The top 20 new-car sales for 2021 are mostly composed of pickups, SUVs, and minivans. This is in line with the trend in the past, which was to sell more cars instead of trucks.
The popularity of electric vehicles has also been widely represented. The Tesla Model Y, which was released in 2018, became the first electric vehicle to make the Top 20 list.
In 2021, the majority of new-car sales were made up of pickups, SUVs, and crossovers. These vehicles combined with minivans made up more than 70% of the market.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, the US auto industry struggled to restock its vehicles due to low consumer confidence and high prices.
On the supply side, a shortage of computer chips is the main culprit. Other supply-chain problems in 2021 include the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and factory shutdowns in some countries.
In addition, the supply of semiconductor chips was not enough to make up for the decline in car and truck production in North America that year.
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Below is the list of top-selling cars in 2021:
| Rank | Vehicle | Units Sold | Change |
| #1 | Ford F-Series | 726,004 | -7.8% |
| #2 | Ram Pickup | 569,388 | 1% |
| #3 | Chevrolet Silverado | 519,774 | -11.4% |
| #4 | Toyota RAV4 | 407,739 | -5.3% |
| #5 | Honda CR-V | 361,271 | 8.3% |
| #6 | Toyota Camry | 313,795 | 6.6% |
| #7 | Nissan Rogue | 285,602 | 25.3% |
| #8 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 264,444 | 26.1% |
| #9 | Toyota Highlander | 264,128 | 24.4% |
| #10 | Honda Civic | 263,787 | 1% |
| #11 | Toyota Tacoma | 252,520 | 5.7% |
| #12 | Toyota Corolla | 248,993 | 5.5% |
| #13 | GMC Sierra | 248,924 | -1.6% |
| #14 | Ford Explorer | 219,871 | -2.8% |
| #15 | Jeep Wrangler | 204,610 | 1.6% |
| #16 | Honda Accord | 202,676 | 1.6% |
| #17 | Tesla Model Y | 172,700 | 191.1% |
| #18 | Mazda CX-5 | 168,383 | 15% |
| #19 | Chevrolet Equinox | 165,323 | -39% |
| #20 | Subaru Forester | 154,723 | 12.6% |
20. Subaru Forester (154,723 units sold), Down 12.6%
The Forester received a major facelift in 2021, but the sales decline occurred due to the various supply chain problems that affected the model.
Due to the lack of inventory, the sales of the Subaru Forester compact crossover vehicle declined 42.6% in Q4. This marked the end of the company’s 12-year streak of increasing sales. Jeff Walters, a senior vice president of sales, noted that the sales of the vehicle should start to recover in 2022.
The sales of the Forester, which is the brand’s best-selling model, decreased by 13 percent compared to the previous year.
19. Chevrolet Equinox (165,323 units sold), Down 39%
In Q4, sales of Equinox fell 82.1% compared to the same period a year ago. The company’s next-generation crossover vehicle will get a brand new front and rear fascia in 2021.
The sales of the Chevrolet Equinox fell 39% in 2018, and they declined significantly in the fourth quarter. Despite this, the company still plans to offer a base price of $30,000 for the next-generation model.
The sales of Equinox have improved significantly from last year, though it still remained one of the few compact SUVs that experienced a sales decline.
18. Mazda CX-5 (168,383 units sold), Up 15%
The Mazda CX-5 is a crossover vehicle that’s an appealing alternative to the more mainstream models like the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.
The Mazda CX-5 is the best-selling vehicle in the US for 2021. It accounts for 51% of the brand’s total sales volume in the country. Unfortunately, it experienced a drop in sales in the fourth quarter of the year.
The sales of the CX-5 were up 15 percent compared to the previous year. It was the only compact crossover vehicle to occupy the top spot on this list.
17. Tesla Model Y (172,700 units sold), Up 191.1%
Tesla’s sales of the Model Y crossover more than doubled in Q4 2018. The Model 3, which shares the same platform, was also a big seller.
The Model Y accounted for 54% of Tesla’s total US sales in 2021. The company’s fourth-quarter production and sales performance were better than expected, according to an analyst.
The Tesla Model Y was also included in the Top 20 new-car sales list.
