It’s time to take a close look at the pickup truck sales in the United States in Q1 2023.
It is hardly surprising that the Toyota Tacoma is still dominant in this segment. Tacoma’s sales remain steady and even grew a bit when compared to the first quarter of 2022. Most other players in this segment show huge losses.
It’s a bit of a surprise to see Honda Ridgeline’s sales grow in a big way. The Ridgeline outsold the Ford Ranger last quarter and it has its sights on the Chevy Colorado.
Take a look at our full-size truck Q1 2023 U.S. sales story for more information.
Take a look at all the numbers. In case you are curious, General Motors, Nissan, Jeep, Honda, and Ford together sold 73,335 pickup trucks in Q1. Look at the Tacoma numbers!
| Model | Q1 2023 (Jan – Mar) | Q1 2022 | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Tacoma | 53,583 | 53,182 | +0.8% |
| – GM (COMBINED)* | 18,416 | 27,853 | -33.4% |
| Nissan Frontier | 16,926 | 22,405 | -24.5% |
| Jeep Gladiator | 13,575 | 17,912 | -24.2% |
| ->Chevy Colorado | 13,256 | 21,693 | -38.9% |
| Honda Ridgeline | 12,918 | 9,189 | +40.6% |
| Ford Ranger | 11,500 | 17,639 | -34.8% |
| ->GMC Canyon | 5,160 | 6,160 | -18.6% |
Indeed, the midsize pickup truck segment is going through a last transformation. Chevy and GMC just recently started selling the new generation of their Colorado and Canyon pickups. This changeover takes a toll on sales and inventories are low and the factory is ramping up.
The Ford Ranger sales have been low for many months. Ford simply cannot make as many Rangers as there is demand for (this is my opinion, not a statement from Ford).
The all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma will be here soon. We expect it to go on sale by the end of this calendar year. This generation changeover will likely have a negative impact on Tacoma sales, so other manufacturers should be keen to take advantage of this.
It’s difficult to say why Nissan Frontier and Jeep Gladiator struggled in Q1 2023. They may be suffering from some production constraints as well.
Here is our recent Ike Gauntlettm – the world’s toughest test with the current generation Ford Ranger.
