America’s best pony car is posting a comeback no one saw coming

Ford’s only remaining passenger car in the United States is proving that it still deserves a place at the table, even today.

Between supply chain disruptions, sweeping tariffs and rising gas prices (not to mention more than a few electrification pivots), 2026 hasn’t been kind to the car industry.

As a result, many automakers are currently having slow sales years, and you’ll find that even beloved brands like Subaru are posting declines.

However, there are some exceptions. Aside from rugged SUVs like the Honda Passport, buyers are now flocking to America’s pony cars, and no one saw that coming.

Mustang is in tears

That’s because the Ford Mustang managed to post a 50.1 percent improvement over the year. In Q1 of 2025, the model found some 9,377 new owners, and that number increased to 14,074 in the same period of 2026.

In contrast, the pony car’s all-electric stablemate has taken a sharp nosedive. Ford sold 11,607 Mach-Es in the first quarter of last year, but that number will drop 60.4 percent in 2026. As a result, only 4,600 examples left pasture this year.

It’s not just a matter of powertrain preference or pricing, other enthusiast vehicles like the Bronco have had slight hiccups. Ford’s 4×4 fell 4.3 percent from 32,595 to 31,197.

While the Mustang’s numbers make up a fraction of those sales, it’s still selling better than you might expect. For perspective, this year’s tally at the end of Q1 puts the car close to the Ranger (17,775) and Expedition (17,554), both of which are clearly more practical vehicles.

America’s comeback horse

In any case, Ford’s Mustang comeback is especially impressive when you consider it compared to previous reports. However, while the pony car started showing improvement towards the end of 2025, this was hardly the case for most of the year.

vice versa At the end of the third Q3 last October, Ford’s Mach-E outsold its gas-powered counterpart by more than 2:1, with 20,177 examples of the electric crossover sold compared to just 9,267 internal combustion Mustang coupes.

It also happened to set a record for Mach-E at the time, though the end of EV tax incentives apparently killed any momentum.

Still, Ford deserves some credit for the Mustang’s improved numbers, as the pony car owes its success to more than a change in administration or loosening of emissions regulations.

From Porsche-fighting performance variants to drift-worthy EcoBoost options, the Blue Oval has expanded its Mustang concept in more ways than one, and it’s a strategy that’s clearly landing with buyers. (It also doesn’t hurt that it’s the brand’s only passenger car in the United States.)

Dodge tried to do more with the all-electric Charger Daytona, but even the addition of internal combustion is now moving the needle for another-Xenon muscle car. The sixpack’s 1,672 sales in 2026 will come nowhere near the Mustang’s.

About the author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not following the latest industry news, he’s probably hustling away at one of several projects. For better or worse, he believes the classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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