Top 10 best selling pick up in america

Pickup trucks continue to do very well in the United States through the first quarter of this year, although sales are down from the first quarter of 2021 due to the shortage of microchips.

Total truck sales in Q1 2022 total just over 650,000 units versus Q1 2021, prior to the chip shortage. In that quarter last year, automakers racked up 732,000 truck sales.

The F-Series holds the lead as they have for over 45 years, but the Ram trucks are closer than Ford would like, just 13,000 trucks behind the Blue Oval. Silverado is in striking distance just 6,000 sales behind Ram. As you’ll see below, Ford has been hardest hit by far due to the lack of chips.

Congratulations to Nissan, the all-new Frontier has the highest percentage increase, but to be fair, sales of the old Frontier were dismal.

Just last year, light trucks were named the most popular light-passenger vehicle in the U.S. This year, truck sales are up nearly 15% compared to the same time last year, and there’s a good reason why.

Americans love the flexibility, safety, and technology pickup trucks can offer. Today, we’re covering the top five best-selling trucks Americans are buying in 2023. And spoiler alert: one of them isn’t a full-size pickup!

With so many new advancements in technology, trucks certainly remain popular amongst Americans. The race for the best pickup truck runs decades strong, and the top five brands dominating the market in order are Ford, Chevrolet, RAM, GMC, and Toyota.

Ford’s venerable F-series truck remains the king of the hill as the market’s best-selling truck for its 46th consecutive year. We’ve had the opportunity to own and drive several different generations of the F-150 Raptor, and each one gets better and better. Raptor’s highly capable off-road performance is one of the reasons the F-150 as a whole is selling so successfully.

Currently behind Ford’s F-150 is Chevrolet’s Silverado. We recently had the chance to test drive the all-new 2024 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison, and we were blown away by just how much added performance the ZR2 Bison features. Our F-150 Raptor gives us a pretty good baseline of what off-road performance should entail, but nevertheless we were highly impressed with the ZR2 Bison’s capabilities both on- and off-road.

RAM remains the third best-selling truck in America thanks to its workhorse pickup truck, the RAM 1500. When outfitted with the brand’s 5.7-liter HEMI V8, the 2024 RAM 1500 can comfortably tow up to 12,750 pounds with ease—more than enough towing capacity to tow a trailer for a weekend out in nature with the family.

GMC has made its name in fourth with the Sierra 1500. Like the other trucks on this list, Sierra is also offered in a ready-to-roam off-road trim as well called the AT4X. The Sierra 1500 AT4X prides itself on being a luxury off-road truck, and it shows. The interior offers a step above, thanks to premium materials throughout.

Toyota recently debuted the next generation of Tacoma, one of the brand’s most popular pickup trucks. Tacoma resides as number five on the list of best-selling trucks in America, and for good reason. Over the years, it has proven itself as one of the most capable midsize trucks on the market in terms of performance and reliability.

In the last two decades, pickup trucks have gone from utilitarian vehicles that only farmers and tradespeople used to buy to the best-selling personal transportation vehicles in the US. Gearheads are buying pickup trucks in hordes, and it's easy to see why - they're the most versatile vehicles you can buy right now. Modern pickup trucks have fantastic designs, spacious and comfortable interiors perfect for families, the ability to go off-road, and enough speed to chase down sports cars on the highway - all of these while still having the ability to perform their original purpose of hauling heavy items.

With the demand for trucks growing every day, automakers are doing everything in their power to boost sales. This article explores some of the best-selling pickup trucks in the US in the first half of 2023 and explores some of the reasons why gearheads are snapping them up so quickly.

We used well-researched data from GoodCarBadCar.net to find some of the best-selling trucks of the year so far.

10 2023 Ford F-Series

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 382,893

The F-Series needs no introduction at all, as it's among the vehicles with the longest production runs ever. The F-Series has been around in various forms since 1948 and has evolved over the years to become one of Ford's most important models.

