Toyota Sells the Most Midsize Pickups in 2012 in the US

The beginning of the year is typically the time where data-enthusiasts sit down and tally up stats for the previous year. 2013 is no different, and for PickupTrucks.com that means delving into sales figures for each pickup truck segment (courtesy of RL Polk). Their most recently published analysis focused on midsize pickup truck sales during 2012 in the US.

So, who sold the most midsize pickup trucks in 2012?

The surprise is ruined because the answer is in the title – Toyota. More specifically, the Toyota Tacoma (or the Toyota Taco’ for short) was the best-selling midsize pickup truck in the US. And by a long shot, too… The Tacoma sold almost 3x as frequently as the second place Nissan Frontier. In fact, the Tacoma took over half the sales in the US’ entire midsize pickup segment – 133K out of 241K total sales.

In case you don’t feel like visiting PickupTrucks.com for the full story, here’s a break down of the top 5 best selling midsize pickup trucks in the US during 2012:

Toyota Tacoma – 133,477 units sold
Nissan Frontier – 50,566 units sold
Chevy Colorado – 21,224 units sold
Ford Ranger – 15,662 units sold
Honda Ridgeline – 13,476 units sold

As a funny side note, only one Hummer H3T was sold throughout the entirety of 2012. I bet they got some serious incentives!

But I digress. You’ll see that three of the top five best-selling midsize pickup trucks are Japanese made. For this particular segment it seems as if Japanese manufacturers have figured out what works.

At least, for now.

It’s important to note that two of the major American manufacturers have neglected the midsize pickup segment for the past few years. Both the Ford Ranger and the Dodge Dakota are on the way out, and the stats for 2012 reflect the absence of these previously top-tier contenders. Even on the way out, the Ford Ranger managed to sell a not-too-shabby 15,662 units.

Still, that’s not to say that the Toyota Tacoma doesn’t deserve its place at the top. Quite the opposite. Taco’ drivers across-the-board praise the midsize pickups’ excellent drivability both on- and off-road. The four-door truck also has a very appealing exterior design with large-lipped wheel wells, a large grille, and sweeping clean-cut lines across the length of the body.

Taking the trophy for best-selling midsize pickup truck in the US during 2012 is definitely a great accomplishment for Toyota, no doubt. Still, keep in mind that compact/midsize pickups make up only about 15% of the total pickup truck market. It’s the smallest segment, and the Ford F-Series is still the best-selling pickup both state-side and internationally.

None the less, congratulations Toyota! And for any of you interested in a stellar midsize pickup, the Toyota Tacoma is the way to go in 2013.