None of the Detroit 3 are the most ‘talked about’ car brand in the U.S.
A dealer network (the Medina Auto Mall) recently wondered: What is the most talked-about car brand in each state? It took to the internet and searched each state’s subreddit for mentions of specific brands. In 11 states, Chevrolet is the most talked-about brand. In 13 states, it’s Ford. But Tesla eked out a win with 14 states and the most mentions overall.
Here’s an example: Reddit has a specific forum for residents of Texas to talk about Texas things. When the analysts went through posts, they found Chevy mentioned 118 times.
Chevrolet dominated much of the discussion in the USA’s heartland. It was the most-discussed car brand in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Florida.
But that’s not the only GM brand. GMC is the most popular in Oklahoma, Buick took South Dakota, and Cadillac trounced other brands in Texas. That left Cadillac one point behind Tesla, which won Texas.
Ford and GM pretty much split the South. Ford claimed Kentucky and Georgia. Ford also won both automakers’ home state of Michigan.
How the Most Talked About Car Brands in the U.S. Stack Up
Across all 50 state-specific subreddits, Tesla got 8,661 comments, for the overall win. Ford claimed second with 7,241 comments. Chevrolet came in third with 5,888 mentions.
Alex, a spokesperson for Medina Auto Mall, said, “Sales numbers tell you what people drive, but Reddit tells you what people actually care about.” But I’d disagree. Tesla may have taken Texas because Texans were talking about the automaker’s Austin headquarters and factory. Perhaps they were discussing working conditions or environmental concerns. I’m sure many comments were about the vehicles. But in the case of Tesla and Elon Musk’s increasing celebrity st, this discussion could also be about the company itself.