The State of Texas has spoken, and its love for pickups is as strong as ever. In a comprehensive analysis conducted by iSeeCars, which was featured in a KXAN report, Texans have shown a distinct preference for their road companions, with the Ford F-150 leading the charge as the most coveted used model across the state in 2023.
Last year, the F-150 made up 4.0% of all used car sales in Texas, leaving competition, in the dust. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 wasn't far behind, at 3.3%, while the Ram 1500 lagged at a respectable 2.3%. As gas prices soared, consumers tilted the scales slightly, with fuel-efficient models gaining some ground. The Toyota Camry and the Toyota Corolla also muscled their way into the top five.
Austin's picks echoed statewide trends but with a slight twist as the Toyota RAV4 supplanted the Corolla in local hearts. These trends weren't just emblematic of a Texan state of mind but reflected a broader, albeit more subtle, national pivot. A Stacker report, which drew on iSeeCars.com data, showed that these preferences held up in 2022 as well.
"Trucks have been so dominant in the U.S. market for so long that it’s strange to see the Ram lose its top-three ranking, even to an SUV as popular as the Chevrolet Equinox," Karl Brauer, an executive analyst with iSeeCars, told KXAN. This industry observation points to an evolving marketplace where even the mastodon of American vehicular beasts.
Nonetheless, as Texans geared up to exercise economy amid the throes of inflation, there was a noticeable shift in the automotive landscape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, quoted by a Stacker article, the national average price of used cars and trucks took a 13.6% dive from February 2022 to February 2023, an indicator of a market in corrective flux.
From the primacy of the Ford F-150 in 34 states to the surprising ascendancy of the Chevrolet Equinox in locales around the Great Lakes, the patterns of used car sales narrate a tale of consumer resilience and adaptability. Still, as for Texans, the allure of pickups stands unshaken, proving once again that in the heart of Texas, pickups aren't just vehicles.
