The automotive industry continues to change rapidly – from the influx of electric vehicles to microchip shortages. But pickup trucks largely remain a constant success amid the chaos.
In the first six months of 2021, pickup trucks remained at the top of the sales charts. It’s been the same for several decades and there’s no reason a change will occur any time soon.
Still, while demand for new vehicles remains high, the inventory is low because of the global semiconductor chip shortage caused by the pandemic. The numbers have changed, but the status of various mainstream truck manufacturers has stayed constant.
Pickup truck sales remain the industry leader
Ford rules with about 40,000 more pickup truck sales in the first six months of 2021 than any other manufacturer.
Ford’s F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for decades. Sales of the F-Series are divided between the F-150 and Super Duty models. The F-150 was redesigned for 2021. The Super Duty hasn’t had any mechanical changes, but Ford is offering new feature availability and exterior paint colors.
Here in reverse order are the top-10 manufacturers’ sales from January 1 to June 30, 2021:
10. Nissan Frontier, 26,393;
9. Chevrolet Colorado, 38,860;
8. Toyota Tundra, 43,865;
7. Jeep Gladiator, 48,784;
6. Ford Ranger, 58,371;
5. GMC Sierra, 138,411;
4. Toyota Tacoma, 139,296;
3. Chevrolet Silverado, 291,322;
2. Ram Pickup(s), 313,069;
1. Ford F-Series, 362,032.
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James Raia, a syndicated columnist in Sacramento, California, publishes a free weekly automotive podcast and electronic newsletter. Sign-ups are available on his website, www.theweeklydriver.com. He can be reached via email: james@jamesraia.com.
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