How pickups became America’s favorite vehicle

Years ago, a German friend of mine celebrated a new job that brought a transfer to America by buying a pair of cowboy boots and a Ford F-150 pickup.

“Today, I feel American!’ he said triumphantly.

That’s more true in 2018 than ever before.

The archetypal American vehicle was once a ’57 Chevy. Later, a Ford Taurus, and Chrysler minivan.

Today we are Pickup Nation. America’s three best-selling vehicles are full-size pickups – Ford F-series, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram’s 1500-3500 full-size pickups. Automakers are also rushing back into the business of selling smaller midsize pickups, a segment many abandoned a few years ago.

Why?

“There are no tradeoffs. It’s the perfect vehicle,” said Brian Bell, marketing manager for the Ford F-150 full-size pickups and the company’s upcoming Ranger midsize pickup.

“Pickups used to be a family’s second vehicle, but now you can carry your family every day, tow a trailer or haul a load when you need to, drive to work or through the brush to your favorite campsite.”

Competition is at an all-time high. Chevrolet, GMC and Ram introduced advanced new pickups for the 2019 model year. Ford is pulling out all the stops to keep its F-150 the best-selling truck for an unprecedented 42nd year in a row.

“If you own a truck, you’re the guy — or girl — who can get it done and isn’t afraid to get into the mix to do it,” IHS Markit senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said. “It is a uniquely American perspective to be so invested in the ability to do it yourself. Pickup trucks communicate that image more perfectly than any other vehicle.”

2017 Full-size pickup sales

Ford F-series: 896,764

Chevrolet Silverado: 585,864

Ram: 500,723

GMC Sierra: 217,943

Toyota Tundra: 116,285

Nissan Titan: 52,924

Source: Autodata

Follow the money

Pickups come in a wider range of models and prices than any other vehicle. You can spend anything from just over $28,300 to approaching six figures on a full-size. The average transaction price so far this year is almost $50,000.

Midsize pickups, a growing class that will gain prominence next year with a new Jeep and the reboot of Ford’s popular Ranger, start below $20,000 and top out around $50,000.

“We have a truck for every customer,” Silverado global vehicle performance manager Mike Strickhouser said. Chevy developed eight models of the 2019 Silverado, the most ever. On top of that, GMC’s Sierra pickups have the hot-selling Denali sub-brand, which helped create the whole idea of a luxury pickup.

Because full-size pickups sell for high prices in massive numbers, they are critical to the Detroit Three’s finances.

GM’s revenue from sales of full-size pickups and the SUVs based on them was $36.4 billion through August, according to a Cox Automotive estimate. That’s more than the GDP of the world’s 85 least wealthy countries, based on U.S. government figures.

Must be willing to work

The Toyota Tacoma is the best-selling midsize, while Detroit Three trucks dominate full-size, larger heavy-duty pickups, and still bigger truck frames used for dump trucks ambulances, school buses and the like.

More than half of full-size pickups sold are four-door “crew cab” models. They frequently have more passenger space than their brands' best car, plus luxurious interiors with elaborate detailing and creature comforts including heated and ventilated seats.

“The 2019 Ram pickup interior has more real wood and high-grain leather than any competitor,” Ram 1500 brand manager Brad Pinter said.

The remaining full-size pickups — traditional two-doors and those with small rear doors and less spacious cabs — are mostly work trucks, everything from utility trucks to farm vehicles, cable TV installers and general contractors.

Full-size pickup buyers are more loyal to their brand than any other kind of vehicle, according to Cox Automotive research.

A working pedigree matters. More than 80 percent of full-size pickup owners expect to tow cars or trailers, 61 percent are contractors or plan home improvement projects and 48 percent plan to tow or haul a motorcycle or ATV, Cox Automotive reports.

Truck owners can smell a fake a mile away.

There’s a trail of discontinued, not-suitable-for-work pickups stretching back to the 1980 VW Rabbit pickup, or even further to “sport trucks” like the Ford Ranchero and Chevy El Camino.

Next: Year of the midsize pickup

Competition among midsize pickups will come to a boil next year. Ford will introduce a new version of the Ranger it dropped in 2011. The new pickup aims to parlay the familiar name with new technology to become a favorite with off-road enthusiasts.

That will put it in the sights of established off-roaders like the Toyota Tacoma TRD and Chevy Colorado ZR2. Ford is counting on segment exclusives such as advanced electronics for off-roading and 10-speed automatic transmission.

Ford may need all that and more to hold the spotlight off-road king when the eagerly awaited Jeep midsize pickup debuts later in the year. Expect looks, features and off-road ability shared with the Wrangler SUV to give the new Jeep instant credibility. The Jeep pickup is expected to offer a four-door crew cab and be called the Scrambler.

Further down the pike, there are reports Ram will revive the Dakota name for a midsize built alongside the Scrambler in Toledo. Different styling, fewer off-road chops and a lower price are likely to distinguish Ram from Jeep.

Hyundai continues to dither like Hamlet over whether to build a midsize pickup inspired by the stylish Santa Cruz concept vehicle that debuted at the Detroit auto show in 2015. The latest reports say it could arrive in 2020. 

“Owners of smaller trucks tend to use them more for play, outdoorsy activities like camping, surfing and hauling motorcycles and such,” Autotrader executive analyst Michelle Krebs said.

“Full-size trucks are workhorses when it comes to jobs or play. They are used to tow and haul big things like trailers and for home improvement and contract projects.”

Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan

Truck Wars

With two of America's top three bestselling vehicles — the Chevrolet Silverado and the Ram truck — all new and seeking to cut into No. 1 Ford F-Series trucks' domination of the market, this is part of the Free Press Truck Wars occasional series. Other stories:

Unprecedented truck war raging in Detroit

Average buyers can't afford this popular vehicle

Ram taps big discounts to outsell Chevrolet Silverado

Why pickups save more fuel than the Prius

GM, Ram built secret storage spaces into pickups