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Chevy Silverado Sales Gain Segment Share During Q3 2021

By Francisco Cruz

October 7, 2021 7:53 pm

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Chevy Silverado sales decreased in the United States, Canada, and Mexico during the third quarter of 2021.

Chevrolet Silverado Sales - Q3 2021 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Silverado deliveries totaled 123,067 units in Q3 2021, a decrease of about 17 percent compared to 147,484 units sold in Q3 2020. Silverado 1500 (light duty) sales decreased more than 18 percent to 88,306 units, Silverado Heavy Duty (2500HD and 3500HD) sales decreased nearly 13 percent to 32,550 units, and Silverado Medium Duty sales (4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD) increased 13 percent to 2,211 units.

In the first nine months of the year, Silverado sales decreased about 0 percent to 414,389 units.
MODEL Q3 2021 / Q3 2020 Q3 2021 Q3 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
SILVERADO -16.56% 123,067 147,484 -0.06% 414,389 414,650

Chevrolet Silverado Sales Detail - Q3 2021 - USA

ModelQ3 2021 / Q3 2020Q3 2021Q3 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020YTD 2021YTD 2020
Total-16.6%123,067147,484-0.1%414,389414,650
Silverado LD-18.4%88,306108,203-4.6%296,286310,593
Silverado HD-12.8%32,55037,322+11.7%110,98099,374
Silverado MD+12.9%2,2111,959+52.1%7,1234,683

Chevrolet Silverado Sales - Q3 2021 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Silverado deliveries totaled 11,236 units in Q3 2021, a decrease of about 23 percent compared to 14,536 units sold in Q3 2020.

In the first nine months of the year, Silverado sales increased about 9 percent to 41,635 units.
MODEL Q3 2021 / Q3 2020 Q3 2021 Q3 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
SILVERADO -22.70% 11,236 14,536 +9.32% 41,635 38,085

Chevrolet Silverado Sales - Q3 2021 - Mexico

In Mexico, Chevrolet Silverado deliveries totaled 1,800 units in Q3 2021, an increase of about 20 percent compared to 1,498 units sold in Q3 2020.

In the first nine months of the year, Silverado sales decreased about 15 percent to 6,189 units.
MODEL Q3 2021 / Q3 2020 Q3 2021 Q3 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
SILVERADO +20.16% 1,800 1,498 -15.13% 6,189 7,292

Competitive Sales Comparison (USA)

During the third quarter of 2021, Chevy Silverado sales placed second in their competitive set, behind the Ford F-Series (see Ford F-series sales) in first by 49,732 units while ahead of the Ram Pickup in third by 1,363 units.

Previously, the Silverado overtook the Ram in Q1 2020 to reclaim its typical spot as America’s second best-selling full-size truck. However, this trend shifted for the remaining three quarters of the 2020 calendar year as well as for the first quarter of 2021. The increase in Silverado sales in Q2 2021 enabled the nameplate to overtake its two biggest rivals from Stellantis/Ram and the Ford Motor Company. However, the decline in sales during Q3 2021 has allowed the Ford F-Series to retake first place and the Silverado slides back into second place.

All models in the segment saw a decline in sales volume during Q3 2021 with the Nissan Titan posting the largest decrease of nearly 31 percent. The Toyota Tundra posted a 24 percent decline while the GMC Sierra, Ram Pickup, and Ford F-Series all saw a 22 percent decrease in sales. The Chevrolet Silverado posted the smallest decline of 17 percent this quarter.

Full-Size Pickup Truck Sales - Q3 2021 - USA

MODEL Q3 21 / Q3 20 Q3 21 Q3 20 Q3 21 SHARE Q3 20 SHARE YTD 21 / YTD 20 YTD 21 YTD 20
FORD F-SERIES -22.04% 172,799 221,647 35% 35% -9.20% 534,831 589,034
CHEVROLET SILVERADO -16.56% 123,067 147,484 25% 23% -0.06% 414,389 414,650
RAM RAM PICKUP -22.06% 121,704 156,157 25% 25% +8.04% 434,772 402,410
GMC SIERRA -22.18% 52,774 67,812 11% 11% +9.47% 191,186 174,645
TOYOTA TUNDRA -23.62% 21,148 27,689 4% 4% -15.36% 65,013 76,814
NISSAN TITAN -30.68% 4,996 7,207 1% 1% +17.36% 22,772 19,403
TOTAL -20.94% 496,488 627,996 -0.83% 1,662,963 1,676,956

The F-Series saw its share remain stable at 35 percent from the year-ago quarter, while Chevy Silverado sales accounted for 25 percent segment share during the quarter, an increase of 2 percentage points compared to the 23 percent share it held in the year-ago quarter. The Ram Pickup also accounted for a 25 percent share, equal to that in the year-ago quarter. The Silverado’s corporate cousin, the GMC Sierra, accounted for 11 percent share, equal to the year-ago quarter. Meanwhile, the Toyota Tundra held 4 percent and the Nissan Titan held 2 percent, both stable compared to Q2 2020.

