November Sales Snapshot: Pickups and Commercial Vans

by Paul Niedermeyer

Published: December 8th, 2009

november sales snapshot pickups and commercial vans

The whole truck category continues to stumble through this terrible year. Year to date, the Tundra (-45%) is the big loser among the big trucks. Ford can claim the big PU title, but as usual, the Chevy/GMC duo combined outsells the F-Series. So who takes the crown? The Dakota is still in free-fall, while the ancient Ranger has the smallest YTD drop. The Transit Connect has connected quite well, and is the third best seller currently among the vans. Details follow:

Ranking by YTD SalesNov. 09 sales% changeYTD sales% changeBig PickupsFord F-series30494-20%365416-23%Silverado/Avalanche23474-26%297555-36%Ram PU9787-37%165254-28%GMC Sierra8371-20%99698-36%Toyota Tundra63795%70515-45%Nissan Titan150147%16894-7%Smaller PickupsToyota Tacoma7633-4%102327-24%Ford Ranger3271-1%51097-18%Chevy Colorado1316-47%30614-39%Nissan Frontier200771%25427-42%Honda Ridgeline1465-14%14943-53%Dodge Dakota663-62%10072-59%GMC Canyon452-28%9481-30% VansFord Econoline4705-32%77179-34%Chevy Express3489-56%49140-39%GMC Savanna650-20%11118-47%Ford Transit Connect11656842Sprinter959-23%6808-49%

Paul Niedermeyer

More by Paul Niedermeyer

Comments

Join the conversation

8 of 27 comments

Odomeater on Dec 09, 2009

As far as lamenting that Nissan would triple their (anemic) sales with a regular cab? No way. And Honda's Ridgeline? A certified sales failure.

Like Reply
- See 1 previous
- Baldheadeddork on Dec 09, 2009
  
  Yeah, that jumped out at me, too. All of the reviewers loved that truck but it's been a total failure on the sales charts.
  
  Like
- Davey49 on Dec 09, 2009
  
  I'm pretty sure that Mexico doesn't count with the 25% Tax Tell us why "No way" on Titan sales increasing if they had a regular cab. Nissan $27120 Chevrolet $21845 Dodge $21510 Toyota $24105 Ford $22355 Price is why the Titan doesn't sell, work truck buyers won't pay that much for it. Work truck buyers want inexpensive full size trucks. with black bumpers, vinyl seats, regular cabs doesn't even need the V8 Nissan should have been selling a plain Titan all along, regular cab, 4.0L V6
  
  Like
Dr Lemming on Dec 09, 2009

Interesting that Toyota and Nissan's mid-sized entries are outselling their big trucks. Entering the full-sized class was a very expensive mistake for both of them.

Like Reply
- Psarhjinian on Dec 09, 2009
  
  I don't think it's so much a mistake as it is a commentary on a) how hard it is to crack the market and b) how much the domestics have given up on the compact truck market. Toyota is in this for the long haul. The Taco is just a beachhead, and it gives them something to fall back to, if needed. The Tundra had the misfortune of coming out just as the recession hit, true, but it's also worth noting that Toyota came through the recession with considerably better resources, especially since they hadn't mortgaged their R&D as GM, or been in total chaos (like Chrysler).
  
  Like
Carlson Fan on Dec 09, 2009

The unique thing about the Ranger is that it is truly the only "compact" PU still available. Ford delayed closing it's St. Paul, MN plant where the Ranger is made. Seems fuel prices and the economy has helped Ranger sales for the time being. Remember that Toyota tried to crack the fullsive PU market back in '93 with the awful T100. Only company I've ever seen that offers a bigger truck over their compact with a higher tow rating(5K vs 3.5K)but then offers you the same two motors available in the compact. Geez I wonder why they didn't sell. The first generation Tundra was nothing more than a re-badged T100 with a V8. Within the last few years they've finally offered a true fullsize truck to compete with the domestics.

Like Reply
- Davey49 on Dec 09, 2009
  
  Still, the few people who bought the T100 and early Tundras are now lifetime Toyota owners. I haven't met an owner of a T-100 yet who didn't think it was the best truck they've ever owned.
  
  Like
Carlson Fan on Dec 09, 2009

Even when I owned a Toyota truck I held my head in shame over the T100. It even looked wimpy. Thinking that truck could compete with the full size domestics offering nothing bigger than the 3.0 liter V6 was absolute lunacy. That's what my compact Toy had in it and trust me it didn't have the torque/HP to tow 5K comfortably. That was my biggest complaint with mine that even with the 3.0/5 sp, 3:73 rear end it was a real slug even with 3K behind it. Toyota really dropped the ball on that one. Interesting about the T100 is they never sold very well but supposedly got snatched up pretty quickly on the used market. Go figure.

Like Reply