The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Came Dangerously Close to the Ram 1500
What if one of the big three trucks was taken down by an SUV? It could really happen because the Toyota RAV4 has been coming closer and closer as the Ram 1500 steadily loses sales. See how close the 2023 Toyota RAV4 got to outselling the 2023 Ram 1500.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 almost caught the 2023 Ram 1500
For years, the top three best-selling vehicles in America have been trucks. The Ford F-150 is always first, and the Chevy Silverado and Ram 1500 fight for second place.
But the 2023 Toyota RAV4 came dangerously close to shaking things up. In 2023 the Ford F-150 sold 750,789 F-Series models. This includes the Ford F-150 and its larger siblings.
The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado sold 543,780 units and this figure includes heavy-duty models. It would be nice to see how the F-150 and Silverado 1500 did on their own.
Anyways, the 2023 Ram 1500 came in third place on the list of vehicles with the most sales at 444,9926. This is a 5% decrease compared to 2022.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 sold 434,943 units. It had an 8.8% sales increase compared to 2022. The Ram 1500 only beat it by roughly 9,983 models. So, as SUVs become more popular, why is the Ram 1500 declining?
Both Ford and Chevrolet trucks experienced sales growth, indicating that Americans still love their trucks even if SUVs are becoming more popular.
One thing that could hurt the Ram truck is its age. It hasn’t been updated since 2019 and it isn’t getting a mid-cycle refresh until the 2025 model drops. But the Toyota RAV4 has also been mostly the same since 2019.
Trucks have an advantage because they’re purchased by fleets and individuals. There was a lot of fleet activity in 2023.
But the RAV4 also shows that there is a growing interest in practical, fuel-efficient vehicles. The hybrid powertrain is incredibly popular. It’s more efficient than Ram’s mild hybrid engine that’s being replaced by the Hurricane.
Also, the RAV4 is much more affordable. The 2023 model has a $28,275 MSRP while the 2023 Ram 150 has an MSRP of $37,905. But large trucks and compact SUVs don’t compare apples to apples.
Stay tuned to see if the RAV4 can tackle the big trucks. As updates are on the way for 2025, these figures could change.