16. Honda Accord (202,676 units sold), Up 1.6%
The Honda Accord’s sales declined in Q4 of 2020, but it ended the year ahead of schedule. For the 2021 model year, the vehicle received a number of upgrades, including an improved gas-only range and a more powerful engine.
The Accord Sport SE package is the most popular segment of the Accord, according to Michael Kistemaker, an assistant vice president at Honda.
The sales of the Honda Accord, which was previously the top-selling mid-size sedan, have declined significantly since it was outsold by its rival Toyota Camry.
15. Jeep Wrangler (204,610 units sold), Up 1.6%
Jeep sold over 200,000 units of the Wrangler in Q4. For the whole year, sales of the Jeep Wrangler fell though they still managed to improve on the previous year’s performance. Not counting fleet sales, the company’s sales had grown by more than 10%.
In 2021, the company introduced the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, which is a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The other models in the lineup also featured electric capabilities.
The Jeep Wrangler’s lineup is now more diverse than ever, with new models such as diesel and a V-8 available. Its popularity is also high.
14. Ford Explorer (219,871 units sold), Down 2.8%
For the year 2021, Ford Explorer sales were down slightly compared to the previous year. However, they were still strong enough to keep overall sales up.
The Ford Explorer was the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. for years, but in 2021, the Jeep Grand Cherokee overtook it due to the availability of the new model year. The Explorer was redesigned in 2019 and launched with a slow start, which affected the sales of the outgoing model.
The sales of the Toyota Highlander and the Ford Explorer were neck-and-neck for the title of best three-row-SUV vehicle.
13. GMC Sierra (248,924 units sold), Down 1.6%
For the year ended 2021, the sales of the GMC Sierra fell 1.6%, though it was still up by a significant amount compared to the previous year.
In terms of sales, the GMC Sierra outsold the Chevrolet Silverado in Q4 of 2019. For the whole year, the Sierra finished slightly behind its sibling. In terms of profitability, the Sierra is more likely to be the winner.
The sales of the GMC Sierra, which is the brand’s flagship truck fell slightly in 2021. The HD trucks also experienced a 4 percent decrease.
12. Toyota Corolla (248,993 units sold), Up 5.5%
The Toyota Corolla was the top-selling car in the US in 2021. It was redesigned for the 2020 model year. Corolla’s sales declined in the fourth quarter of the year due to the company’s lack of new vehicles.
However, excluding the Corolla Cross, which was introduced in June 2021, the total sales of the car remained relatively unchanged from the previous year.
Toyota’s compact cars continued to sell well due to their reliability. The sales of the hatchback and sedan were up 5 percent and 5 percent, respectively.
11. Toyota Tacoma (252,520 units sold), Up 5.7%
Toyota’s Tacoma pickup truck was the top-selling vehicle in the US in 2021. It was the 17th year in a row that the vehicle has been the top-selling model in the country.
For the full year, sales of the Toyota Tacoma rose 5.7%, despite a slow Q4. During that time, it was still outsold by its three biggest competitors.
The sales of Tacoma grew by 6 percent in 2020 over the previous year. It outsold all of its competitors in terms of total sales.
10. Honda Civic (263,787 units sold), Up 1%
The Honda Civic sedan got a radical redesign in 2021, with the introduction of a hatchback and a more powerful four-door variant.
Honda Civic is in short supply due to the various variants available in the marketplace, Michael Kistemaker, an executive for Honda National Sales, said in an interview. The company is planning on introducing the Civic Type R to the US in 2022 as a high-performance model.
The Civic is more competitive in terms of price than its domestic rivals since Honda has stopped selling small cars.
The sales of the Honda Civic remained sluggish in the first quarter of this year, but they started to improve after the model was redesigned in 2022 and launched a new model in 2019.
9. Toyota Highlander (264,128 units sold), Up 24.4%
The Toyota Highlander was the best-selling midsize SUV in the U.S. in 2021, according to the company. Its sales boost of 24.4% helped make it the top-selling vehicle in the country for the sixth year in a row.
For the full year, Toyota sold 2,440,000 units of the Toyota Highlander, which is up 24.4% from 2018. Its sales volume was down 34.4% in Q4 due to the chip shortage.
The sales of the Toyota Highlander grew by 24 percent in 2021. The three-row SUV was the top-selling vehicle in the country for the second year in a row.
