We see a stream of ads touting the country’s bestselling vehicles, but what about the bestsellers in each state?
It turns out that just nine vehicles accounted for the top 2024 sales numbers in the 50 states, and we were still genuinely surprised to see which vehicles sell best in which states. Go on, take a guess at what your fellow Americans prefer to drive, then scroll down and see what they really buy.
Honda CR-V
Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin
Here’s a surprise to start with. Bet you were expecting to see the Ford F-150 at the top of this list, weren’t you? The CR-V and F-150 actually tie for bestseller in the greatest number of states — 13 each — but the Honda is the bigger hit in the more populous states. With available all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain, it makes perfect sense that the Honda CR-V would be a big seller in the snow-swept Northeast and right through the rust belt, including Indiana and Ohio, both home to plants that assemble the CR-V. But the well-known Honda is also a bestseller in the areas surrounding D.C. (though the District itself goes for the Toyota RAV4) and the retirement-haven Carolinas.
Ford F-150
Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
Ford touts the F-Series as the bestselling trucks in the U.S., though that includes all versions of the F up to and including the Super Duty and commercial models. Break the Fs down by model, and you find the F-150 a bestseller in 13 states, same as the Honda CR-V. The F-150’s dominance cuts a swath right though the center of the country, including the wide-open spaces of Montana and Wyoming, truck-lovin’ Texas, and deep into the South. It’s also the bestseller in Michigan, where the F-150 is built at Ford’s famous River Rouge plant.
Toyota RAV4
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont
Despite being the bestselling SUV in the States overall, the RAV4 only claims the top spot in seven states, and if you look at the bestsellers on a map, you’ll see most are adjacent to the 13 states where the Honda CR-V reigns supreme. The RAV4 has an almost complete lock on New England, but it also has pockets of popularity in Oregon, Idaho and Florida, a testament to the appeal of both its all-weather ability and raw practicality. Surprisingly, the RAV4 is only the second-bestseller in Kentucky, one of several locations where Toyota builds it.
Tesla Model Y
Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey, Utah, Washington
You’d expect Tesla’s innovative (if controversial) SUV to be the bestseller in early-adapter California, tech-heavy Washington, and green-minded Colorado, but even we were a little astounded to see what a wide swath it cut through the West. Then again, with up to 327 miles of range and the well-established Supercharger network, the Model Y does make an ideal electric SUV for states with high speed limits and wide-open spaces like Arizona, Nevada and Utah.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, West Virginia
What ever happened to the Chevrolet versus Ford pickup battle? While the F-150 is the bestseller in 13 states, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 can claim only four, including rough-and-tumble Alaska — though it must annoy the daylights out of Ford that one of those four states is Kentucky, where Ford assembles heavy-duty F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups (and where Toyota builds the Camry and RAV4). Then again, one of the three plants that builds the Silverado 1500 is in Indiana, where the truck is only the third bestseller.
Nissan Rogue
Tennessee
We love the Nissan Rogue — it’s No. 1 among compact SUVs in our ultimate car rankings — but judging from its sales, which trail those of the Honda CR-V, Tesla Model Y and Toyota RAV4, it’s under-appreciated by much of the country. Well, not in Tennessee, where the Rogue handily outsells its competitors. No surprise, because Tennessee is not only the location of Nissan’s U.S. headquarters, it’s also where the Rogue is built. It’s good to see Tennessee standing up for its own, so how about it, Kentucky and Indiana?
Toyota Camry
Alabama
Time was when the Toyota Camry was the bestselling vehicle in the United States. Nowadays Americans prefer trucks and SUVs, but the midsize Camry sedan remains the bestselling car in the States — and the bestselling vehicle in only one. We figured Alabama would be truck country, but no; it’s the one state remaining where Camry sales beat all other vehicles. We at MT hold the Camry in high regard as our No. 1 pick among midsize sedans, and with a thoroughly updated model in Toyota showrooms for 2025, we expect it to continue to do well in the Yellowhammer State.
GMC Sierra 1500
Arkansas
Well, excuuuuuuuse us, Arkansas! The Ford F-150 may be good enough for 13 states and the Chevrolet Silverado for another four, but it looks Arkansans (er, sorry, Arkansawyers) go for something a little nicer, specifically the posh environs of the GMC Sierra 1500. Maybe it’s all that wood and leather that appeal to the citizens of the Natural State. Can’t say we blame them; while we’ve often struggled to justify the cost premium of the Sierra 1500 over its Chevrolet sibling, we can’t say the GMCs aren’t nice trucks. Incidentally, Arkansas is serious truck country: The Nos. 2 and 3 bestselling vehicles are the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, respectively.
Toyota Tacoma
Hawaii
We had a good time guessing what the bestselling car in Hawaii might be. With so many beautiful places to explore, we figured it might be the Jeep Wrangler. But when you consider that 9 to 10 million tourists visit Hawaii every year — that’s more than six times the state’s population — it might well be the Ford Mustang convertible, or at least the Mitsubishi Mirage (or, heck, even the Wrangler). Nope: Turns out Hawaiians are a practical lot, and the bestselling vehicle is the Toyota Tacoma, king of mid-size truck sales. Well, that makes sense; Tacomas are useful, practical, and all but un-killable. We’re sure the Aloha State will welcome the new-for-2025 version of the Tacoma.
Illustrations by Ryan Lugo
