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The 30 Best-Selling Vehicles of Last Year

Overall vehicle sales for 2020 were down around 15%, but that's not exactly surprising considering the COVID-19 pandemic that interrupted production with plant shutdowns and scared away shoppers from dealerships.

Particularly in the 2nd quarter of the year, things seemed to look dire. Once we got to the end of the year, however, things seemed to have rebounded somewhat. It wasn't exactly rosy, but it was a far cry from the freefall that happened earlier in the year.

Ford's F-150 is, yet again, the best-selling vehicle in America for the 34th year in a row. And yes, you read that right. It's not just the best-selling truck; it's the best-selling overall vehicle of any that are sold in the U.S. Honestly, that should tell you all you need to know about America's driving sensibilities. Only 2 of the top 10 are passenger cars.

One passenger car that is selling like hotcakes, however, is the Tesla Model 3. Can you believe that a fully electric car is in the top 30 sold last year? That's definitely some progress.

30. Chevrolet Malibu

30. Chevrolet Malibu

115,468 sold

The Chevy Malibu makes it into the top 30 best-selling cars of last year. With a low base price of $23,400, terrific fuel economy, and a comfortable ride, the car makes an excellent commuter. Sales were up 193.2% compared to last year.

(Image via Chevrolet)

29. Ford Bronco

29. Ford Bronco

117,057 sold

The Ford Bronco had an even greater year compared to 2021, with sales up as much as 234.2%! Having just returned for 2021, it seems that the word is finally out on the new Bronco. Offering a roomy interior and fantastic off-road ability, it's an outdoor lover's dream come true.

(Image via Ford Motors)

28. Hyundai Elantra

28. Hyundai Elantra

117,177 sold

Hyundai's Elantra returns to the list for 2022, even with its decrease in sales. The compact car's sales figures were down -8.0% compared to 2021's numbers. What probably helped this vehicle stay on the list is the new Elantra hybrid model offering, with everyone still trying to save on gas.

(Image via Hyundai)

27. Toyota 4Runner

27. Toyota 4Runner

121,023 sold

The Toyota 4Runner is overdue for a redesign, but buyers don't seem to care. This is a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." And Toyota isn't going to mess with a good thing if its 10+-year-old design sells enough to land at #27 on this best-selling list.

(image via Facebook)

26. Kia Sportage

26. Kia Sportage

124,244 sold

The Kia Sportage managed to make the list this year thanks to sales up as much as 40.1%. It's not a huge leap compared to some of the other models mentioned above, but it's a notable improvement. Much of it might have to do with the vehicle's redesign with a roomier interior, tech features, and improved driving performance.

(Image via Kia)

25. Honda Civic

25. Honda Civic

133,932 sold

The aggressively sporty design language that Honda has chosen for its latest generation of the Civic has pushed the compact car ahead of its compact competitors (including the Toyota Corolla). It still lags behind America's best-selling car, the Camry, however. The vehicle's ranking as one of the best-selling cars has dropped this past year considerably, missing the top 10. Sales were down -49.2%.

24. Ford Escape

24. Ford Escape

145,415 sold

The Ford Escape fits squarely in the compact crossover segment that is booming, and its sales numbers reflect that. However, the model didn't surpass its all-time sales record set in 2017. Part of the blame can be laid on the inventory issues that carmakers had in 2021. The Escape's sales dropped even further this year, going down -5.5%.

23. Nissan Altima

23. Nissan Altima

139,956 sold

The Nissan Altima made the cut this year thanks to a 34.9% increase in sales. While the vehicle offered a new package last year, there weren't any major changes. People were probably just looking for a car under $25K and the Altima definitely checks that box.

(image via Facebook)

22. Subaru Outback

22. Subaru Outback

147,262 sold

After many years, the Outback slipped to Subaru's second best-selling vehicle...by only 100 units! Technically, it's a station wagon (and the only station wagon on the list), but don't tell the masses! They've convinced themselves that the Outback is a "short" crossover. Whatever works; the sales numbers don't lie.

21. Mazda CX-5

21. Mazda CX-5

151,594 sold

Mazda cracked the top 30 again for the third year in a row. The CX-5 is by far the brand's best-performing vehicle when it comes to sales numbers. This single model makes up 50% of all Mazdas sold in the U.S.

20. Honda Accord

20. Honda Accord

154,612 sold

Even though we prefer the Honda Accord over its competitor, the Toyota Camry, the Camry outsold it by a considerable margin. The Accord saw a -23.7% dropin sales from 2021. Still, it's Honda's 2nd-most sold model.

19. Subaru Crosstrek

19. Subaru Crosstrek

155,142 sold

While sales numbers across the industry were down, Subaru actually had a pretty good year. The automaker had three models on the top 30 list in 2021. That's an improvement from a couple of years ago. While we think the Crosstrek is just a lifted wagon, all of the sporty plastic cladding draws buyers to this "crossover."

(image via Facebook)

18. Hyundai Tucson

18. Hyundai Tucson

175,307 sold

In past years, Hyundai's top seller was the Elantra. Now Hyundai has caught up with the rest of the industry by having a compact crossover as its #1 model. With a spunky redesign in 2021 (sold as a 2022 model year), the sales of the Tucson may keep climbing higher and higher.

(image via Facebook)

17. Jeep Wrangler

17. Jeep Wrangler

181,409 sold

A couple of years ago, Jeep's iconic boxy off-roader was the brand's top-seller. The excitement has died down from a redesign released a couple of years ago, but a new plug-in electric version released this year may have helped boost things.

