Mental Floss

Top Gear: The 10 Bestselling Cars in America Right Now

Drivers like their pick-ups, even when they don't have anything to pick up.

An electric version of the Chevrolet Silverado.
An electric version of the Chevrolet Silverado. | Josh Lefkowitz/GettyImages

Going shopping for a new car is often a challenge. The model you want may be out of your price range, the color you need may be out of stock, and everything else can get lost in a sea of conflicting reviews and features.

One solution: follow the crowd and trust that everyone else knows what they’re doing. To that end, car marketplace site Edmunds has listed the top-selling cars of 2022, the last full year data is available. (Prices listed are the manufacturer's suggested retail. Thanks to fees, mark-ups, and trim levels, you can count on it being more out the door.)

  1. Chevrolet Silverado ($36,800)
  2. Ford F-Series ($33,835)
  3. Toyota RAV4 ($28,475)
  4. Ram Series ($38,555)
  5. Toyota Camry ($26,420)
  6. Honda CR-V ($29,500)
  7. GMC Sierra ($39,695)
  8. Toyota Tacoma ($28,600)
  9. Tesla Model Y ($43,990)
  10. Toyota Highlander ($36,620)

More new Chevrolet Silverados hit the road that year than any other car. In fact, five of the top 10 vehicles are pick-ups, a sharp contrast to the sedan frenzy of decades past. Ford CEO Jim Farley has declared their F-series “the second most valuable consumer product by revenue behind the iPhone.”

The American preoccupation with these oversized vehicles is due in part to their versatility: they can get you where you need to go with the added benefit of being able to haul everything from groceries to lumber to camping gear. Inside, they’re as luxurious as a high-end car. And increased fuel efficiency in larger vehicles, including SUVs, has also made them a more attractive option.

It’s not that buyers need that versatility, necessarily. According to CBS News, Millennials are buying pick-ups in droves but don’t often need the space. It’s become more of a car arms race, with feature-stuffed vehicles taking up road space seen as a status symbol.

Practicality still has its place: The lone gas-powered sedan on the list, the Toyota Camry, has long been considered among the most reliable of vehicles. Tesla’s Model Y is the only EV cracking the top 10.

Using available data for 2023, the Silverado may have some competition. Currently, the Ford F-Series is outselling it.

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