Pickup sales slowed in May

June 17, 2011 12:00 AM

Pickup trucks routinely top the best-selling models list every month, but as of late the sales have been a little soft. Not soft enough to knock models like the Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado off their perch - but soft enough that automakers have certainly taken notice.

Sales in general have been down, but the damage has been worse for pickup trucks, reports USA Today. May's monthly totals fell 3.7 percent compared to the previous year. However, pickup trucks in particular were down 12.7 percent.

Part of the reason for this is high gas prices. While pickup trucks have gotten much better about fuel efficiency, many buyers are now looking for cars in the 30 or 40 MPG range. Yet this is only part of the story.

Pickup trucks are also generally seen as an indicator of a positive economy. The thinking goes that industries like construction and other labor-intensive jobs frequently purchase pickups for work, because they need the extra space and hauling capacity. With unemployment on the rise and few jobs being created, pickup sales have stalled as well.

"We were seeing a reaction from people starting to say, 'I'm hearing some mixed signals in the economy, and I don't know if I can handle $4-a-gallon gas and a new truck payment,'" Ford analyst George Pipas told the news source. "It's just temporary."

Back to news