A Ford F-Series truck, one of the top-selling vehicles of 2021.

 

Pickup trucks and SUVs continue to dominate the list of top-selling vehicles in the United States

Examining top-selling vehicles is important when you want to consider buying a new vehicle. After all, this car will likely be with you for years to come. Therefore, you’ll want to do everything you can to ensure it fits into your lifestyle.

Part of this process will involve researching the vehicles on the market and narrowing your search. For example, families with multiple children will probably look for options with plenty of cargo space and third-row seating, while single people might look for something that’s fun to drive or good for recreation.

Your decision will come down to personal preferences, but you might also look at what other people are buying. If a vehicle is popular, there’s probably a good reason for it that deserves closer attention.

Here’s a look at the top-selling vehicles of 2021 and information on how you can purchase one, even if your local dealerships are low on inventory.

Key Takeaways

  • Researching vehicles before buying one is a must
  • Finding an option that fits into your lifestyle is important
  • Your local dealerships might not have your ideal car
  • It’s possible to ship a vehicle from another city

Trucks in the top three spots

Just like in 2020, the top-selling US vehicle in 2021 was the Ford F-Series, with 726,004 units sold in the United States. That number is down 8% from the previous year, thanks mainly to a microchip shortage that slowed production, but it remains far higher than any other vehicle in the country.

With 569,388 units sold nationally, the Ram Pickup sits in second place. The brand sold 1% more trucks than in 2020 and even outsold the F-Series in the second quarter of 2021, so it’s worth watching moving forward.

The Chevrolet Silverado is typically the second-highest selling vehicle in the United States. Although, its numbers plummeted by 11.4% in 2021 to 519,774 units sold. Sales fell by a remarkable 36.3% in the fourth quarter, so the situation is worth monitoring moving forward. 

All three pickup models are the flagship vehicles for their brands. Therefore, finding them locally shouldn’t be much of an issue. However, there’s a chance you’ll have to order from out of town if you’re looking for specific options because production-driven supply issues are affecting locations.

Compact crossovers remain popular

While trucks are the most popular vehicles on the road, compact crossovers are right there with them because of their driveability and style.

The Toyota RAV4, with 407,739 units sold, sits in fourth place, although that number is down 5.3% from the previous year. The RAV4 has gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models in addition to the RAV4 Prime and its 40-mile battery range. The RAV4 saw its numbers drop by 26.2% in the fourth quarter of 2020. This is mainly because chip shortages created production challenges.

In fifth place is the Honda CR-V, another compact crossover. This model saw sales increase by 8.3% to 361,271, a number driven by Honda’s ability to weather the chip shortage early in 2021. Sales were down by 26% in the fourth quarter, though, showing that Honda isn’t immune to this global supply issue.

The seventh most popular vehicle in 2021 (coming in below the Toyota Camry) is the Nissan Rogue, which sold 285,602 units. These numbers are up 25.3% from 2020, a number primarily driven by the SUV’s redesigned look that debuted in 2020. It’s worth noting that the Nissan Rouge’s numbers were up 40% in 2021 until the fourth-quarter production issues hit.

Compact crossovers are everywhere, but they suffered from supply issues in late 2021, making them more challenging to find.

The best-selling cars of 2021

Cars start appearing on the list at spot six, but the car market is dominated by foreign makers and not many American cars are represented. 

The sixth best-selling vehicle for 2021 is the Toyota Camry. The brand sold 313,795 units, up 6.6% from the previous year. This is despite seeing sales tank by 36.2% in the fourth quarter. 

With 263,787 sales in 2021, the Honda Civic sits tenth on the list behind a couple full-size SUVs. Those numbers are up 1% from 2020 and include the high-performance Type R.

The Toyota Corolla is 12th in sales for 2021, moving 248,993 units. Those sales figures are a 5.5% increase from the previous year. Although they decreased by 55.2% in the fourth quarter because of a shortage of supplies.

Because brands produce fewer cars than other vehicles, the supply issues they’re experiencing could create more significant challenges than you’d expect with trucks and SUVs.

Full-size SUVs are strong sellers

Consumers with families no longer purchase minivans, instead opting for full-size SUVs with third-row seating. These vehicles offer the benefits of a minivan but are sportier in appearance.

The best-selling of the bunch in 2021 is the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is in eighth place overall on the list with 264,444 units sold. That number is up by 26.1% over 2020, and the 2022 lineup will include a plug-in hybrid version. You can also get a two-row Grand Cherokee if you don’t need the additional seating.

The ninth best-selling vehicle for 2021 is the Toyota Highlander. American car buyers purchased 264,128 on the year, an increase of 24.4% over 2020. However, sales were up 48.2% until the fourth-quarter slowdown that many other manufacturers also experienced.

At 14th place on this list, the Ford Explorer sold 219,871 units in 2021. Those numbers are down by 3% from the previous year, thanks mainly to the model selling 29% fewer units in the third quarter.

