The U.S. auto industry was critically short of new-vehicle inventory in the past year, while prices and consumer demand remained high. On the supply side, the computer chip shortage and supply-chain-related challenges such as labor shortages, factory shutdowns, and material shortages amplified the situation even further. According to The Detroit Bureau, a report from AutoForecast Solutions highlighted that North American factories lost the production of well over 2.3 million trucks and cars in 2021.
Despite the decreased sales volume, most popular vehicle brands remained consistent compared to 2020. Automakers adjusted to the challenges and prioritized the production of their most profitable offerings over the less popular ones in the lineup. With car prices set to surge again in 2022, it will be interesting to see how many of the popular models in this list retain the favor of consumers.
10 Honda Civic (263,787 Units)
The current Honda Civic is an engineering beauty that impresses many drivers with outstanding practicality, fun-to-drive nature, and above-average fuel economy. Besides the looks and price, the Civic's safety ratings and fantastic resale value are undoubtedly a bonus.
Although the Civic was in short supply, it benefited from less competition as domestic brands concentrated more on selling trucks. Honda sold 263,787 Civic units, a surprising 1% increase compared to 2020 sales numbers. 2022 looks good for the Civic, with the redesigned Type R expected in showrooms in the next few months.
9 Toyota Highlander (264,128 Units)
The Highlander was the world's first midsize SUV, and today, it's certainly one of the most family-friendly three-row SUVs on the market. Low maintenance costs, excellent safety records, legendary reliability, and impressive value retention are the reasons why the Highlander is highly sought-after, features that are reflected in its price tag.
Toyota intimated the Highlander outsold GM offerings to become the best-selling three-row midsize SUV in the U.S. in 2021, making it the sixth year in a row. American bought 264,128 units of the Highlander, translating to a 24.4% increase over sales volumes registered in 2020.
8 Jeep Grand Cherokee (264,444 Units)
The Grand Cherokee ranks high with drivers of all generations, admired for its robust off-road capabilities that gel rather well with tightly-packed features. Families also love the Grand Cherokee for its dependable and attractive multipurpose design, complemented by a roomy interior space and accommodating cargo area.
The redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee L helped generate more demand for the nameplate, with a third-row seating configuration offered for the first time. With a plug-in 4xe hybrid version now available for the 2022 model year, Jeep is set to record better sales numbers than the 264,444 units sold last year.
7 Nissan Rogue (285,602 Units)
The Nissan Rogue is a staple in the crossover segment, mostly preferred as a family hauler due to its performance, spaciousness, style, safety, and neat price tag. The redesigned 2021 Rogue was far better than its predecessor, with the impressive sales numbers reflecting why it's still Nissan's best-selling model in the U.S. market.
Nissan sold 285,602 units of the Rogue, a conspicuous gain of 25.3% from 2020. However, these sales also included the Rogue Sport, a smaller iteration that's 12 inches shorter and features different front-end exterior styling.
6 Toyota Camry (313,795 Units)
Toyota undoubtedly hit the home run with the Camry, the best-selling passenger car in the U.S. market for the last 20 years in a row. The majority reveres the Camry for its solid engine options, impeccable handling, safety accolades, ride control, and, best of all, its easy-to-own nature.
Part of the Camry's impressive sales numbers also stems from the fact that other local brands have essentially quit offering passenger cars, except for specialty sports cars. Toyota delivered 313,795 Camry examples in 2021, a 6.6% improvement on the total units sold in 2020.
5 Honda CR-V (361,271 Units)
The CR-V has captured many drivers' hearts throughout the years, since it's consistently been one of the best all-around performers in the midsize crossover segment. It's also a favorite because its styling caters to just about everyone, offers proven reliability, and is flexible with excellent fuel efficiency.
The CR-V has been Honda's bread and butter in recent years, and adding a hybrid variant in 2020 helped generate even more demand in the past year. Honda recorded a notable 8.3% increase in sales to end the year with 361,271 units sold.
4 Toyota RAV4 (407,739 Units)
The RAV4 benefits from Toyota's great foundation for excellence, a tradition that has seen it become the award-wining SUV both in its segment and for overall SUVs for many years. The RAV4's strengths include its overall value, ride and handling, technology, fuel economy, and family-friendly appeal.
The RAV4 has been the best-selling vehicle that's not a pickup because Toyota sustained interesting the lineup by adding gasoline-electric hybrid and plug-in hybrids in recent years. Although sales numbers went down by 5.3% from 2020, the RAV still edged out comparable SUVs with 407,739 units sold.
3 Chevrolet Silverado (519,774 Units)
Chevrolet trucks are well known for their practicality, reliability, and sleek designs, and the Silverado excels at showcasing why haulers and families bought so many of them. Despite sharing the same GM platform as the GMC Sierra, the Silverado is the people's truck since it peaks in sales thanks to its down-to-earth demeanor and lower base price.
Unfortunately, Silverado sales were not great in 2021, dropping by a resounding 11.2% from the previous year to close with 519,774 units sold. As a result, the Chevrolet Silverado ceded the second spot, a position it held perennially in the most popular vehicle list.
2 Ram Pickup (569,388 Units)
Ram has been in the pickup game for a long time, with nearly forty years under the belt since the first model hit the showrooms. The Ram Pickup has continued its ascent to popularity with a well-gelled build perfect for work and leisure, inherited factors from its Dodge and Fiat-Chrysler origins.
Although the Ram Pickup's last redesign was for the 2019 model year, it still impressed consumers enough in 2021 to knock the Chevy Silverado off its comfortable perch. With 569,388 units sold, the Ram Pickup recorded a 1% increase and closed the gap slightly on the top dog in the pickup truck segment.
1 Ford F-Series (726,004 Units)
Ford's ever-popular pickup, the F-Series, marched into 2021 with a refreshed lineup that included an updated Super Duty and a new hybrid variant. However, Ford's sales were hard hit by the global computer chip shortage that rocked most automakers' production plans, while burying the F-150 Diesel powerplant could also have been considered a risk.
Although the F-Series was by far the most dominant truck in the U.S. market, the challenges of 2021 did not leave Ford unscathed. The F-Series lead over the second-placed Ram Pickup shrank by 30% compared to 2020, a margin that saw Ford sell 726,004 units, down 7.8% from sales numbers recorded the previous year.