales were up 5.2 percent, while Explorer sales climbed 8.8 percent. \u00a0<\/p>\n Winner: Hyundai’s Sales Surge Continues<\/p>\n Photo by: Hyundai<\/p>\n Hyundai sold 87,468 vehicles last month, an increase of 3.0 percent, and year-to-date sales are up 1.0 percent. According to the automaker, electrified vehicles drove growth, with hybrid sales up 90 percent year-over-year. The Tucson, Santa Fe, Elantra, and Sonata<\/a> hybrids all had sales records last month. \u00a0<\/p>\n The Tucson SUV remains the brand\u2019s best-selling model, up 3.0 percent, followed by the Elantra and then the three-row Palisade<\/a>. Sales for both are up by 7.0 percent and 17.9 percent, respectively. Even the Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV saw sales increase 28 percent last month, with year-over-year sales up 16 percent. \u00a0<\/p>\n Loser: The Hyundai Ioniq 6 Is Virtually Dead<\/p>\n Photo by: Hyundai<\/p>\n Just a few months ago, Hyundai confirmed it would only sell the high-performance Ioniq 6 N in the United States, discontinuing the regular trims. That decision is reflected in the sales numbers, with the automaker selling just 176 units, down a whopping 85 percent compared to May 2025. \u00a0<\/p>\n Sales for the EV are down 79 percent for the year, but if you want one, you will have to live with the hot N version for now. It has up to 650 horsepower, and it can rocket to 62 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds. \u00a0<\/p>\n Winner: Mazda Miata Leads Affordable Sports Cars<\/p>\n Photo by: Mazda<\/p>\n The iconic little sports car, the Mazda MX-5 Miata<\/a>, had a sales resurgence last month, with sales increasing 196.6 percent. The automaker sold 1,053 Miatas in May, the majority of which were soft-top models. So far this year, Mazda has sold 3,911 Miatas, up 10.9 percent.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n