America's "Top 20" Best-selling Cars in 2019

Now that we know Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet dominated the sales charts last year in the United States of America, let’s delve deeper to find out the models that helped these brands and the rest of the gang reach there. So, here they come, America’s ‘Top 20’ best-selling cars of 2019. 

Ford F-Series reigns supreme

Now, this is getting tough. What do we write about Ford’s all-conquering F-Series that we haven’t written over the past several years? Except for the fact that 2019 was the 38th year in a row this behemoth topped the sales charts in the United States. And 2019 was also the 43rd year on the trot this money-spinner from Ford ended up as America’s best-selling pick-up truck. Incredibly, the current F-Series is on the last legs of its life cycle and achieved this feat in a year that saw it’s two crosstown rivals come out in all-new avatars - refreshed and brimming with vigor.

We can’t wait to see what Ford has in store for the next-generation F-Series that’s slated to debut sometime next year with hybrid and electric variants joining the parade. 

Ram Pick-Up leapfrogs Chevrolet Silverado

Despite the Silverado being an all-new model, Chevrolet couldn’t do what Ford did and lost its second position to the similarly-new Ram Pick-Up. The new Silverado range ended 2019 with a 2% drop over the prior year. Surely, the controversial grille treatment didn’t help with the underwhelming interiors not helping matters. The all-new Ram scored big on both these aspects and, with a 48-volt mild hybrid system standard across the line-up, could boast of ‘green’ credentials too! Truck-loving Americans, unsurprisingly, lapped them up as quickly as FCA could manufacture them.

Japanese crossovers are the new Japanese sedans

Not long ago, the three pick-up trucks would have sedans from Toyota, Honda and Nissan behind them in the sales charts. The bad news is that’s been changing over the last few years, thanks to the shift in customer preferences towards SUVs and crossovers. The good news is those positions are still occupied by Toyota, Honda and Nissan with the RAV4, CR-V and Rogue pushing their low-riding stablemates down the order. The RAV4, in particular, is going strong while Nissan has a task at hand to ponder over the 15% decline in Rogue’s sales. 

Joining the Japanese trio in the crossover party is Chevrolet with the Equinox enjoying a good run with a 4% increase in sales vis-à-vis 2018. Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla round off the Top 10 doing a great job of maintaining their sales figures in what was a tough year for sedans. The Accord, though, couldn’t do the same and ended the year with a 8% drop. 

The rest of the Top 20

With the Tacoma and Highlander enjoying a decent run, Toyota had five of its models in the Top 20 list - the highest for any car-maker. Ford, Honda and Jeep had three entries each while Chevrolet and Nissan had a pair of them each. Ram and GMC are the two other brands to have a model featuring in the Top 20.

Jeep slips, Ford falls

Just last year, it appeared Jeep could do no wrong. But, 2019 proved to be a mixed bag for FCA's flagship brand. The bigger and more profitable Grand Cherokee put up a solid show but, with the Wrangler and Cherokee in the red at a time when SUVs are hot properties, Jeep has to watch out. The Gladiator, though, has received rave reviews and enjoyed a solid start! 

Bigger headaches are in store for Ford with both the Escape and Explorer reporting significant declines. Crucially, both these crossovers had their next-generation models debuting in 2019 with some teething issues restricting production and supplies. 2020 would be a litmus test for these two as well as the recently-launched Ranger and upcoming Bronco.

GMC Sierra, Silverado’s posh cousin, did well compared to the Chevy and grew 6% over the previous year. Boosted by fleet sales, Nissan’s Altima sold as much as it did in 2018 and made it to the list doing so.

Will 2020 throw in more surprises? Will this year see the formidable Camry, Corolla, Civic and Accord dropping off further in favour of other crossovers? Can Subaru, Hyundai and Kia break in to the Top 20? There are too many questions that 2020 promises to answer. Let’s wait and watch!