Supply issues hindered sales for full-size SUVs in 2021, but many brands still experienced impressive year-over-year growth.

Finding the exact vehicle you want

Production slowdowns were a common theme in 2021 as the microchip shortage made life challenging for many manufacturers. These problems also made it more difficult for consumers to find the exact vehicles they wanted, particularly in the second half of the year.

If these production issues continue throughout 2022, purchasing out-of-town vehicles might become a better option as consumers look for the exact car they want.

Mercury Auto Transport can streamline the car purchasing process for you by shipping your new vehicle directly to your home from another city. That way, you can expand your search throughout the country, making it easier to find your preferred make and model. Contact Mercury Auto Transport today for more information or a free quote.

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FAQs

We feel it’s important for you to know how we determined your quote. Quotes are based on what the market demands for cars to be moved at a given time. Each quote is compared with the current rates on the National Load Board before being sent to our customers and will be reviewed periodically through the process.

Other companies might offer you a lower price to obtain your business. This method is ineffective because if the car does not pay the correct amount of money, it will run the probability of not getting loaded or transported on time. You will not get this information from our competitors. Truck drivers always take the loads that pay the most first, leaving the loads that are mispriced to be moved last or not at all. We try very hard to avoid this with our customers by quoting a fair but realistic quote up front. Visit our How we determine your quote page for more information.

Understanding auto transport insurance is important and we think it’s valuable to explain how it works. As part of providing a great car transport service, it is our job to guarantee that the carrier we assign to pickup your vehicle is licensed and insured. Click here to check out our license.

When you go with Mercury to ship your vehicle, you can rest assured that the carrier assigned to move your car is fully insured and licensed with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier and Saftey Administration).

Your vehicle is covered by the carrier’s insurance policy that is doing the shipping. Depending on the type and size of the truck/trailer that is shipping your car, the insurance policy can cover from $100,000 to $1,000,000 of damage.

We have also provided a checklist to explain what you need to do at both pickup and delivery in case there are any issues so, you can file a claim and know that everything will be taken care of.

It is rare but, time-to-time there may be accidental damage while in transit and it is good to know that your carrier’s insurance will protect your auto shipment in that event.

To view a sample BOL (Bill of Lading) and learn what to do in case of accidental damage, please check out our Condition Report and Procedure checklist.

When comparing auto transport companies, keep in mind that low-priced quotes often result in delays in getting your vehicle loaded. Choosing the right broker is vital to getting a reputable carrier for the lowest price possible.  

We feel it’s important for you to know how we determine your quote.

When you’re looking for a car shipping rate, you want to understand how auto transport works. Prices are based on seasonal market demands for cars to be moved at any given time. Each quote is prepared based on the season and the current national rates.

When comparing auto transport companies, keep in mind that low-priced quotes often result in delays in getting your vehicle loaded. Choosing the right broker is vital to getting a reputable carrier for the lowest price possible. Not all brokers are created equal in this talent.

Mercury does a thorough background check with each carrier for every shipment. We verify their ratings, references, and in addition, we obtain a certified copy of their insurance certificate, directly from the government agency that it is on file with.

You can have peace of mind knowing that the carrier shipping your vehicle is the very best and that there are no surprises guaranteed.

Mercury Auto Transport is licensed, Bonded and Insured. Our FMSCA Motor Carrier Number is MC647319.

While we do our best match your auto shipping needs with the most responsible carriers with the best track records, from time-to-time there may be accidental damage while in transit, it is good to know that the insurance of the carrier we locate for you will protect your auto shipment in that event.

Shipping a vehicle can be stressful if you don’t know what to do.  This is why we believe it is paramount to have our highly trained agents be your main point of contact from start to finish.

They will go over everything you need to know so you can relax.  In the meanwhile, we prepared this checklist.  This includes everything from pickup to delivery and how to make sure your car is ready for pickup.

When it comes to car moving, we want you to be ahead of the game!  For any questions and further assistance our agents are standing by, (800) 553-1828.  Please read our checklist to prepare your vehicle to learn more.

There are several ways you can ship a car.  The options include enclosed trailer, open carrier transport, flatbed truck, door-to-door shipping services, and to or from a terminal as well.  The most popular of the options is a 7 to 10 car open carrier.  These large trucks can accommodate almost any size vehicle including carsSUVstrucksjeeps, and vans.

Open car transport, door to door is also the best way to get the cheapest auto transport rate possible.  To learn more and see what transport method is best for you, please fill out our free quote form and one of our representatives will respond to you within minutes.  You can also call us at (800) 553-1828.

We present offers from FMCSA Licensed and Insured Carriers. When you accept an offer, we send your service agreement that guarantees the price, door-to-door service, and 100% bumper-to-bumper insurance. There are never any hidden fees or charges, guaranteed.