Fall is my favorite season, the color, sounds and smells of harvested fields and deep woods is a terrific palette provided by the Master. It is also that magic time when the new iron hits the showrooms and lots. I am a car enthusiast, not an authority, hopelessly weak when I inhale that new car smell. What’s going on out there?
The AVERAGE new car today will set you back north of 34K a far cry from 1967, the year of my first new car which set us back 3,215.00. Some analysis suggest the practical average is north of 50K. While smooth lines and low slung cars are still important to me, I love pickup trucks. Detroit engineers and sales authorities understand our fascination with trucks and charge a 41% (yes 41%) premium to seat you in a new pickup. Bear in mind the margin was 20% higher in 2002 before peaking at a 50% premium over cars in 2022.
When the pandemic was on, car prices jumped 18.5 % between 2020 and 2022 with pickups jumping 21%. To be fair, percentage wise, trucks have eased back a bit, but not cars. This industry has more analysts employed than Wall Street. They see great numbers in America’s favorite addiction!
Today, and for many years, the top selling vehicle in America is the F series, Ford pickup truck. We go to Japan for the top selling car, the venerable RAV4 built by Toyota followed by the Tacoma, another Toyota product. Interesting, as Consumer Reports calls the Tacoma a “crude truck”. The Honda CR-V is the number one selling SUV with the Toyota Camry stalking the market annually. Ford has capitalized on America’s strong preference for comfort on top of durability in the F-150, not to mention the incredible ability to option this truck up. If your are into history, the F-150 has dominated the light truck market for an incredible 49 years. High resale is a part of this legacy.
I am not alone in a love for cars (and trucks). In 2026, 16.3 million new light duty trucks and cars hit the road in America. Market analysts tell us that political, economic, social, tech, and legal factors influence the market and preferences. The new player in the market is environmental, giving rise to cleaner burning engines and, gulp, electric vehicles. The efficiency in new vehicles is incredible with manufacturers squeezing vast amounts of horsepower out of little engines.
My experience in the automobile world has landed me in a pair of BMWs and a Ram 3500 diesel truck. Along the way I have owned a number of vehicles, mostly of US origin. My years as a road trooper strongly influenced my preferences and I am full of opinions about the quality of American iron. Cars have been around for about 150 years and there is no end in sight. Good luck as you peruse the car/truck market for your next selection. Any good addiction needs to be fed……nothing like the smell and excitement of a new vehicle to feed it. Our “first” chariot to freedom is a rite of passage…..and has been for over 150 years.
SR
