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U.S. GM Truck Sales Down 22 Percent To 194,016 Units During Q3 2021

GM truck sales fell 22 percent to 194,016 units in the United States during the third quarter of 2021.

Sales Numbers - GM Truck Sales - Q3 2021 - United States

MODEL Q3 21 / Q3 20 Q3 21 Q3 20 Q3 21 SHARE Q3 20 SHARE YTD 21 / YTD 20 YTD 21 YTD 20
CHEVROLET COLORADO -53.42% 12,696 27,256 7% 11% -24.77% 51,555 68,529
GMC CANYON -15.38% 5,479 6,475 3% 3% +11.04% 17,970 16,183
CHEVROLET SILVERADO -16.56% 123,067 147,484 63% 59% -0.06% 414,389 414,650
GMC SIERRA -22.18% 52,774 67,812 27% 27% +9.47% 191,186 174,645
TOTAL -22.09% 194,016 249,027 +0.16% 675,100 674,007

All four GM truck nameplates experienced a decrease in overall sales, with the Chevrolet Colorado posting the largest decline of over 53 percent.

Midsize Trucks

Sales of midsize GM trucks – the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon – fell 46 percent to 18,175 units during the third quarter of 2021.

Chevy Colorado deliveries fell over 53 percent to 12,696 units, landing the nameplate in fourth place in the midsize pickup truck segment. The position represents an uptick of one spot from the second quarter of 2021, but quite a far cry from the second place the nameplate typically enjoys. Meanwhile, the segment-leading Tacoma outsold the Colorado by over 48,500 units.

Sales Numbers - Midsize Mainstream Pickup Trucks - 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
TOYOTA TACOMA +8.19% 61,335 56,692 48% 38% +22.62% 200,631 163,619
JEEP GLADIATOR +2.31% 22,674 22,163 18% 15% +25.39% 71,458 56,990
FORD RANGER -49.44% 14,335 28,350 11% 19% -2.20% 72,706 74,338
CHEVROLET COLORADO -53.42% 12,696 27,256 10% 18% -24.77% 51,555 68,529
NISSAN FRONTIER +61.75% 11,667 7,213 9% 5% +44.78% 38,059 26,287
GMC CANYON -15.38% 5,479 6,475 4% 4% +11.04% 17,970 16,183
TOTAL -13.47% 128,186 148,149 +11.44% 452,379 405,946

The Colorado’s corporate cousin, the GMC Canyon, remained in last place in the midsize pickup truck segment, with a 15 percent decline in sales volume to 5,479 units.

Combining GMC Canyon sales and Chevy Colorado sales places GM in third place in its segment by sales volume. However, it’s worth noting that the combined total is still less than a third of the 61,335 deliveries recorded by the Toyota Tacoma.

Sales Numbers - GM Midsize Pickup Trucks - 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 COLORADO -53.42% 12,696 27,256 70% 81% -24.77% 51,555 68,529
GMC CANYON -15.38% 5,479 6,475 30% 19% +11.04% 17,970 16,183
TOTAL -46.12% 18,175 33,731 -17.93% 69,525 84,712

The decline in sales for both midsize GM trucks was the result of the ongoing microchip shortage, which GM is navigating by allocating chips to its most profitable and best-selling products, namely full-size SUVs and full-size pickup trucks. This caused production of both the Colorado and Canyon to be idled at the GM Wentzville plant. When production restarted, it was across two shifts, as opposed to the three shifts the plant ran previously. This chain of events caused sub-optimal inventory levels at dealers, naturally resulting in diminished sales figures.

Full-Size Trucks

Sales of full-size GM trucks – the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra – fell 18 percent to 175,841 units during the third quarter of 2021.

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

Chevy Silverado sales fell 17 percent to 123,067 units. Sales of the Silverado Medium Duty models increased nearly 13 percent while Silverado Light Duty and Silverado Heavy Duty sales fell 18.4 percent and 12.8 percent, respectively.

The results place the Silverado in second place in its competitive set, ahead of the Ram pickup but behind the Ford F-Series. In fact, the performance enabled Silverado segment share to grow from 23 percent to 25 percent.