The F-Series has been the sales leader in the US over the last two decades not just for pickup trucks but for all kinds of vehicles, which is why we're not surprised that it tops our list today. The F-Series' dominance is not waning any time soon, especially with the introduction of the Ford F-150 Lightning about a year ago.

Specs

Engine

3.3-liter V6

Power

290 hp

Torque

265 lb-ft

Max towing

13,900 lbs

Max payload

1,765 lbs

9 2023 Chevrolet Silverado

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 268,291

Chevrolet

The Ford F-150 is undoubtedly the king of the pickup truck market, but the Chevy Silverado is giving it a serious run for its money. The Silverado replaced the Chevrolet C/K model line in 1998 and has been gaining ground on the F-150 since, overtaking Ram to become the second-best-selling truck on the market.

Chevy gave the Silverado a huge update in 2022 that included a new grille and an updated interior, and looking at the sales figures this year, it's clear that it has worked. There's a wide range of Silverado trims to fit different needs. For example, those looking for more luxury and performance can get the top-of-the-range High Country trim while those looking for off-road performance can get the ZR2.

Specs

Engine

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four

Power

310 hp

Torque

430 lb-ft

Max towing

9,500 lbs.

Max payload

2,040 lbs.

8 2023 Ram Pickup

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 218,060

Stellantis Media

The Ram truck may have lost its position as the second-best-selling truck to the Chevy Colorado above, but it's still a crowd favorite. The Ram is a hard-working truck with a spacious interior full of high-end materials, user-friendly technologies, and a smooth ride.

The Ram truck also has a reputation for offering superb performance, whether you get the 305-hp V6 or the 395-hp V8. If none of those tickle your fancy, you can get the extreme Ram TRX. Equipped with a fire-breathing 6.2-liter supercharged V8 serving up 707 hp, the Ram TRX is one of the fastest pickup trucks ever.

Specs

Engine

5.7-liter mild hybrid V8

Power

395 hp

Torque

410 lb-ft

Max towing

11,470 lbs.

Max payload

1,990 lbs.

7 2023 GMC Sierra

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 143,008

GMC

The aforementioned Chevy Silverado does a fantastic job of competing with the Ford F-150. However, some gearheads have always felt that its interior was too basic. As such, General Motors decided to build a more upscale version of the Silverado and sell it under the GMC marque. The result was the Sierra, and it's a massive success.

The Sierra essentially offers all the mechanical features that make the Silverado a winner but with more attractive sheet metal and slightly lower towing capacity. It's a highly customizable truck with four engine options, two transmissions, and rear- or four-wheel-drive.

Specs

Engine

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four

Power

310 hp

Torque

430 lb-ft

Max towing

9,100 lbs.

Max payload

1,940 lbs.

6 2023 Toyota Tacoma

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 116,845

Toyota

If you're a fan of the old Top Gear TV show, you're probably familiar with the Toyota Hilux. The show once proved that the Hilux was indestructible after taking it through a series of tests, leaving gearheads in awe. The Hilux was sold in the US as the Toyota Pickup, and in 1995, Toyota replaced it with the superb Tacoma. The Tacoma started as a compact truck but changed to a mid-size truck in 2004 and has been like that since.

There's a lot to love about the Tacoma - it's an incredibly capable truck with solid build quality, a wide range of engine options, great off-road performance, and Toyota's bulletproof reliability.

Specs

Engine

3.5-liter V6

Power

278 hp

Torque

265 lb-ft

Max towing

6,400 lbs.

Max payload

1,155 lbs.

5 2023 Toyota Tundra

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 59,735

Toyota

When Toyota joined the US pickup truck market, it quickly realized that Americans were in love with size. The larger the truck was, the higher its popularity. Since the Tacoma was too small to compete with the likes of the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500, Toyota went back to the drawing board and came up with the Tundra in 2000.

The third-generation Tundra debuted in 2022, and it has had a great reception in the market. Some gearheads have complained about the Tundra being the only full-size pickup truck without a V8 engine, but a twin-turbo V6 making 348 hp in the base model makes up for it.