GM Full-Size Pickup Truck Sales - Q3 2021 - USA

MODEL Q3 21 / Q3 20 Q3 21 Q3 20 Q3 21 SHARE Q3 20 SHARE YTD 21 / YTD 20 YTD 21 YTD 20
CHEVROLET SILVERADO -16.56% 123,067 147,484 70% 69% -0.06% 414,389 414,650
GMC SIERRA -22.18% 52,774 67,812 30% 31% +9.47% 191,186 174,645
TOTAL -18.33% 175,841 215,296 +2.76% 605,575 589,295

On a combined basis, sales of the two GM full-size pickup truck lines – the Silverado and Sierra – decreased 18.33 percent to 175,841 units. That’s 3,042 units more than the 172,799 deliveries recorded by the F-Series, placing GM as the best-selling purveyor of pickup trucks during the quarter.

Overall, the full-size pickup truck segment contracted nearly 21 percent to 496,488 units in Q3 2021, meaning Chevy Silverado sales fell slower than the segment average.

We are providing Honda Ridgeline sales below for informational purposes, since the model straddles the midsize and full-size pickup truck segments.

Honda Ridgeline Sales - Q3 2021 - USA

MODEL Q3 21 / Q3 20 Q3 21 Q3 20 YTD 21 / YTD 20 YTD 21 YTD 20
RIDGELINE -24.46% 6,502 8,607 +33.58% 30,872 23,112

The GM Authority Take

The decline in Chevy Silverado sales volume during Q3 2021 and the associated drop to second place in the segment is disheartening news, especially after the Bow Tie brand was able to take first place in Q2 2021. A silver lining, though, is that Silverado sales posted the lowest decrease of any model in the segment, enabling it to increase its segment share by 2 percent. In fact, the Silverado was the only model in its segment to gain segment share during the quarter.

We believe that the shift in segment sales rankings comes primarily as a result of improved availability of the F-150. While Ford inventory levels will not return to pre-pandemic highs any time soon, availability of Ford’s pickup trucks improved enough to outsell the Silverado.

That said, both Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups faced supply issues of their own, running on a tight sub-20 day supply throughout the month of May as a result of lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, while the semiconductor chip shortage continued to take a sizable chunk out of General Motors’ production output. If The General can manage to meet demand, there’s a strong chance that the Silverado will be able to close the gap with the F-Series.

Looking ahead, a heavy refresh of the Silverado 1500 is on the way for the 2022 model year. The 2022 Silverado features new front and rear ends, new wheel designs, and a few new exterior colors. Critically, the refresh also introduces completely overhauled interior, with a new dash, center stack, center console, fully digital gauge option, and the deletion of the column shifter. Additionally, the range-topping High Country model offers GM’s Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver assist system, and the Trail Boss model gains an even more capable variant in the form of the Silverado ZR2.

The 2022 Silverado 1500 refresh will launch a bit later into the 2022 model year as a result of delays and challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 model year Silverado 1500 will therefore carry over into the 2022 model year for the first few months of production, where it will be known as the 2022 Silverado Limited. As GM Authority was first to report, order banks for the refreshed model will open in December and production is slated to begin in the first quarter of the 2022 calendar year.

GM Q3 2021 sales reports:
  • All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Silverado sales in Q3 2020, unless noted otherwise
  • In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q3 2021 and 77 selling days in Q3 2020
  • Chevrolet Silverado sales include:
    • Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and variants
    • Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty models, including:
      • Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and variants
      • Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD and variants
      • Chevrolet Silverado HD Chassis Cab
    • Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty Chassis Cab, including:
      • Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD
      • Chevrolet Silverado 5500HD
      • Chevrolet Silverado 6500HD
  • Ford F-Series sales include:
    • Ford F-150 and variants
    • Ford F-Series Super Duty models, including:
      • Ford F-250 Super Duty and variants
      • Ford F-350 Super Duty and variants
      • Ford F-450 Super Duty and variants
      • Ford F-550 Super Duty and variants
      • Ford F-600 Super Duty and variants
    • Ford F-Series Chassis Cab
    • Ford F-650 and F-750 are not included in these sales, as Ford records their sales separately as Ford Heavy Trucks sales
  • Ram Pickup sales include:
    • Ram 1500 pickup and variants
    • Ram 2500 pickup and variants
    • Ram 3500 pickup and variants
    • Ram Chassis Cab
  • GMC Sierra sales include:
    • GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra Denali 1500 and variants
    • GMC Sierra Heavy Duty models, including:
      • GMC Sierra 2500HD, GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali and variants
      • GMC Sierra 3500HD, GMC Sierra 3500HD Denali and variants
    • GMC Sierra Chassis Cab
  • Toyota Tundra sales include:
    • Toyota Tundra and variants
  • Nissan Titan sales include:
    • Nissan Titan and variants
    • Nissan Titan XD and variants

Silverado News

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By Francisco Cruz

A car-loving millennial. We Are!

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Comment

  1. Sales data for the last 2-years is garbage. The market has been under attack and dealers are doing all the fighting. The auto industry is the pulse of the economy. We lose this industry and then we are 3rd world. Based upon the way GM,Ford and Chrysler have laid down and surrendered without a fight they must be getting heavy money under the table.

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