2022 was a rough year for automakers. We won't go into specifics as to why, as that's pretty much a given at this point. Now that 2023 is upon us, we can look back and gauge just how rough things were in the US, and honestly, it could've been worse.
Nearly every manufacturer posted a loss for the year, with some like Honda (down 32 percent) and Buick (down 42 percent) taking an extremely hard hit to the chin. Most dropped somewhere between 10 and 20 percent, though a few brands bucked the trend. Subaru dropped just 4.7 percent, and Ford was only down 2 percent. If executives at Hyundai and General Motors aren't throwing parties, they should – both companies finished up by 2 percent from last year.
Still, new car sales overall are way down from previous years, and that's seen here in our list of top 20 best sellers for 2022. Pickup trucks are the reigning champions, that hasn't changed in ages and there's no sign of the cycle ending anytime soon. SUVs are moving toward the top three, however, and sedans definitely aren't dead yet. In fact, there's one in the top five for 2022.
One brand you won't see here is Tesla, which is unfortunate because the California-based brand posted impressive global sales figures. Unfortunately, Tesla doesn't offer breakout stats for regions or models but if the company did, we suspect the Model 3 and Model Y would make the cut. Tesla reported 1.2 million combined global sales for those two EVs.
That said, here are the top 20 best-selling vehicles in the US for 2022, based on sales data from auto manufacturers.
Ford F-Series: 653,957
The best-selling vehicle in America for a gazillion years is still the best-selling of them all, though sales were down nearly 10 percent from 2021.
Chevrolet Silverado: 523,249
Ram and Chevy have been swapping the number two spot behind Ford for the last few years. This year, it's the Silverado's turn to claim the runner-up spot thanks in part to a small but notable 1.2-percent increase in year-over-year sales.
Ram Pickup: 468,344
Falling to third in the battle of full-size trucks from Detroit, Ram had a tough year with sales dropping 16 percent.
Toyota RAV4: 399,941
This is the first of many Toyotas on the list, indicating the Japanese brand still has a very healthy customer base. The RAV4 holds its spot as the best-selling non-truck in the US, falling just 1.9 percent from last year.
Toyota Camry: 295,201
Not only does Toyota have the best-selling SUV in the US, it has the best-selling sedan as well. In a segment that's barely alive, the Camry continues to sell very well, dropping 5.9 percent versus 2021.
GMC Sierra: 241,522
The other popular full-size pickup from the General Motors family, the GMC Sierra slid just 3 percent in 2022.
Honda CR-V: 238,155
The battle of SUV supremacy between the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V is certainly in Toyota's favor right now. Honda's popular people mover took a hard hit in 2022, falling over 34.1 percent from the previous year.
Toyota Tacoma: 237,323
The best-selling smaller pickup truck is the everlasting Tacoma. A new model should debut soon, but the current rig still has plenty of fans. Sales were off 6 percent in 2022, an above-average performance considering the market.
Jeep Grand Cherokee: 223,345
The iconic Grand Cherokee was reborn with a new generation in 2022, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 16-percent sales drop from 2021.
Toyota Highlander: 222,805
Scoring four of the 10 best-selling vehicles isn't too shabby, and the Highlander makes it happen for Toyota. Sales fell 15.6 percent for the SUV, placing it just behind the Jeep.
Toyota Corolla: 222,216
If Highlander sales cratered harder, the Corolla would've still given Toyota another top-10 finisher. Nearly beating the big SUV, the compact car lost 11 percent in year-over-year sales through 2022.
Chevrolet Equinox: 212,072
Not all models suffered sales losses in 2021. The Equinox is a success story, posting an impressive year-over-year gain of 28.3 percent.
Ford Explorer: 207,673
There's no denying the Explorer isn't as popular as it once was, but the SUV that (arguably) started the segment is still bringing home the bacon. Its sales fell 5.5 percent from 2021.
Nissan Rogue: 186,480
If you recall last year, the Rogue was comfortably in the top 10. That was before a 34.7-percent sales drop through 2022, but it's still one of the most popular SUVs on the market.
Jeep Wrangler: 181,409
Competition from the Ford Bronco is legit, but the Wrangler still has plenty of buyers in its corner. Sales were down 11 percent last year, but it's still well ahead of its crosstown rival (which clocked 117,057 sales).
Hyundai Tucson: 175,307
The only vehicle from South Korea on the list, the Tucson joins the Equinox in posting a strong year-over-year gain. Specifically, sales were up 16 percent.
Subaru Crosstrek: 155,142
Another SUV beating the system is the Crosstrek, finishing 2022 with a 21.7-percent gain from last year.
Honda Accord: 154,612
Despite a 23.7-percent year-over-year sales loss, the Honda Accord manages to hold on as a popular sedan. An all-new Accord will reach dealerships in 2023.
Mazda CX-5: 151,594
Mazda is still kicking, and its CX-5 is proof. Dropping 10 percent, it still managed to land in the top 20 for US sales.
Subaru Outback: 147,262
Last year, the Outback was at the tail end of our best-selling list and the wagon is back again. The numbers are a bit lower this year, dropping 4.8 percent. But it's still more popular than a vast majority of other vehicles on sale today.
