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The 2022 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Help GM Retake Sales Crown

GM sold 2.27 million total vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, compared to Toyota's 2.1 million. Nearly half of those sales were from pickups and large SUVs.

General Motors is once again the top selling vehicle manufacturer in the U.S. It’s overall sales were up nearly 3 percent last year, while Toyota’s were down nearly 10 percent. Toyota had beaten GM last year for the first time ever, but GM has retaken the sales crown. The real superstars were pickups like the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2022 GMC Sierra 1500. GM says it sold 1,111,757 full-size pickups, midsize pickups and full-size SUVs. Those vehicles make up nearly half of GM’s total sales of 2,274,088. That’s a lot of trucks.

Total Pickup Sales

GM has sold the most full-size pickups for the ninth year in a row. It has also sold the most full-size light duty and heavy-duty pickups for the third straight year. GM sold 115,000 more trucks than Ford for 2022. These numbers are always tricky because technically both companies are correct. Ford’s F-Series is the best-selling name plate for the 46th consecutive year and America’s best-selling vehicle for 41 years. Ford sells all of its trucks under the F-Series name. GM sells more trucks but under two brands, Chevrolet and GMC. When you add the two brands together, they have sold 115,000 more than Ford.

GM also saw huge growth in its midsize trucks, a segment that has been a Toyota stronghold. The Chevrolet Colorado sales were up 22 percent and the GMC Canyon sales jumped 15 percent. GM is counting on all-new versions of both trucks in 2023 to bring even more growth.

GM also sold the most full-size SUVs for the 48th straight year and sold the most luxury, premium SUVs for the ninth year.

Growth in 2023

Interestingly, for now, GM’s sales and profits are almost all tied to Internal Combustion Engine vehicles. The automaker is launching three Chevrolet EVs in the coming year in popular segments. Plus, it is scheduled to start producing the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 EV and the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 EV during 2023. The GMC HUMMER EV SUV is also supposed to arrive in mid-2023.

Supply chain issues and semiconductor chip shortages both played huge roles in Toyota and all of the automakers losing sales. GM is hoping to manage its chip supplies and keep sales of both ICE vehicles and EVs going strong through-out what is expected to be another highly competitive year.

Chevrolet Photo

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

Follow Mary Conway at @maryconwaymedia and send her car news tips for future stories.