Toyota Tacoma Is the Best-Selling Small Pickup Truck for 17 Consecutive Years
While everything around us is constantly changing, it is nice for one thing to remain the same. Such as the popularity of a Toyota truck. More specifically, the popularity of the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. The Toyota Tacoma sales numbers are in, and it is the best-selling small truck for the 17th year in a row.
The Toyota Tacoma sales for 2021 show 252,520 pickup trucks sold
According to a press release from Toyota, the Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling small pickup for 17 consecutive years. While there have been many challenges throughout the last two years, the Tacoma retained its spot at the top. The automaker says it increased 10.4% in overall sales for 2021. Similarly, Lexus posted a 10.7% increase for the year.
Despite all challenges, Toyota was the number one retail brand for the 10th consecutive year. The Toyota Camry managed to keep the top spot, remaining the best-selling passenger car in the U.S. for the 20th consecutive year. The RAV4 SUV was the best-selling SUV for the fifth straight year, and the Sienna was in first place for the first time.
But the Toyota Tacoma remained at number one. The Toyota Tacoma sales numbers for 2021 show 252,520 units sold, up from 238,806 in 2020. That set the bar pretty high for 2022, but is its reign about to be over?
Sales for the Toyota Tacoma usually encompass its three biggest competitors combined
The Tacoma is usually so popular in its midsize truck segment that it beats a combination of the following most popular trucks. Namely, the Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, and Chevrolet Colorado. That segment has grown and expanded a lot lately. The Frontier received a full redesign. The Ford Ranger also got some pretty significant upgrades. The Hyundai Santa Cruz showed up for the first time and has been a solid addition.
With all the new midsize or small pickup truck options available, the Tacoma has lost a bit of steam. That doesn’t mean it’s run as the best-selling truck is over. Amid the semiconductor chip shortages and other complications, Toyota has relied on its reputation for reliability.
Buyers are looking for a pickup truck that will last for a long time. Thanks to its superior reliability history from places like Consumer Reports and J.D. Power, buyers know the Toyota Tacoma will deliver on that.
How do the sales for this small pickup truck compare to Q1 2021?
The sales numbers for the first few months of 2022 are out. While the Tacoma has a solid sales history, Q1 2022 saw a decline in sales. January 2022 saw the sale of 15,285 Tacomas. That is about the same amount sold during the first month of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in March 2020. February 2022 wasn’t much better, selling 16,185 units. Closing out the third month of Q1 2022, Toyota sold 21,712 Tacomas.
Comparing the two first quarters, the Toyota Tacoma sales for Q1 2021 ended with 66,449 units sold. Q1 2022 saw 53,182 units sold. So will the favorite midsize truck be able to sustain? Let’s wait for the Q2 numbers to come out before jumping to any small pickup truck conclusions.
This article was updated on 3/10/2023.
