Sales of Small Pickups in the US rose by 18% in Q1 2016 to 96,168 vehicles, the highest quarterly sales figure for the segment since Q2 2008. Still, total sales in this segment are less than 20% of those in the Large Pickup segment, though the gap continues to narrow. What would help boost sales in this segment further would be the Ford Ranger, when (if?) the company brings it back to the US, the new Nissan Frontier, the long-mooted Jeep pickup and, if FCA takes a brave pill, the Fiat Toro.
Highlights in Q1 2016:
- None really – the ranking of the four models remains the same, with all seeing their sales rise between 6% and 18% – “same old, same old” as they say
- On second thought, the fact that the aging Nissan Frontier can keep up with its newer competitors is pretty impressive, especially given Nissan’s woes in the large pickups segment