Half of the Best New Cars to Buy Are Trucks
Many automakers like Ford and Chevy have faced criticism for canning their sedans in favor of trucks and SUVs, but now it appears this wasn’t a terrible choice after all. Trucks are becoming increasingly popular, and there are studies out there to prove it. In fact, half of the top best new cars in one such study are all trucks.
These cars made the list
iSeeCars has a new study that reveals the top 15 cars to buy new instead of used vehicles. There were only three compact cars to make the list, including the Tesla Model 3, Subaru WRX, and Honda Civic Hatchback. All the other models featured are trucks and SUVs.
Five SUVs made it onto the list. These include the Kia Telluride, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Wrangler, and Toyota 4Runner.
It comes as no surprise that most of the vehicles on this list are Toyotas. Out of the 15 available slots, the Japanese automaker took four. Jeep and Chevrolet took two places each.
However, the most revealing statistic from this list wasn’t the top brand. It was that trucks are now dominating sedans and SUVs.
These are the trucks that made the list
Out of the 15 vehicles to make iSeeCar’s latest list, seven of them were trucks. The Toyota Tacoma came in at No. 2, with the Ford Ranger pulling in at No. 4. The Jeep Gladiator was at No. 5, the GMC Sierra 1500 was at No. 7, and the Toyota Tundra was at No. 8. The Chevrolet Colorado slid in at No. 9, and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 took last place.
The reason why trucks performed so well this year may have to do with demand. Many automakers are still feeling the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns. During this time, the truck industry took a massive hit, and production drastically slowed down.
Despite this, consumers are still interested in buying trucks, and the few used trucks on the market were quickly snapped up. Those who already had trucks declined to trade them in, as they knew the chances of buying a new one were slim.
The fact that the Tacoma came in second place doesn’t really come as a surprise. While the Ford F-150 often takes home the award for best-selling truck, the Tacoma has a massive fan base that is very loyal. It also holds its value very well, and some Tacoma models were once even more expensive than newer models.
The Jeep Gladiator is still new, and its unique design, based on the Wrangler, is more than enough to draw in curious buyers. The Ford Ranger also draws some attention because production on Ranger models was shut down in 2011. By bringing it back, Ford bought itself some much-needed press and brought in new consumers.
The Tesla Model 3 took first place
It wasn’t a truck that took the number one spot. This honor went to the Tesla Model 3, which is becoming increasingly popular as many automakers push to go electric.
This was mainly because a used one-year-old model is only 2.1% less expensive than a new one. Consumers will only save $923 by buying an older model. iSeeCars reports that it came to this conclusion by estimating the used car trim distribution compared to pre-rebate new car MSRP as of March 2021.
If you’re in the market for a truck, prices are currently up. However, some experts believe this may turn away in the coming months. So, if you’re interested in a new truck, waiting may save you more money.
