Ford tops the charts when it comes to the most overall sales and the most popular car.
According to Car Sales Base, more than 17.2 million vehicles were purchased in the US in 2017. With that volume of sales, it’s hard to believe that number is down by 300,000 from 2016.
Cars of all sizes saw a drop in sales during 2017. Subcompacts took the biggest hit with a fall of 20.7%, while compact cars dropped the least of the group at 3.8%.
SUVs had a mixed year. Large SUVs saw a fall of 0.5% over 2017; subcompact, compact, and mid-size all saw gains from 4.6% to 9.4%.
Both the small and large pickup groups saw growth in 2017. The former had a small spurt of 0.9%, while small pickups increased by 5.7%.
While it’s still towards the bottom of the top 10, Subaru has seen a slow and steady increase in US sales every year over the past 17 years. A 376% increase has taken Subaru from 172,218 sales in 2000 to a whopping 647,956 in 2017.
Though Ford’s sales dipped largely from 2016 to 2017, it still managed to hold over 14% of the US market. 2017 marks Ford’s seventh year of being the top manufacturer in the US, with 2009 being the last time it slipped to second behind Toyota.
Toyota beat out Chevrolet for second again in 2017. The two manufacturers have been second and third behind Ford since 2009, with Chevrolet holding the lead in every year save for the past two.
Top 10 vehicle manufacturers, US 2017
| Manufacturer | Car sales |
|---|---|
| Ford | 2,464,041 |
| Toyota | 2,129,177 |
| Chevrolet | 2,065,879 |
| Honda | 1,486,827 |
| Nissan | 1,440,049 |
| Jeep | 828,522 |
| Hyundai | 664,943 |
| Subaru | 647,956 |
| Kia | 589,668 |
| GMC | 560,697 |
Source: carsalesbase.com
Without a doubt the Ford F-Series has been the vehicle to beat. With 896,764 sales in 2017, it has continued its over 20 years of dominating the US market. The Chevrolet Silverado is the closest competitor in the US market with a difference of more than 300,000.
Comparing US sales of Chevrolet Silverado and Ram Pickups is a much closer fight at 585,864 and 500,723 sales, respectively.
The top three spots go to trucks, with two compact sport utility models picking up fourth and fifth.
Top 10 vehicle models, US 2017
| Vehicle | Car sales |
|---|---|
| Ford F-Series | 896,764 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 585,864 |
| Ram Trucks | 500,723 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 407,594 |
| Nissan Rogue | 403,465 |
| Toyota Camry | 387,081 |
| Honda CR-V | 377,895 |
| Honda Civic | 377,286 |
| Honda Accord | 322,655 |
| Toyota Corolla | 308,695 |
Source: carsalesbase.com
The F-Series Ford outsold any other vehicle in 22 of 50 states in 2017. The second closest was the Chevrolet Silverado, which was the top seller in seven of 50 states.
Despite not having any electric models in the top-selling categories, the overall sales still increased from 158,614 in 2016 to 199,826 in 2017.
Tips on how to finance a new car
Everyone has different options available when it comes to financing a new car. There are some key factors you should pay attention to before you begin your journey of purchasing a new vehicle:
- Check your credit score. When you know your credit score, whether it be good or bad, you’ll have an idea what lenders have to work with. Some lenders specifically offer bad credit auto loans. Dealerships and other private lenders typically prefer more creditworthy applicants.
- Go for the shorter loan term. Even though the payments will be a little more per month, you’ll pay less in interest and will own the car much faster when you opt for the shortest loan term you can fit in your budget.
- Put down a 20% payment. By doing this, you’re knocking out a huge chunk of the principal. This allows you to pay off the car faster and ultimately save money on interest.
- Pay extra fees in cash. Lenders may offer to rolls fees into your financing. But by paying for any extras like tax and registration with cash, you’ll reduce any extra loan balance.
- Get loan quotes. Unless you have perfect credit and will be dealing directly with the dealership, it’s in your financial interest to do some research about different lenders to see which is a good fit for you. Narrow it down to two to three lenders and apply to see which service can offer you the best possible deal.
Compare car loans from top providers
Bottom line
A new car can be a huge hit to the wallet. Whether you’re financing a used vehicle or you’re looking to get something fresh off the line, there are solutions for you to discover.
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