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The most popular vehicles in 2020 were SUVs and pickup trucks. Of the 20 top-selling vehicles of 2020 vehicles, 11 were crossovers or SUVs, five were pickup trucks, and just four were traditional sedans.
The flood of December incentives made the month a little better then the industry expected, with sales up 5% versus December 2019, even though the year ended with 2.5 million fewer vehicles sold.
There’s light at the end of the tunnel for car buyers and automakers. With the shipment of effective coronavirus vaccines and the belief that most willing Americans will be vaccinated by end of year, new car deliveries climbed 7% from third quarter to fourth quarter. That doesn’t mask an overall lousy year with sales down 15% to 14.6 million versus 17.1 million in 2019, according to Motor Intelligence data.
There are about 300 car models sold in the U.S. Increasingly, sales are concentrated in the truck segment: pickups, SUVs and crossovers and minivans. The 10 top-selling vehicles accounted for 28% of sales last year and the top 20 accounted for 41% of sales, slight increases over 2019 sales.
Here’s a rundown of best-selling pickups, SUVs and cars of 2020.
1. Ford F-Series
Make it 39 years straight the Ford F-Series has been the best selling vehicle in the U.S. The F-Series is primarily the F-150 but also includes heavier-duty versions such as the F-250 and F-350. The 14th generation came to market a slew of improvements including an option 7-kilowatt generator, enough to power a construction crew or most of a home’s essential appliances if another power failure strikes.
A year ago, Ford nearly hit 900,000 sales with expectations it would be the first vehicle to sell 1 million units a year in the U.S. since the Chevrolet Impala did that in 1965 and in 1966. The F-150 is poised to try again.
2. Chevrolet Silverado
The fourth generation of the big Chevy pickup arrived for the 2018 model year. In 2020, when 17 of the top 20 sellers lost sales, the Silverado managed to eke out a 3% increase, enough to knock the Ram pickup out of second place.
3. Ram Pickup
Ram continues to be the best-riding pickup in the eyes of many reviewers and–if you can find one–of unbiased pickup-truck fans. The Ram 1500 TRX off-roader arrived later in the year, but not in enough time or quantity to hold onto its second-place slot.
4. Toyota RAV4
Compact SUV as transportation appliance: That’s one take on Toyota‘s compact crossover SUV. But there’s also the Limited with leather seats and other luxury touches, an off-roader and a TRD (Toyota Racing Development) off-roader, a hybrid, and a plug-in hybrid (RAV4 Prime) that runs 42 miles on battery power handing off to the gasoline engine.
The RAV4 is America’s best-selling non-pickup and for good reason.
5. Honda CR-V, 333,502 Sales
For years, Honda’s compact crossover and the Toyota RAV4 have been close in sales. All-wheel-drive comes standard on the 2021 Honda CR-V, it’s roomy, and a hybrid engine is available. The infotainment system feels old, perhaps because the current CR-V dates to 2017, with a mid-life refresh for 2020. The next-generation is likely to be the 2022 model.
6. Toyota Camry
The mid-size, nearly full-size 2021 Toyota Camry is the best-selling sedan of 2021. For 2021, it gets a couple upgrades on a model introduced for 2018, including better driver safety assists (Toyota Safety Sense, or TSS) and an available 9-inch infotainment display. The four-cylinder engine gets good mileage but can be loud at times.
7. Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is the best-selling compact SUV from a U.S.-flagged automaker. (The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V are built in the U.S.) The entry trim levels are attractively priced. But the quality and feel of the interior trim and switches is not competitive against a Toyota or Honda, let alone Mazda. Chevrolet sold more than 346,000 Equinoxes last year and the 22% sales drop in 2020 was the steepest among the top 109 vehicles.
The third-generation Equinox came out as a 2018 model and a mid-life refresh was shown at the February 2020 Chicago Auto Show and finally comes to market this winter as an early 2022 model.
8. Honda Civic
The only compact sedan among the top 10, the 2021 Honda Civic represents the final year for the Civic’s 10th generation. It’s still a slick little car with good performance from a turbocharged engine and a sporty but refined ride.
Perhaps reflecting its age, the Civic in 2020 saw sales drop 20%. There may be good deals at mid-year the imminent arrival of the all-new 2022 11th generation Civic.
9. GMC Sierra
The upscale sibling to the Chevrolet Suburban was the only top-ten best-seller to register a sales gain in 2020, about 9%, with more than a quarter-million sales. The Sierra has the same turbocharged four-cylinder, V6, V8, and a new Duramax six-cylinder diesel and is great for towing or long drives with fewer fill-ups.
What sets the Sierra apart is nicer interior trim, an available carbon fiber load bed, and through 2020 the optional MultiPro rear tailgate that is a work surface, tailgate extension, or loading step. For 2021, Chevy gets its own version called the Multi-Flex tailgate.
10. Toyota Tacoma
This is the smaller and more popular (by a 2-1 margin) of Toyota’s pickups trucks. It’s also the best-selling midsize pickup in the U.S., even though the current model dates to 2016 with a noticeable midlife refresh for 2020.
While the core offering carries over to 2021, there are two new limited-run editions, the Trail Special Edition and Nightshade Special Edition. Many buyers find it a nice midpoint between the Honda Ridgeline and the serious off-roaders such as the Jeep Gladiator.
Summary: The 20 Best-Selling Vehicles of 2020
These are the top 20 vehicles sold in the U.S. ranked by 2020 full-year sales, according to Motor Intelligence U.S. Market New Vehicle Deliveries Report.
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