The Most Popular New and Used Cars and Trucks in America

Finding a new or used vehicle in 2021 was a struggle. Supply chain issues — especially concerning computer chips — eroded new-car sales through the year. That drop in volume also translated to a lack of supply of used cars and trucks, since there were fewer trade-ins to fuel that market. “While inventory constraints from the microchip shortage led to decreased sales volume for many popular vehicles compared to previous years, the most popular vehicles remained consistent when compared with 2020,” says Karl Brauer,  iSeeCars’ executive analyst. “This is because automakers were able to prioritize the production of their most-profitable vehicles over their slower sellers.”

Here’s a look at the most popular new and used vehicles in 2021 based on iSeeCars data from 17.4 million sales.

Andrew Lisa contributed to this report.

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Pickup trucks continued to rule the road in 2021, with one at the top of the bestseller list in 35 of the 50 states. While most automakers were fighting to find enough computer chips to keep cars rolling off the assembly lines, Toyota navigated that better than most, paving the way for the Japanese manufacturer to sell more cars than General Motors for the first time in history.

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Average Price: $52,029

Share of Sales: 3%

“The Ford F-150 has been America’s undisputed bestselling new vehicle for over 40 years,” Brauer says. So it’s no surprise to see it at the top of the list again in 2021, though sales were down 15.7% due to chip shortages. The model — which marked its 14th generation with a redesign in 2021 — was also the leader in 20 states.

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Average Price: $53,758

Share of Sales: 2.3%

A 1% uptick in sales in 2021 moved this model up three spots from 2020. iSeeCars shows it as the top new vehicle in six states: Alaska, Arizona, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio.

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Average Price: $48,133

Share of Sales: 2.2%

Rounding out the trio of pickups dominating the list, the Silverado slipped one spot from its second-place finish in 2020 on declining sales. Still, it was the top new vehicle in Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, and West Virginia.

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Average Price: $31,288

Share of Sales: 2.2%

A 9% bump in sales for this popular Honda model made it the top-ranked compact SUV on the list. The fifth generation of this model, based on the Honda Civic’s platform, was especially popular among East Coast buyers, finishing as the top seller in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

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Average Price: $31,101

Share of Sales: 1.9%

The most popular SUV in 2020 took a dip in sales, putting it behind the CR-V in 2021. But it was still the most popular of Toyota’s four vehicles in the Top 10, with 407,739 units sold — and it was the top seller in Florida, Massachusetts, and South Carolina.

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Average Price: $21,747 (coupe)

Share of Sales: 1.9%

Buyers took to the redesigned Civic in 2021, making it the top passenger car on the list — up a spot from 2020 — as well as being the most popular new car in California. It’s available as a coupe, sedan, or hatchback to suit buyers’ needs and has been sold in the U.S. since 1973.

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Average Price: $29,531

Share of Sales: 1.9%

An increase in sales for this perennial bestseller — with numbers closer to 2019 sales — moved it up one spot from 2020. It was the top-selling new car in Alabama and North Carolina. “If the Camry were its own manufacturing brand, it would be in the top 10 automakers in North America,” iSeeCars says.

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Average Price: $38,241

Share of Sales: 1.8%

Tacoma sales have increased in 11 of the past 12 years, including a boost of nearly 6% in 2021, moving it up two spots on the list. The midsize pickup truck known for its off-road capability was the top seller in New Hampshire, Oregon, and Washington.

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Average Price: $44,016

Share of Sales: 1.6%

Car and Driver says Highlander sales were up a staggering 24% in 2021 — its best year ever — allowing Rhode Island’s top-selling vehicle to crack the list in the ninth position. The crossover-style vehicle has won awards for its family-friendliness and daily usability.

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Average Price: $29,524

Share of Sales: 1.6%

Despite record sales in 2021, the Tucson slipped a few spots from 2020 in a competitive market for compact SUVs. But it was still the No. 1 new vehicle in Illinois with a redesigned 2022 model that kicks off the vehicle’s fourth generation.

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With fewer trade-ins thinning the ranks of available pre-owned vehicles, the cost of a used car was up 39% in November, and the average price topped $29,000 for the first time, according to Edmunds. As with new-car sales, pickup trucks swept the podium positions for used vehicles. “The limited inventory of new pickup trucks led many consumers to purchase them used,” Brauer says. “And despite pickup trucks being the top sellers, demand still exceeded supply, leading to dramatic increases in used car prices.” Compact SUVs also were popular with buyers. “Because they have been a rapidly growing segment among new-car buyers for so long, there are plenty of these small crossovers available in the used-car market.”

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Share of Sales: 3.6%

Average Price (3 years old): $41,136

The pickup’s popularity among new cars also made it a popular choice among used cars, says iSeeCars, where the company’s data showed it to be the bestselling used vehicle in a whopping 38 of the 50 states — up from 25 the prior year.

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Share of Sales: 2.6%

Average Price (3 years old): $38,039

Chevy has been making pickup trucks since 1930, and this entry in the half-ton pickup segment holds steady at No. 2 on the list from last year. But that position is a full percentage point behind the F-150.

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Share of Sales: 2.4%

Average Price (3 years old): $34,515

The Ram Pickup also held steady at No. 3 from last year’s list. iSeeCars says the truck is known for its muscular design, wide grille, and smooth highway ride. It’s rated sixth in the full-size truck category for reliability.

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Share of Sales: 2%

Average Price (3 years old): $20,581 (coupe)

Demand for the Civic moved up two spots from 2020’s list, when it was still the top-selling used non-truck or SUV. It was the top-selling used vehicle in California, Maryland, and New Jersey in 2021 and the coupe is ranked as the second most-reliable vehicle in the small car category by iSeeCars.

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Share of Sales: 1.9%

Average Price (3 years old): $21,320

One of Nissan’s bestselling models, this small crossover was the used sales leader in Connecticut and New York. It ranks 15th in reliability in its category, says iSeeCars.

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Share of Sales: 1.9%
Average Price (3 years old): $22,430

Up one spot from last year, the model “enjoys a reputation for reliability and dependability,” iSeeCars says, and is ranked as the third most-reliable vehicle in the midsize car category behind the Honda Accord coupe and sedan.

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Share of Sales: 1.9%

Average Price (3 years old): $21,742

One of the automaker’s more affordable crossovers, the compact SUV was the top used vehicle sold in Indiana and Michigan and the 10th most reliable vehicle in its category.

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Share of Sales: 1.7%

Average Price (3 years old): $20,407

The Escape drops four spots from 2020’s list. It was the sixth most-reliable entry in the small and compact SUV category. Sales of the vehicle peaked in 2017, according to CarFigures.com.

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Share of Sales: 1.7%

Average Price (3 years old): $23,510

First seen in the United States in 1995, the RAV4 was the top used vehicle model in Massachusetts and Vermont in 2021. It’s rated as the seventh-most-reliable vehicle in the small and compact SUV category by iSeeCars.

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Share of Sales: 1.6%

Average Price (3 years old): $23,825 (sedan)

The Accord also joins the list this year. Sales of new Accords aren’t what they used to be, but CarFigures.com says 5.3 million new units were sold between 2005 and 2021. That suggests a pretty big pool of available used cars.

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