America's Midsize Pickup Truck Sales Growth Is Suddenly Slowing - Oh, Ranger, Where Art Thou?

Timothy Cain
by Timothy Cain

Nearly two and a half years since General Motors increased the number of offerings in the midsize pickup truck sector by two-thirds, and nine months since Honda revitalized its unique Ridgeline offering, we’re once again in need of new midsize pickup truck nameplates.

America’s pickup truck category began 2017 with a bang, growing by more than 7 percent and easily outpacing an industry that declined by more than 1 percent in the first one-sixth of 2017.

Yet virtually all of that growth — fully 90 percent — was fuelled not by midsize pickups but by the stalwarts: full-size trucks.

Fortunately, midsize pickup truck sales growth continues, albeit at a far slower rate than we’ve become accustomed to seeing, despite a modest slowdown in Toyota Tacoma volume (Toyota is increasing Tacoma production to help meet demand) and a sharp downturn in Nissan Frontier sales.

GM’s twins — the midsize category’s second-ranked Chevrolet Colorado and the truck market’s lowest-volume pickup, GMC’s Canyon — combined for an 8-percent uptick over the course of January and February.

But with the Honda Ridgeline excluded from the equation, as it wasn’t on sale at this stage of 2016 and is undeniably distinct in mission, America’s midsize pickup truck sales have fallen 6 percent so far this year.

That’s a stunning turnaround for a group of vehicles that produced 61 percent of the overall truck market’s growth in 2017.

Full-size pickups certainly have the strength of character, and the ability to be deeply incentivized, to keep midsize pickup trucks cowering in the corner.

A broader range of capability and competitive fuel economy are just two of numerous easily identified reasons that point to full-size trucks’ 85-percent market share. Moreover, full-size pickup trucks were less costly this February than last: KBB says the average full-size pickup truck transaction price last month was down 2 percent compared with February 2016. Average midsize pickup truck transaction prices continue to rise, however, climbing 2 percent in February 2017, year-over-year.

These factors have been and will continue to be in place. Full-size pickup trucks will, just as they always have, tow and haul more while also capably handle greater passenger loads. Full-size pickup trucks will continue to be priced in such a way as to pressure midsize pickup trucks.

Yet there’s another factor. Midsize pickup truck demand continues to be reigned in by a dearth of available midsize pickup trucks.

2009 this is not. There were still 11 small and midsize pickup trucks on sale in America eight years ago: the current quintet plus contenders from Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Isuzu, Dodge, and Ford.

The Equator, Raider, B-Series, i-Series, Dakota, and Ranger disappeared; the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon eventually did, too. And in the lead-up to the launch of the current Colorado and Canyon, midsize pickup truck sales were falling even as the market surged and overall pickup truck demand increased. Through the first two-thirds of 2014, small/midsize pickup truck sales were down 4 percent.

But rather than diminishing the Toyota Tacoma’s success or limiting the Nissan Frontier’s appeal, the arrival of a new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon occurred in concert with record Toyota Tacoma volume in 2015 and 2016 and a 15-year high Nissan Frontier result in 2016.

There’s nothing that says the category can’t reclaim rapid growth in 2017. We’ve only seen two consecutive months of a severe slowdown in growth, and those two months form the weakest portion of the calendar for auto sales.

For the midsize truck category to once again be truly empowered as it was over the last 12-24 months, however, new product will once again be necessary. The next Ford Ranger is roughly two years away.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.

Timothy Cain
Timothy Cain

More by Timothy Cain

Comments
Join the conversation
6 of 94 comments
  • Dashboard89 Dashboard89 on Mar 06, 2017

    I drive a four banger small truck. Primarily because they are fairly reliable and obscenely easy to work on. Not really sure where that puts me, but I could never really see me in a full size truck. I just prefer smaller-ish vehicles.

    • See 1 previous
    • Gtem Gtem on Mar 07, 2017

      @RHD This is why I'm going this route as well. I already have a number of hauling tasks lined up for my yet-to-be-bought trucklet, including taking a load of firewood down from my in-laws, getting a load of gravel to make a parking pad, getting a load of topsoil to start a garden, getting some mulch for landscaping. And I also intend to make said truckl my daily commuter. Part of me wonders whether going up to a fullsize (basic 90s Chevy or Ford) would have been worth it in terms of less stress when hauling, but I think I will manage. I really like the way a 4cyl/5spd compact truck zips around town.

  • Oberkanone Oberkanone on Mar 06, 2017

    Mitsubishi has the most to gain by joining in and selling a pickup truck in USA and Canada. Triton/L200 is smaller than the Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier and Ridgeline. It is very rugged and dependable design. Keep it simple and sell it for less than all the competitors. Mitsu requires a minimal sales volume to deliver a return on investment and then profit. If they partnered with FCA perhaps assembly of complete knockdown kits could be completed at an FCA North American plant in return for a version to be sold as Ram or FIAT. FIAT already sells a Fullback branded version of Triton in some markets.

    • See 1 previous
    • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on Mar 07, 2017

      @gtem gte, The Triton is built lighter than it's competition. I don't view the Triton as a strong off roader. The Triton is built to a price. It is an example of getting what you pay for.

  • EBFlex China can F right off.
  • MrIcky And tbh, this is why I don't mind a little subsidization of our battery industry. If the American or at least free trade companies don't get some sort of good start, they'll never be able to float long enough to become competitive.
  • SCE to AUX Does the WTO have any teeth? Seems like countries just flail it at each other like a soft rubber stick for internal political purposes.
  • Peter You know we’ve entered the age of self driving vehicles When KIAs go from being stolen to rolling away by themselves.
  • Analoggrotto TTAC is full of drug addicts with short memories. Just beside this article is another very beautiful article about how the EV9 was internationally voted by a renowned board of automotive experts who are no doubt highly educated, wealthy and affluent; the best vehicle in entire world. That's planet earth for you numbskulls. Let me repeat: the best vehicle in the world is the Kia EV9. Voted, and sealed, and if you try to deny it Fanny Willis is ready to prosecute you; but she will send her boyfriend instead because she is busy.
Next