13 Slowest Selling Trucks in Today’s Market
If you’re looking to save any meaningful cash in your pickup truck purchase, you might want to start looking at models getting the least attention from shoppers. It came as no surprise to industry watchers when the F-Series Ford emerged, yet again, as the overall best-selling vehicle in the United States for 2023 MY, a lead it has maintained consecutively for four decades and counting.
This trend is not exclusive to the F-Series, though: The best-selling vehicle types in America are SUVs and pickup trucks. Although the market is split evenly between both segments, the top three, by sales numbers, are trucks– Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and RAM pickup, in that order.
These stats testify to America’s obsession with trucks, which explains the fiercely contested segment as manufacturers fight for their share of the market, armed with better tech, improved performance, and higher towing capacity.
Apparently, Americans meet this fierce competition with an equally strong demand. The average price of a new pickup truck surged to nearly 6% in 2023, amounting to over $60,000. Based on data sources like GCBC and CarEdge, we’ve made a list of 13 slowest-selling trucks in today’s market, revealing, among other things, where to start looking to get a better price.
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger ranked third in CarEdge’s list of slowest-selling cars as of March 2024. It takes an average of 422 days to sell them, with 4,933 units languishing at dealerships because there aren’t any takers. Should you be worried?
Consumer Reports expects the new Ford Ranger to be more reliable than the average new car, which echoes RepairPal’s 4.0 out of 5 reliability score for the Ranger. So, if you’re interested in a compact, easy-to-drive truck you can depend on for the long run, the Ford Ranger might just be an easier pick.
Nissan Titan
The Titan is among CarEdge’s top ten cars with the slowest sales as of March 2024 and concurrently number 14 on GCBA’s list of the 17 best-selling pickup trucks as of the same month, inadvertently making the Titan one of the slowest by sales numbers. The truck moved 1,418 units in March versus the Ford F-Series’ 52,412.
RAM 3500
CarEdge’s data shows that the RAM 3500 model was one of the slowest-selling cars as of February, which means the 3500 model might be a good place to start for shoppers hoping to meet a more lenient dealership that’s willing to negotiate on price.
Note that the RAM pickup line is not doing so badly on the market. It is, in fact, one of the best-selling pickup brands in the first quarter of 2024, with 89,416 RAM trucks sold between January and March 2024.
RAM 2500
The RAM 2500 is another potential low-hanging fruit for truck shoppers attracted to the premium treatment and impressive off-road performance that RAM is famous for.
There are over 1,700 of the RAM 2500 sitting in dealerships, making it one of the slowest-selling vehicles as of February 2024. It is a heavy-duty pickup truck, and you could get one with the optional 6.7-liter Cummins turbo-diesel straight-six engine.
GMC Hummer EV
With an average of 556.33 units sold in the first quarter of 2024 (according to GCBC), the electric Hummer pickup ranks at the top of trucks with the highest inventory waiting for takers in dealerships.
For an all-electric full-size truck that can blaze from rest to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the Hummer EV’s nearly $99,000 starting price is justifiable. It can keep going for nearly 400 miles on a single charge.
Rivian R1T
Rivian has sold just 2,399 units of the R1T electric pickup in Q1 of 2024, compared to the same period last year when the model sold 3,450 units. This figure makes the R1T a market lightweight compared to favorites like the Silverado, which moved 129,987 units in the first quarter of 2024.
The R1T is a luxury midsize truck that many would consider a dream truck due to its innovative features, including clever storage solutions outside and inside the truck. As a light-duty pickup, though, the R1T may not be the first choice for traditional truck shoppers.
GMC Canyon
The Canyon is not doing so badly in the market if it can keep the momentum so far. It sold 5,484 units in Q1 of 2024, translating to 468 units more than in the same period last year.
The 2024 model has a starting MSRP of around $37,000 and comes with eye-catching gray aluminum wheels, an automatic locking rear differential, hill decent control, remote keyless system, leather upholstery, and more.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz sold 8,417 units in Q1 of 2024, which is not only a significant drop in sales compared to the same period last year when it sold 9,307 but also lags behind more successful models like the GMC Sierra, which sold 68,597 trucks within the same period.
The 2024 Santa Cruz starts at around $28,000 and comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, heated front seats, driver lumber support, blind spot view monitor, and remote keyless entry/start.
Honda Ridgeline
For a long time, the Ridgeline has suffered the ridicule of traditional truck shoppers who called it a truck for people who don’t like trucks due to its car-like build and road manners. It is Honda’s only truck offering and has never ranked among the segment’s best sellers.
Although the Ridgeline is doing better than it did this time last year, it still lags behind rivals like the Maverick, which has sold an impressive 52,323 units in Q1 of 2024. The Honda Ridgeline has moved a relatively paltry 11,296 in that time.
Jeep Gladiator
The Gladiator is doing better than direct competitors like the GMC Canyon and Ford Ranger but is tagging behind others like the GMC Sierra and RAM pickups.
With 12,990 units sold in the first three months of 2024, the Gladiator experienced a decline in sales compared to the same period last year when it sold 13,575. Regardless, the Jeep Gladiator is a slow-seller compared to the segment’s favorites.
Chevrolet Colorado
Colorado has a slight edge over the Gladiator in the market for the first quarter of 2024, posting a 14,923 sales figure versus the Gladiator’s 13,575. The 2024 Chevy Colorado starts at around $31,000 for the 2-wheel-drive model and around $34,000 for the 4-wheel-drive.
Edmunds noted that the truck has a composed ride and quick acceleration, but you can always go for the ZR2 model for enhanced performance.
Toyota Tacoma
Tacoma is on this list because it experienced a sharp decline in sales compared to the same period last year. The truck recorded an impressive 53,583 sales figures in Q1 of 2023, but that number dropped to 21,558 in Q1 of 2024.
The Toyota Tacoma is a popular truck brand, respected for its durability, class-leading fuel economy, and comparatively low ownership costs. The Tacoma is North America’s answer to the Hilux, which is probably the most trusted truck brand in markets like Thailand, Africa, India, and the Philippines.
Ford Maverick
It’s just as well that the Maverick is last on this list because it is doing better in the market compared to the models above. With 52,323 trucks sold in the first quarter of 2024, the Ford Maverick is a strong performer in the market but still lags behind others like the F-Series and the Silverado.
It is one of the most fuel-efficient Ford models and uses the 2.5-liter Duratec Atkinson cycle inline-four gasoline engine paired with an electric motor as its base engine.
