More Americans considered buying a Ford than a car from any other band in the fourth quarter of 2021. It’s the first time a brand other than Toyota has taken the title in more than four years.
The news comes from Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Watch survey – a quarterly consumer perception survey that also weaves in shopping behavior to determine how a brand or model stacks up with its segment competitors on a dozen factors key to a consumer’s buying decision.
KBB publishes two versions of the study. One covers the luxury car market. The other covers affordable cars. Ford took the lead in the affordable car study. The luxury car study should be available soon.
Of all shoppers of new, non-luxury vehicles, a full third considered a Ford, up two percentage points in the fourth quarter from the third quarter of 2021. That was the largest quarter-to-quarter increase for any non-luxury brand. That put Ford in first place, a spot it last held in 2015.
Toyota still beat Ford where it matters — more shoppers ultimately bought a Toyota.
An Unusual Year
It’s not clear how sustainable Ford’s win is. The Michigan-based company took the lead in a year shaped by factors that won’t be with us for many years.
Demand began to recover from the crash of the early COVID-19 pandemic. But a worldwide microchip shortage left manufacturers unable to produce cars fast enough to meet demand.
That pushed new car prices high – the average new car sold for $47,077 in December. That, in turn, sent used car prices soaring to a high of more than $28,000.
A Strong Lineup
But Ford was well-positioned to make the most of the strange market.
It continued to produce the most sought-after vehicle in America. The F-150 pickup was once again America’s best-selling vehicle. Unsurprisingly, the F-150 was the vehicle Americans considered more than any other.
The Ford Explorer midsize SUV also placed in the top 20 best-sellers for the year.
Ford also benefited from its new Maverick compact pickup, which comes standard as a hybrid or with an optional turbo gas engine. The Maverick, our Best New Model award winner, has become so popular that Ford has paused orders while it catches up on the backlog. The electric Mustang Mach-E also had high shopping rates.
Toyota Not Slipping Much
Toyota was a close second, with 32% of shoppers looking closely at a Toyota vehicle. Shopping for the RAV4 dropped by 12%, but shopping for the RAV4 Hybrid, despite its extremely low supply, had an 18% gain in shopping. The Toyota Tacoma, with its tight inventories, also slipped in shopping consideration.
Consideration dropped off sharply after those two. Chevrolet placed third, earning a look from 24% of shoppers. Honda came in fourth at 24%. Hyundai and Subaru tied for fifth at 13%.
SUVs Are Still King
Fully 66% of shoppers looked at an SUV.
Of all non-luxury vehicle shoppers, 35% considered a pickup truck — up from 32% from the third quarter. Cars, meanwhile, earned a look from 31% of shoppers. Minivans brought up the rear at 4%, but many remain in short supply, with manufacturers barely building enough to keep up with demand.
