Americans go big: 75% of the vehicles registered in 2024 are large

In the United States, distances are enormous and so are the roads. Long, wide and seemingly endless. That is why American drivers tend to prefer large cars, good power and high levels of practicality. This is reflected in the registration results of each year, and 2024 was no exception.

The data indicate that the vast majority of vehicles registered during 2024 were pickup trucks and SUVs. According to a report from JATO Dynamics, 75% of registered vehicles belong to these categories. This is a trend that has repeated over the years and makes it clear that small cars are not exactly the favourites of Americans.

A preference for large, powerful cars

In total, the United States recorded 16.01 million vehicle registrations in 2024. Of that total, 9.17 million units were SUVs. Compared with 2023, the increase has been 5%, and the market is dominated by GM, which holds a market share of 15.6%. It is followed by Toyota with a 13.3% share, Hyundai and Kia, with 12.6%, and Ford reaches 9.6% of the market.

In fifth place, Honda reached an important milestone: although it holds a 9.4% market share, it has been the SUV manufacturer that has grown the most in the American market. The cause has been the launch of the CR-V, HR-V and Pilot models.

As for the best-selling model in the United States, this has been the Toyota RAV4, with sales of 475,193 units. As a curiosity, it is worth noting that a classic of the American market, the Ford F-150, has seen a slight sales decline of 5%, with 460,915 units registered.

Looking at the different engines on the market, models with combustion engines have fallen by 0.6%, which is almost nothing. However, this points to a trend moving closer to the growth of plug-in hybrid models and 100% electric models. In fact, sales of electric cars grew 12% and those of plug-in hybrids rose 39%.

The American automotive market is one of the most important in the world and, although it has its own characteristics, it can be a good barometer of future trends in the international market.