Specs

Engine

3.5-liter turbocharged V6

Power

389 hp

Torque

479 lb-ft

Max towing

11,160 lbs.

Max payload

1,820 lbs.

4 2023 Ford Maverick

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 42,499

via Ford

Although America seems to have an obsession with large trucks, there's a growing number of gearheads who want something a little bit more compact and affordable. Ford noticed this trend a few years ago and came up with the Maverick. This decision has clearly worked out as the Maverick is already on this list just one year after its debut.

The Maverick shares its platform with the Bronco Sport and has two engine options, with the most powerful being a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot making 250 ponies. With an optional all-wheel-drive system, the Maverick already has decent off-road performance. Gearheads who want more can equip it with the Tremor package.

Specs

Engine

2.5-liter inline-four

Power

162 hp

Torque

155 lb-ft

Max towing

4,000 lbs.

Max payload

1,500 lbs.

3 2023 Nissan Frontier

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 34,139

Via: Nissan

Although the Frontier has been in the US market since the '90s, it has struggled to keep up with the big boys. Thankfully, Nissan has changed that with the latest generation of the truck. The third-generation Frontier debuted in 2022, and it's already considered to be the best version of the truck ever.

The new Nissan Frontier has a bold new design that commands respect on the road, a nicer interior with some of the latest technologies, and a 3.8-liter V6 with 310 hp on tap.

Specs

Engine

3.8-liter V6

Power

310 hp

Torque

281 lb-ft

Max towing

6,270 lbs.

Max payload

1,230 lbs.

2 2023 Chevrolet Colorado

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 33,165

Chevrolet

The Colorado has been a great addition to Chevy's lineup since its 2004 debut. The second-generation Colorado was particularly successful, enjoying a production run of over a decade with minimal changes. Despite its dated design, the second-generation Colorado still sold enough units in its last year to get it on this list.

Chevrolet recently unveiled the third-generation Colorado and looking at its much-improved design and powerful engine options, it will likely move up our list when we explore the best-selling trucks next year.

Specs

Engine

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four

Power

310 hp

Torque

391 lb-ft

Max towing

7,700 lbs.

Max payload

1,580 lbs.

1 2023 Jeep Gladiator

Unit Sold In 2023 So Far: 27,326

via Jeep

For a long time, Jeep lacked a proper pickup truck to face off against the F-150s and Silverados of the world. That all changed in 2020 when Jeep introduced the Gladiator. The Gladiator not only has one of the coolest model names ever, but it's also a hugely capable truck that will go anywhere.

The Gladiator shares its platform with the Wrangler and has many styling cues inspired by the popular SUV - from the front, many wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two. The Gladiator also has a removable roof and doors for maximum weekend fun. In keeping with Jeep's reputation, the Gladiator is one of the best off-road trucks, particularly off-road oriented versions like the Rubicon and the Mojave.

What's the best selling pickup truck in America?

Most popular truck in America: full-size pickup.

What is the best selling pickup in the US 2023?

And since it's very hard to overtake an F-Series truck, both literally and figuratively, the F-Series will once again be America's number 1 vehicle this year. According to Car and Driver, Ford sold 573,370 units of its heavyweight truck in the first nine months of 2023, including 12,260 electric F-150 Lightning trucks.

Who sells more trucks GM or Ford?

Ford was the No. 1 selling truck manufacturer in Q2 and for the first half of the year. Sales climbed 26.2 percent in Q2. Through the first half of 2023, Ford's overall truck sales totaled 549,625, up 23.1 percent and outselling GM's trucks and vans by approximately 61,000 trucks.

What is the best selling midsize truck in America?

The Tacoma has led the midsize pickup segment in sales for nearly 20 years, as competitors such as Ford, Jeep and Chevrolet have come, gone and returned to the segment. Midsize pickup trucks represented 4.4% of total U.S. vehicle sales in 2022, according to auto research firm Edmunds.