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New and used cars are struggling to keep up with the popularity of SUVs and trucks in the American market. However, a few states chose sedans over larger vehicles like the Ford F-150 and Toyota Highlander. States like California chose sensible used cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry over trucks and SUVs in 2022. 

Which states prefer cars over trucks and SUVs?

Although most states prefer used trucks and SUVs over cars, iSeeCars says that these four states opted for sedans over larger vehicles:

  • California
  • Florida
  • Maryland
  • Oregon
A Toyota Corolla, like this one cornering in a city, is one of the most popular used cars in states like California.
Toyota Corolla | Toyota

While it would stand to reason that states like New York would also buy up affordable, sensible sedans, most states showed their priorities by buying pickup trucks and SUVs. Specifically, the Ford F-150 is the most popular used vehicle in the United States. The Ford model took the top spot in 31 states, far outperforming competitors like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Toyota RAV4

How much is a used car in California?

The average price for a used car in California is around $34,617, according to iSeeCars. Of course, cars can be much cheaper for older models with higher mileage. Moreover, the most popular used car in California is the Honda Civic, which accounted for 3.5% of total sales. 

Unlike other states, California’s affinity for the Honda Civic in 2022 seems ubiquitous throughout its major cities. For instance, the Honda model remained on top in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. 

Which used car did Florida prefer over trucks and SUVs?

The most popular used car in Florida is the Toyota Corolla, which outsold the Ford F-150 truck. Specifically, the Corolla made up 3.1% of the total used car sales in the state. While that might be surprising, the Corolla has been around for decades, resulting in many model years. 

The Toyota Camry outsold the other used vehicles in Maryland. The Camry accounted for 2.4% of the total preowned vehicle sales in the state. That makes sense, as the Camry earned the second spot nationwide, just ahead of the Nissan Altima

However, the Ford F-150 outsold the Toyota Camry in the city of Baltimore. Specifically, the Ford pickup truck model made up about 2.1% of Baltimore’s total used vehicle sales 

The most popular used vehicle in the state of Oregon is the Honda Civic. Furthermore, Honda’s compact model made up 2.6% of the state’s total used car sales. However, the Toyota Tacoma outsold the Civic in the city of Portland. 

A used Honda Civic like this one on a stage at a car show is the most popular used car in California.
Honda Civic | Eric Piermont, AFP via Getty Images

Like the states of California and Oregon, the most popular used car in America is the Honda Civic. The Honda model accounted for 1.8% of all preowned vehicle sales in the country in 2022. Moreover, the Civic was also the top-selling used option in 2021. 


However, as with most sedans, the Civic’s popularity is declining; the Honda dropped from 2.0% in 2021 to 1.8% in 2022. Still, the Civic was ahead of the Toyota Camry by around 0.1% in both years. Beyond the Civic and Camry, the Nissan Altima and Toyota Corolla made up aabout1.5% of used sedan sales, and the Honda Accord around 1.4%.

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