Small/Midsize Trucks Grab 15% Of January 2015's U.S. Pickup Market, Tacoma Still Rules The Roost

by Timothy Cain

Published: February 4th, 2015

small midsize trucks grab 15 of january 2015 s u s pickup market tacoma still

The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon combined to own 31.8% of the small/midsize U.S. pickup truck market in January 2015, up from near nonexistence one year ago.

This meant the class-leading Toyota Tacoma saw its market share plunge by more than 17 percentage points.

Yet Tacoma sales increased in January, rising 1567 units, or 16%, to 11,409 units, 3262 more than the Colorado and Canyon managed.

Since the new GM trucks became readily available in November, and in the lead-up to the debut of a refreshed 2016 Tacoma, sales of Toyota’s sub-Tundra truck have jumped 10%.

Nissan’s Frontier hasn’t been hurt by the arrival of new GM trucks, either. Frontier sales grew 5.5% in November, 12% in December, and 19% in the first month of 2014.

Small/Midsize TruckJanuary 2015January 2014% Change Toyota Tacoma11,4099,84215.9%Chevrolet Colorado5,9421442,343%Nissan Frontier5,8684,93119.0%GMC Canyon2,2051220,400%Honda Ridgeline2141,163-81.6%—— ——Total25,63815,95160.7%

In other words, if the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon are stealing sales from the segment stalwarts, they’re not stealing many.

No, the Colorado and Canyon are simply assisting in the growth of the small/midsize truck category.

Small/Midsize TruckJanuary2015ShareJanuary2014ShareToyota Tacoma44.5%61.7%Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon31.8%0.09%Nissan Frontier22.9%30.9%Honda Ridgeline0.8%7.3%———Small/Midsize Share Of Total Pickup Truck Market15.4%11.7%Small/Midsize Pickup Share Of Total Industry2.2%1.6%

The five sub-full-size pickups – including the lingering Honda Ridgeline – form an increasingly meaningful category in America. But we’re still talking small potatoes. They combined to produce 15 out of every 100 new pickup truck sales in January, up from 12 in January 2015. They account for 2.2% of the auto industry’s total volume, up from 1.6% in January 2015.

For every one of these trucks sold last month, Ford sold more than two F-Series pickups. (Which might explain why Ford isn’t terribly worried about not marketing a newfangled Ranger in North America.) The Chevrolet Silverado easily outsold the whole small/midsize category. Ram’s truck lineup, lacking a Dakota, also outsold the Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier, Canyon, and Ridgeline combined.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures.

#January2015Sales #MidsizeTrucks #SmallPickup #TruckSales #U.S.AutoSales

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Lou_BC on Feb 04, 2015

DenverMike - for once, I tend to agree with you ;) Pent up demand? All of those guys hanging on to older small trucks upgrading? I do believe that many pickups are purchased as more versatile substitutes for SUV's. These buyers tend to be more trend sensitive and since they aren't traditional pickup buyers will not put up with old technology to own a truck. The new Colorado/Canyon isn't stealing sales from traditional Toyota buyers or full sized buyers but dipping into the SUV market.

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- DenverMike on Feb 04, 2015
  
  Except traditional midsize SUV buyers will eventually remember why they abandoned the compact/midsize truck segment, when they're hit with poor fuel economy, wide turn radius and buckboard ride.
  
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- Lou_BC on Feb 04, 2015
  
  @DenverMike - since when do modern pickups have poor fuel economy and buckboard ride? Turn radius is related to length. Any pickup matches any comparably sized SUV in ride and level of luxury.
  
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- DenverMike on Feb 05, 2015
  
  @Lou_BC Going from midsize SUVs to midsize pickups, you're sacrificing fuel economy, turning radius and ride comfort. Plain/simple. What part of tow/haul gear ratios, much longer wheelbase, heavy duty leaf springs/shocks, live axles, etc, don't you understand??? But where did I say midsize pickups lack the "luxury" of midsize SUVs?
  
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- Lou_BC on Feb 06, 2015
  
  @DenverMike - so in effect you are saying that buyers of pickups are wasting their time and money. Yup. All sizes of pickups are inferior to SUV's. A lot of pickup buyers aren't traditional pickup buyers. That applies equally to full sized 1/2 tons as it does to small trucks.
  
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Icygang on Feb 06, 2015

It's interesting that many Americans buy Japanese in the large number instead American brands. Asian won't be like this, most people look for Asian brands instead of Western brand, that's why American cars and trucks are going to die from market.

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