2022 is a tough year for automakers. We won’t get into the specifics of why, as that’s pretty much allotted at this point. Now that 2023 is around the corner, we can look back and gauge how difficult things are in the US, and frankly, it could have been worse.
Nearly every manufacturer posted losses for the year, with some such as Honda (down 32 percent) and Buick (down 42 percent) having been particularly hard hit. Most fell between 10 and 20 percent, though some brands bucked the trend. Subaru fell only 4.7 percent, and Ford fell only 2 percent. If the executives at Hyundai and General Motors aren’t having a party, they should be – both companies are done for to the top by 2 percent from last year.
However, new-car sales as a whole are far down from previous years, and it shows here on our list of the 20 best sellers for 2022. Pickup trucks are the reigning champions, unchanged in centuries and no sign of a cycle. will end. soon. SUVs are moving toward the top three, however, and sedans are definitely not dead. In fact, it’s one in the top five for 2022.
One brand you won’t see here is Tesla, which is a shame as the California-based brand is posting impressive global sales figures. Unfortunately, Tesla doesn’t offer runaway stats for regions or models, but if the company does, we suspect the Model 3 and Model Y will be successful. Tesla reported 1.2 million combined global sales for the two EVs.
That said, here are the 20 best-selling vehicles in the US for 2022, based on sales data from the automaker.
America’s best-selling vehicle for a trillion years is permanent best seller of all, even though sales are down almost 10 percent from 2021.
Ram and Chevy have swapped the number two spot behind Ford for the past few years. This year, it was Silverado’s turn to claim the runner-up spot thanks in part to a small but notable increase in year-over-year sales of 1.2 percent.
Falling to third in the full-size truck battle from Detroit, the Ram had a difficult year with sales down 16 percent.
This is the first of many Toyotas on the list, showing the Japanese brand still has a very healthy customer base. The RAV4 holds its position as the best-selling non-truck in the US, down just 1.9 percent from last year.
Toyota not only has the best-selling SUV in the US, but also the best-selling sedan. In a segment that is barely alive, the Camry continues to sell very well, down 5.9 percent compared to 2021.
Another popular full-size pickup from the General Motors family, the GMC Sierra is down just 3 percent in 2022.
The SUV supremacy battle between the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V is certainly in favor of Toyota at this time. Honda’s popular crowd drive took a hit in 2022, falling more than 34.1 percent from the previous year.
The best-selling small pickup truck is the timeless Tacoma. New models will debut soon, but the current rigs still have a lot of fans. Sales fell 6 percent in 2022, an above average performance considering the market.
The iconic Grand Cherokee was reborn with a new generation in 2022, but it wasn’t enough to prevent sales from dropping 16 percent from 2021.
Scoring four out of the top 10 best-selling vehicles isn’t too shabby, and the Highlander makes it happen for Toyota. Sales fell 15.6 percent for the SUV, putting it right behind Jeep.
If Highlander sales dig even harder, the Corolla will still give Toyota another top 10 finisher. Barely trumping large SUVs, compact cars will lose 11 percent year-over-year sales through 2022.
Not all models lost sales in 2021. Equinox was a success story, posting an impressive year-over-year gain of 28.3 percent.
There’s no denying the Explorer isn’t as popular as it used to be, but the SUV that (arguably) started the segment is still bringing home the bacon. Its sales are down 5.5 percent from 2021.
If you remember last year, Rogue was comfortably in the top 10. That’s before sales drop 34.7 percent through 2022, but it’s still one of the most popular SUVs on the market.
Competition from the Ford Bronco is legit, but the Wrangler still has plenty of buyers. Sales fell 11 percent last year, but are still well ahead of its cross-town rival (which recorded 117,057 sales).
The only vehicle from South Korea on the list, the Tucson joins Equinox in posting strong year-over-year gains. Specifically, sales rose 16 percent.
Another SUV to beat the system is the Crosstrek, finishing 2022 with a 21.7 percent increase from last year.
Despite losing sales 23.7 percent year-over-year, the Honda Accord has managed to remain a popular sedan. The all-new Accord will reach dealers in 2023.
Mazda is still good, and its CX-5 is proof of that. Down 10 percent, it still managed to land in the top 20 for US sales.
Last year, the Outback was at the end of our bestseller list and the wagon is back again. The figure is slightly lower this year, down 4.8 percent. But it’s still more popular than most of the other vehicles sold today.