8. Jeep Grand Cherokee (264,444 units sold), Up 26.1%
During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was the top-selling vehicle in the US. For the year, it overtook the Ford Explorer.
The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which was introduced in 2018, sparked interest due to its third-row seating. For the 2021 model year, the company will introduce the two-row Grand Cherokee.
The new generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is now on sale, and it featured a three-row model called the L. Although the two-row variant is also available, it still grew by 26 percent.
7. Nissan Rogue (285,602 units sold), Up 25.3%
The Nissan Rogue posted its best sales year ever in 2021. It got a new design in 2020 and a shorter version called the Rogue Sport.
The Rogue became the top-selling vehicle in the US in 2021. During the fourth quarter of that year, its sales fell 15.8% due to the computer chip shortage.
The Rogue Sport is a hatchback version of the vehicle that features a different front-end styling. It’s also similar to the Ford F-series.
The sales of the redesigned Rogue were up 25 percent compared to the same period last year. The new model was also more fuel-efficient.
6. Toyota Camry (313,795 units sold), Up 6.6%
The Camry is the top-selling passenger car in the US for the last two decades. Although there was a global computer chip shortage, Toyota’s sales grew for the full year.
Despite the sluggishness of the fourth quarter, the company’s Camry sales remained strong. Despite the industry-wide decline, Toyota still remains committed to the passenger car segment.
The Camry remained the top-selling passenger car in the country in 2021. This year, it gained 7 percent over last year, enough to beat out the entries that were neither trucks nor SUVs.
5. Honda CR-V (361,271 units sold), Up 8.3%
The Honda CR-V’s sales grew for the full year of 2021. However, they slowed down in the second half of the year due to the computer chip shortage.
The launch of the Honda CR-V hybrid model in 2020 helped boost the sales of the compact vehicle by 26% in the fourth quarter of that year. For the year, Honda sold more than 230,000 units.
The sales of the Honda Accord rose by 9 percent in 2021. Due to the addition of a hybrid model, the total sales of the car grew by about 9 percent.
4. Toyota RAV4 (407,739 units sold), Down 5.3%
Toyota’s sales declined slightly for the year, but the company still maintained that the RAV4 was the best-selling SUV in the country.
Jack Hollis, a Toyota executive, referred to the company’s RAV4 as the best-selling vehicle that’s not a pickup. Due to the computer chip shortage, sales of the crossover vehicle declined by 26.2% in 2018.
The company’s latest generation model, which debuted in December 2018, became available for gasoline and hybrid variants. In 2020, the company introduced the Toyota RAV4 Prime, a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Ever since the Toyota RAV4 was named the best-selling non-truck vehicle in the country in 2016, it has been extending its lead over the competition.
3. Chevrolet Silverado (519,774 units sold), Down 11.4%
The Chevrolet Silverado has been the second-best-selling vehicle in the US behind the Ford F-Series since 2011.
The Chevrolet Silverado’s sales declined 36.3% in the fourth quarter of 2018, which was mainly due to the absence of the Sierra model. Despite the sales decline, the vehicle still managed to maintain its place as the top-selling full-size pickup vehicle in the US.
The sales of the Chevrolet Silverado fell in comparison to the year before. The HD version of the truck was the worst-selling model, with its sales declining by almost 13 percent.
2. Ram Pickup (569,388 units sold), Up 1.0%
The Ram Pickup was able to maintain its place as the second-best-selling vehicle in 2021. Despite the shortage of computer chips, which has caused long waiting lists for some models, the profitability of big pickups remains robust.
The Ram pickup truck became the second-best-selling vehicle in the US in 2021. This year, it was able to outsell the Chevrolet Silverado by a swing of over 80,000 units. The last time it was redesigned was in 2018.
Despite the sluggish sales of the Silverado, Ram’s truck lineup was still able to gain 1 percent in sales. That’s enough to beat the second-place truck.
1. Ford F-Series (726,004 units sold), Down 7.8%
The Ford F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in the US for the last 40 years. It is the best-selling vehicle in Ford’s lineup. It’s also the first truck to feature a family-oriented design.
The Ford F-series was redesigned for the 2021 model year. Although the company was short of supply in 2021, it was still able to maintain its lead over the Ram Truck.
Due to the global microchip shortage, Ford’s F-series truck lineup was affected by the shortage. The company’s sales fell 8 percent.