16. Nissan Rogue

16. Nissan Rogue

186,480 sold

The Nissan Rogue took a tumble in 2020 to 12th place. Typically, it had been in the top 10 best-sellers. But that year, Nissan was rolling out a new updated Rogue and so sales were start/stop until dealers cleared the old model and go their hands on the newer version. Sales took off again in 2021, the first full year the new model was on the market. In fact, sales were up 25% in 2021.

15. Tesla Model 3

15. Tesla Model 3

198,200 sold

This year, history was made. For the first time ever, TWO fully electric vehicles ranked in the top 30 most-sold in the country for a calendar year. The Tesla Model 3 used to be Tesla's #1 selling model...that is, until its SUV-ish cousin the Model Y debuted. The Model Y beat it this year, but the Model 3 still sold an estimated 198,200 units.

(image via Facebook)

14. Ford Explorer

14. Ford Explorer

207,673 sold

Ford bungled the rollout of the redesigned 2020 Explorer when it released in calendar year 2019. With production issues, low availability, and competition from a newly redesigned Toyota Highlander, the Explorer dropped -5.5% compared to 2021.

13. Chevrolet Equinox

13. Chevrolet Equinox

212,072 sold

Chevy only has two models on this list of top 30 best-sellers. The Equinox is consistently Chevrolet's second-best performer (after the Silverado). But it took a tumble in 2021 all the way down to 17th place after a 7th-place finish in 2020. A redesign for the aging current generation is needed to keep things on the up-and-up. This year, the Equinox is making a comeback with sales up 28.3%!

12. Toyota Corolla

12. Toyota Corolla

222,216 sold

The Corolla is one of the few passenger cars to have passed 200,000 units sold in 2022. A redesigned 2020 model (including a brand-new hybrid offering) helped to entice more buyers. Still, it fell just outside the top 10, a place where it has been firmly entrenched during the previous decade.

(image via Facebook)

11. Toyota Highlander

11. Toyota Highlander

222,805 sold

The Toyota Highlander just takes over the 11th spot just below Jeep. Sales were down -15.7% compared to 2021. There aren't many options for 3-row hybrid SUVs. Having the best fuel economy numbers in its class probably helps it stay on the list.

10. Jeep Grand Cherokee

10. Jeep Grand Cherokee

223,345 sold

Jeep's Grand Cherokee lept to the top of Jeep's pack of models as the best-selling midsize SUV. It's no coincidence that Jeep's largest model was on a sales high when gas prices were low. Now that they are starting to creep up with inflation, time will tell if it will remain Jeep's top-seller. An updated redesign is on the way this year, which should help.

9. Tesla Model Y

9. Tesla Model Y

231,400 sold

The Tesla Model Y is selling like hotcakes, and it is one of TWO purely electric vehicles on this list. Yes, for the first time ever, there are two different electric car models in the top 30 best-sold in the U.S. Tesla's Model 3 is the only other electric car to sell near this number in a single calendar year.

(Image via Tesla)

8. Toyota Tacoma

8. Toyota Tacoma

237,323 sold

We told you to get ready to see Toyota's name. Much like compact crossovers, mid-size pickup trucks also saw big sales gains. The Tacoma, however, is the only mid-size truck that makes this list. Its sales show no signs of slowing as a redesigned model is on the horizon. Compared to 2021, the Tacoma sales dropped -14.5%.

7. Honda CR-V

7. Honda CR-V

238,155 sold

Honda's best-selling SUV in 2022 was the CR-V.  In the past, this crossover and the Civic have battled it out for the brand's top spot, but this year it's no contest. In recent years, buyers have preferred SUVs to sedans. A new CR-V Hybrid model, nonetheless, was down -34.1%.

6. GMC Sierra

6. GMC Sierra

241,522 sold

The Sierra trail's the big 3's truck models by a considerable margin, but GMC is making up ground since its 2019 redesigned with an innovative tailgate. Most carmakers struggled to keep inventory in 2021, and that may have plagued GMC, too. Sales were mostly flat, only down -34.1% compared to the previous year.

(image via Facebook)

5. Toyota Camry

5. Toyota Camry

295,201 sold

The Toyota Camry is still the best-selling car in America, but it has fallen from higher positions in recent years as buyers move toward crossover SUVs. But in 2022, its sales were actually down by -5.9%. So all the doom and gloom about people not buying sedans doesn't necessarily hold true for the Camry.

4. Toyota RAV4

4. Toyota RAV4

399,941 sold

The #1 SUV and #1 non-truck in the U.S. is the best-selling Toyota RAV4, which underscores just how important the 2019 redesign was for the RAV4. Toyota didn't want to mess with a good thing. Thankfully, we still find it one of the best bets in the segment.

(image via Facebook)

3. Ram Pickup

3. Ram Pickup

468,344 sold

Ram finds itself back in third place for 2022. It's clear that buyers appreciate the relatively new design of the fifth-generation Ram 1500 (or maybe just the good deals that can be readily found at dealerships). Ram was running neck-in-neck with Silverados last year, but now they are firmly ahead of the Bowtie company.

(image via Facebook)

2. Chevrolet Silverado

2. Chevrolet Silverado

513,354 sold

Chevy and Ram both released redesigned models in 2019. And in a surprising win for Ram, it helped them hop into 2nd place above Chevy. The trend didn't continue in 2020, as Chevrolet's Silverado squeaked out a few more sales to win back the 2nd place spot behind perennial leader Ford.

(image via Facebook)

1. Ford F-Series

1. Ford F-Series

653,957 sold

There should be no surprise here. Ford's F-Series of trucks tops the best-seller's list for the 35th year in a row. We'll see you at the top again next year, Ford.