The US pickup truck market is hugely competitive. Automakers pour their best design, engineering, and technology advances into their pickups, pushing the evolution of this vehicle category far beyond its humble, hardworking roots. It’s not just full-size trucks, either: In recent years, automakers have brought back mid-size models, and today you can even find a few efficient, capable compact trucks on the US market.
Here, we’ve rounded up the most popular pickups on the market in 2024, based on sales numbers from January 1st to June 30th of this year. While the top three models probably won’t surprise you, there’s a wide variety on this list, with plenty of different automakers and pickup truck styles represented.
No matter which pickup truck is your favorite on this list, the conclusion is clear: This is a great era for stylish, capable, feature-packed trucks.
10. Jeep Gladiator
Jeep
The Gladiator remains unique in the pickup market as the only drop-top truck in America. Sales of the Wrangler-based off-roader are down by slightly more than 16 percent compared to last year when Jeep sold 27,326 Gladiators over the same period. Still, the Gladiator is one of the few new pickups available in 2024 with a manual transmission, and that’s something we can support.
9. Nissan Frontier
Nissan
Nissan gave the Frontier a total redesign a few years ago, and the 2024 Frontier remains an affordable and well-equipped way to get into a brand-new mid-size pickup, starting at just over $30,000. Year-over-year, Frontier sales have increased by more than 17 percent, compared to 34,139 units sold this time last year. The Frontier is one of few mid-size trucks to offer a wide variety of cab and bed sizes, meaning you can pick the cargo and passenger capacity that works best for your needs.
8. Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet
The Chevy Colorado got a complete overhaul last year, and it seems to have paid off. So far in 2024, Colorado sales are outpacing last year’s 33,165 units sold by more than 26 percent. The Colorado lineup starts at less than $30,000 and runs all the way to the beefy, off-road-ready ZR2, giving buyers plenty of ways to equip their midsize Chevy. Just one shortcoming: Every model of Colorado is available exclusively as a four-door with a five-foot bed and a 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, though the powerplant comes in a variety of tune levels.
7. Toyota Tacoma
Toyota
Typically, the Tacoma would be much higher on a list like this—indeed, last year, Toyota had sold 116,845 units in the first half of the year. This year’s sales have dropped by more than 40 percent. The completely redesigned 2024 Tacoma hit showrooms in late spring of this year, which accounts for the odd sales results. The all-new truck got major refinements and usability improvements over the aging previous generation, and now comes in a whopping 11 different variants, ranging from the $31,500 base model, up to the $64,000 TRD Pro.
6. Ford Maverick
Ford
Ford wowed the automotive media with the Maverick, a sensibly sized pickup with car-like ride comfort and fuel economy, distinctive styling, and undeniable utility. So far, 2024 has been a banner year for Maverick sales, up 81 percent over last year’s 42,499 units sold in the first half of the year. The Maverick is also the most affordable pickup on this list, with a starting price of just under $24,000, and even the top-spec Lariat is reasonably within reach at around $35,000.
5. Toyota Tundra
Toyota
Toyota’s full-size pickup has had a slightly better year than its perennial mid-sizer. Tundra sales are up by more than 31 percent over last year, when 59,735 trucks found a home in the first six months. The Tundra’s recent redesign brought tons of new tech and twin-turbo V6 power, and like the Tacoma, the Tundra comes in a whole slew of trims, from the $40,000 base model up to the top-tier $79,000 Capstone.
4. GMC Sierra
GMC
You’ll note the huge jump in sales numbers between number 5 and number 4 on this list. As has been true for decades, full-size pickups are far and away more popular than compact or mid-size offerings, and that’s true for 2024. GMC Sierra sales (including both 1500 and HD versions) are down by just over 14 percent compared to last year when 143,008 trucks found homes in the first half of the year. Still, if you combine sales numbers for the GMC Sierra and its platform-twin Chevy Silverado, GM’s full-size pickups handily outsold the Ford F-series.
3. Ram Pickup
Ram
The full-size pickup truck market is a perpetual competition between America’s Big Three automakers, and right now, Ram is sitting in a surprisingly distant third place. Sales in 2024 are down by nearly 20 percent compared to last year’s 223,050 units, counting 1500, 2500, and 3500 models. A redesigned and upgraded Ram 1500 is coming for the 2025 model year, and we’re certain Ram is hoping for a sales turnaround with the updated model.
2. Chevy Silverado
Chevrolet
Chevy Silverado sales are up by nearly 5 percent over the first half of last year, when 268,291 units moved out of showrooms. This year, HD models got an updated interior with lots of new comfort and tech features, and Silverado buyers can choose between turbo four-cylinder, small-block V-8, or light-duty diesel engines in the 1500 model.
1. Ford F-Series
Ford
No surprise here: The Ford F-series has been America’s best-selling vehicle for more than four decades straight, and the familiar pickup continues to dominate the market in 2024. So far this year, sales are down nearly 8 percent compared to last year’s 382,893 units sold, but this year’s numbers still handily beat the full-size competition. The F-series lineup also offers an outstanding range of models, including everything from the all-electric F-150 Lightning to the supercharged V-8-powered Raptor R and the Super Duty models that go all the way up to the F-450.
- Ford F-Series – 352,406 Units
- Chevrolet Silverado – 277,842 Units
- Ram Pickup – 179,526 Units
- GMC Sierra – 148,785 Units
- Toyota Tundra – 78,454 Units
- Ford Maverick – 77,113 Units
- Toyota Tacoma – 69,437 Units
- Chevrolet Colorado – 41,823 Units
- Nissan Frontier – 39,963 Units
- Jeep Gladiator – 23,478 Units
Read the full article here