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We have evidence that suggests the average pickup truck buyer doesn’t actually need a truck like the Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado. Truck drivers might only buy trucks because they make them feel cool, safer, or more important. Check out what truck owners actually use pickups for. 

How many pickup truck buyers actually tow?

The 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 driving down the road
2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 | Chevrolet

According to Axios, most people who buy trucks like the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tacoma, or Ram 1500 don’t do truck stuff. 

Only 7.0% of truck buyers frequently use their trucks to tow. About 2% of people use their trucks to tow occasionally, while 63% of owners rarely or never tow. 

But at least 28% of owners frequently use their trucks for personal hauling, while 47% of owners occasionally haul. Nearly 32% of owners rarely or never haul personal items. 

Around 52% of pickup drivers use their rides for frequent commuting, and 4.0% of owners occasionally commute in their trucks. 44% of truck owners rarely or occasionally use their trucks for daily commutes. 

About 72% frequently drive their trucks for pleasure, and 20% of owners occasionally drive for pleasure. Only 9.0% of owners never drive for pleasure. 

Last but not least, 87% of truck drivers use their rides for shopping and errands. About 6.0% of people occasionally use their trucks for shopping, and another 7.0% never use their trucks for errands. 

So, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram 1500 are the most popular vehicles sold in the United States, but most truck drivers shop and run errands instead of doing truck stuff. Wouldn’t a more affordable SUV or van make more sense?

Why are pickup trucks so popular? 

The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle for decades, so this truck trend isn’t new. But using trucks to feel cool and important is on the rise. The two most popular words that people search for with the F-150 are rugged and powerful.

Researchers hypothesize that trucks could make owners feel that way about themselves. The trucks help build things that people want associated with their identities. 

Think about recent truck commercials for even the little Ford Maverick. Trucks are increasingly being presented as tough and capable. 

It doesn’t help that a majority of truck owners receive more compliments on their rides compared to any other vehicle they’ve owned. Another survey adds that 47% of consumers think truck owners are more attractive. 

Are trucks becoming more popular? 

The 2023 Ram 1500 parked at dusk
2023 Ram 1500 | Ram

As trucks like the Ram 1500, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford F-150 face production woes, demand isn’t slowing down. More people are buying trucks than ever before, and production is struggling to keep up. 

The average price for a new truck is up by 6.0%, and the average new price for a truck is $60,000. Because new trucks are limited, attention has been on used trucks. The price of used trucks is up by 9.0% year over year, and the average price for a used model is $43,000. 

However, the trend may not be related to electric vehicles. The average price for an electric truck is $ 94,000. A majority of gas-powered truck owners said they were too expensive, and another 58% of truck owners think that EV trucks don’t have enough range. 

Either way, people wanting tucks for the coolness factor are driving up prices for those who actually need to tow and haul. Stay tuned as we continue to follow buying trends. Do you think trucks make people cooler?