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Vans Unveiled: Insights from New Retail Registration Data

Published: April 4, 2024 by Kirsten Von Busch

Women looks down at a tablet at car dealership

As the evolution of the automotive industry continues to unfold, certain vehicles retain their prominence, offering not only versatility but adaptability. In particular, vans have long embodied myriad lifestyles and needs—painting an intriguing picture of consumer preferences and economic trends.

For instance, data from Experian’s Automotive Consumer Trends Report: Q4 2023 found there are currently more than 18 million vans in operation in the United States. Furthermore, there were over 245,000 new van retail registrations in the last 12 months—with mini vans such as the Honda Odyssey accounting for 79.4% of new van retail registrations and full-size vans including the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter making up the remaining 20.5%.

Diving into the details, Honda comprised 27.3% of the market share by make in Q4 2023, followed by Toyota (19.3%), KIA (16.7%), Chrysler (13.7%), and Mercedes-Benz (9.0%).

When looking at the most sought after vans, the Honda Odyssey led the market share by model this quarter—coming in at 27.3%. The Toyota Sienna trailed behind at 19.3%, followed by KIA Carnival at 16.7%, Chrysler Pacifica (13.5%), and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (9.3%).

While understanding the broader trends in van registrations is important for automotive professionals, exploring the demographics more in depth will help tailor marketing strategies effectively and personalize guidance to those who are in the market for a vehicle.

For example, Gen X made up the largest portion of retail van registrations in Q4 2023 at 36.0%, followed by Millennials at 27.6%, Boomers (25.3%), Gen Z (7.5%), and Silent (3.3%).

In order to align their strategies with the needs and preferences of van buyers, professionals throughout the automotive industry should delve into the nuances of who is buying and the models they’re interested in. This will also enable them to sustain the foundation for success in the dynamic automotive landscape.

To learn more about vans, view the full Automotive Consumer Trends Report: Q4 2023 presentation.

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Published: January 21, 2025 by Kirsten Von Busch

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Published: January 10, 2025 by John Howard

Pickup trucks are a staple of the automotive industry. Their utility and versatility allow consumers to haul heavy loads or tow large trailers, making them ideal for blue-collar workers. At the same time, pickup trucks offer a sleek appearance that can be aesthetically appealing. And now, we’re seeing the next evolution of the pickup truck: EVs. According to Experian’s Automotive Consumer Trends Report: Q3 2024, of the 292.1 million vehicles in operation, more than 54 million were pickup trucks. Furthermore, 17.4% of new retail registrations this quarter were pickup trucks, while pickup trucks made up 19.2% of used retail registrations. Interestingly, we’re seeing more consumer demand for EV pickup trucks. Over the last 12 months, the Ford F-150 Lightening made up 42.2% of the EV pickup truck market share, closely followed by the Tesla Cybertruck at 37.9%. Rounding out the top five were the Rivian R1T (14.2%), GMC Hummer EV (4.8%) and Chevrolet Silverado EV (0.9%). Still room for the ICE pickup Although we’re beginning to see EV pickup trucks gain some prominence, the overwhelming majority of pickups on the road are gas-powered. In fact, over the last 12 months, 14.5% of new retail pickup truck registrations were attributed to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, followed by the Ford-150 at 13.4% and the GMC Sierra 1500 (9.1%). Though, data found the preference flipped for the used side, with the Ford F-150 leading at 18.1% of retail pickup registrations and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at 13.9%, followed by the GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2%). With more consumers not only maintaining a keen interest in gasoline pickup trucks, but also moving into the EV space, the current data can be leveraged in more ways than one as professionals diversify their sales strategies while optimizing dealership inventory. To learn more about pickup truck insights, view the full Automotive Consumer Trends Report: Q3 2024 presentation or The Trade Desk Brochure.

Published: January 7, 2025 by Kirsten Von Busch