If you’re not convinced that Americans have a deep love for pickups, then we encourage you to look at the numbers. According to CNBC, pickups accounted for five of the industry’s top 10 bestselling vehicles in 2020, which is pretty impressive. Despite high prices and an ongoing pandemic, CNBC reports that consumers were basically purchasing pickups as quickly as automakers could produce them in 2020.

Pickups accounted for five of 10 best-selling vehicles in 2020

There’s no denying that automakers sold a lot of pickups last year. The iconic Ford F-Series pickup continued to dominate the market in 2020. It was followed closely by pickups from General Motors and Fiat Chrysler. All in all, CNBC reports that the three top-selling pickups in 2020 accounted for about 13% of the 14.5 million vehicles estimated to have been sold throughout the year. Those three pickups? The Ford F-Series, the Chevrolet Silverado, and the Ram 1500.

“Pickup trucks have been very successful. They have marched through this pandemic so well,” Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for auto research firm Edmunds, told CNBC. “They have boosted up all of their respective companies. Particularly the Detroit companies, they have kept business afloat fairly well.”

The Ford F-Series pickup remained America’s bestselling vehicle for the 39th straight year

For 2020, the Ford F-Series continued to reign as king among the pickup segment. CNBC reports that, in total, Ford sold a whopping 787,422 F-Series models. That number is down 12.2% compared to 2019 but, even still, that’s a whole lot of pickup trucks. 

Though, such high sales numbers shouldn’t really come as a surprise. After all, the Ford F-Series has been recognized as America’s bestselling vehicle for a pretty long time. The Ford F-Series, particularly the Ford F-150, has also won plenty of awards, making it even more popular among pickup shoppers.

The Chevrolet Silverado proved it’s worthy of taking on the Ford F-Series lineup

But if last year’s numbers tell us anything, it’s that the Chevrolet Silverado is a worthy adversary to the Ford F-Series lineup. Sales of the Chevrolet Silverado were up 3.2% last year, with a total of 594,09 Silverado models being sold. 

Another thing worth mentioning is that the combined sales of the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra put General Motors’ pickup sales ahead of Ford’s. While only the Chevrolet Silverado made it to the top five, Kelley Blue Book says that the combined sales of both reached 847,110 units, putting it slightly ahead of the Ford F-Series.

The Toyota Tacoma found itself at the bottom of the list

Unfortunately for the Toyota Tacoma, it found itself in the tenth spot on the list of bestselling vehicles in 2020. According to CNBC, Toyota sold 238,806 Tacoma pickups, signifying a 4% decrease in sales. While that does mean the Tacoma outsold trucks like the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and the Ford Ranger, it’s pretty disappointing to see Toyota’s beloved Taco so low on the list.

Pickups continue to reign king among U.S. car shoppers

All in all, the truck segment fared pretty well in 2020. The Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and the Ram 1500 all found themselves in the top five bestselling vehicles of 2020. And while the Toyota Tacoma may not have done so hot last year, at least it won’t lose its iconic status.