Ford kept its third-place ranking in U.S. auto sales for the third quarter, edging out Hyundai despite a broad pullback across its own lineup. Both automakers finished the period better than analyst forecasts, defying predictions that the South Korean maker would claim the spot for the first time.

Ford sold 507,395 light-duty vehicles, a 6.6 percent drop from the prior year. Hyundai, which counts Kia and Genesis in its tally, moved 506,200 units, a 5.4 percent gain. The tight quarterly battle leaves Ford with an annual lead of roughly 89,700 vehicles through September.

The narrow margin followed a difficult stretch for the Detroit automaker. F-Series production stalled after supplier fires last year, and Ford faced tougher year-over-year comparisons after phasing out models like the Ford Escape. Hyundai and Kia have simultaneously expanded their U.S. footprint, pressuring traditional domestic market share.

Rob Kaffl, Ford’s head of U.S. sales, said those early obstacles are finally clearing. "Some of the headwinds we had early in the year are kind of behind us, and it's really setting us up for a really strong Q4 as we move in," Kaffl said. F-Series sales only slipped 1.9 percent during the quarter, a figure that includes a 97.1 percent drop in the discontinued F-150 Lightning electric pickup.

Other segments faced steeper declines. The Ford brand fell roughly 6 percent, while the Lincoln luxury line slid 18 percent. Electric vehicle sales proved especially challenging, falling 67.5 percent year-to-date and roughly 80 percent in the third quarter. The automaker is now navigating post-incentive demand shifts after the Trump administration ended up to $7,500 in federal tax credits for electric car buyers.