Meanwhile, GMC Sierra sales fell 22 percent to 52,774 units, placing it in fourth place in the segment behind the F-Series, Silverado and Ram Pickup. Segment share remained stable at 11 percent compared to Q3 2020.

GMC Sierra Sales Detail - Q3 2021 - USA

ModelQ3 2021 / Q3 2020Q3 2021Q3 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020YTD 2021YTD 2020
Total-22.2%52,77467,812+9.5%191,186174,645
Sierra LD-20.6%37,63747,397+8.3%136,534126,063
Sierra HD-25.9%15,13720,415+12.5%54,65248,582

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

Combining Chevy Silverado sales with GMC Sierra sales totals 175,841 units, making GM the best-selling purveyor of full-size pickups in America. That’s 3,042 units more than the 172,799 recorded by F-Series and 54,137 units more than Ram.

GM Full-Size Pickup 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

Looking Ahead

The ongoing microchip shortage has thrown a wrench into The General’s best laid plans, forcing the automaker to pivot quickly in order to prevent any losses. The Detroit-based giant has done so rather successfully, recording decent results in the quarters most impacted by the semiconductor scarcity:

We expect sales of all four GM trucks to increase once normalcy is restored to the supply chain for the following reasons:

  • Improved product: the Silverado 1500 gets thorough refresh for the 2022 model year, launching updates, new features and the new Silverado ZR2 off-roader. See more details on the 2022 Silverado.
  • Improved product: the Sierra 1500 gets a thorough refresh for the 2022 model year, launching updates, new features and the new Sierra AT4X and Sierra Denali Ultimate trims. See more details on the 2022 GMC Sierra.
  • Expanded production capacity: the GM Oshawa Assembly plant recently reopened to make trucks, with the Silverado HD and Sierra HD the first to roll off the line.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to GM Truck sales for Q3 2020, unless noted otherwise
  • In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q3 2021 and 77 selling days in Q3 2020
GM Q3 2021 sales reports:

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Comments

  1. Despite the facts, suburban cowboys will swear sales are down because because of the interior..

    Reply
    1. Na its the price that will doom the truck fad.
      Rising Interest rates will finally crash this party. Lets bring back the early 1980s 10%+ interest rates.

      Reply
  2. Lose those ugly front ends……..Compare to the TRX………Awesome looking truck!!!!!!!

    Reply
  3. Who cares what the slickers think. They need to get out in the country in the real world.

    Reply
  4. but but but according to Mary the almighty Barra everything is all clouds and unicorns and we are on track to being Tesla’s sidekick!!!!!
    She needs a mental evaluation and an audit. This is starting to scream of fraud.

    Reply
  5. I bet sales would be higher if dealerships weren’t marking them up 5k plus.

    Reply
    1. They wouldn’t do that if there was actual supply of trucks…

      Reply
  6. I have an idea to increasesaes. How about stripping previously standard equipment out of the truck and charge more money!

    Reply
  7. How about empty lots full of weeds and employee junk heaps were all the shiny trucks used to be?

    Reply
    1. Or perhaps if there is weeds growing at your dealership then you should go somewhere else besides the used car lot next to the neighborhood discount tobacco and beer store.

      Reply
    2. Macmulkin’s Chevrolet in nashua NH largest Chevy dealer next to Quirk Chevy in Manchester NH. Tully Gmc Buick in Nashua. Also I travel up and down the NH Massachusetts border everyday. The Nissan dealer off Route 93 in Burlington Ma lot is also empty.

      Reply
  8. Need bigger screens, that’ll solve Da problem.

    Reply
  9. I mean if you do some simple math, the gm trucks dominate in combined sales by a large margin in terms of full size pickups. My prediction for next year is Chevrolet will get #2 again from ram and will close the gap to the f150. In terms of the sierra I can see it hit 250000 – 300000 sales next year. The refresh will pay off quite well for them. In midsize tucks I think gm wont ever get a sales king title but they will sell much more after the upcoming redesign. I dont criticize then for leaving the old interior in the base trims as I believe there was a price drop for those trims, and i personally would prefer that interior in my work truck or even if I as going to do a fleet order. I just see that the old interior was not fit for a denali.

    Reply
  10. Would help to see sales chart with production data per model. Would show reinforce of inv is affecting sales.

    Reply

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