Can You Guess the Best Selling Used Cars of 2023?

As annual sales data drops and automakers begin to execute their previously stated 2024 production and sales plans, it can be easy to get caught up in the newness of it all. Faces get lifted, new software gets installed, and prices typically rise, but these updates often miss consumers for a few years. That's because new cars are expensive and many folks continue to buy used these days, pushing back their introduction to these new features.

According to Jerry, only 23% of American drivers expressed interest in buying a new or used car in 2023. While those numbers go up significantly for 2024 (42%), at least 22% of those surveyed said they wouldn't consider buying a vehicle until prices dropped, and another 12% said interest rates going down significantly would be a key factor in their decision. This attitude was particularly strong for Generation Z and Millennial buyers, according to data provided by Jerry.

Despite this relatively low level of interest in 2023, data from iSeeCars shows that around 9.2 million used cars from the model years 2018 through 2022 were sold in 2023. Overall, analysis from Cox Automotive estimates a year-end total of 35.9 million used vehicles sold in 2023. Of those nearly 36 million units, there were some clear winners, according to iSeeCars. These are the most popular used cars of 2023, and many of these should come as no surprise to you.

Ford F-150

It wouldn't be a best seller list without the Ford F-150 pickup topping it and 2023 is no exception. Making up 3.3% of the 9.2 million used car sales examined, the Ford F-150 retained its top spot for another year, not just in the used market.

According to Ford's recently released 2023 sales data, over 700,000 buyers chose the F-150 as their truck of choice, making it the best-selling truck of last year. However, this reigning crown may not last forever, especially if gas prices continue to fluctuate.

"This shift reflects the jump in gas prices during 2023, which led many consumers to move away from large trucks and SUVs and into smaller, more fuel-efficient models," said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Even with consumers shifting away from pickup trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado hung onto its second-place spot in the used car market for 2023. Making up 2.6% of the 2018-2022 model year used car sales mix, the light-duty Silverado is a formidable opponent for the F-150.

But it lost a bit of traction in the new and used sales department last year. The Silverado made up 2.9% of the used sales mix in 2022 and it managed 555,148 new unit sales in 2023, falling over 100,000 models short of the F-150.

Even so, the Silverado 1500 receives a special used-car sales crown from Iowa, as the model was the most popular used vehicle statewide. That represents around 5.3% of the 1-5-year-old used car sales mix in Iowa.

Chevrolet Equinox

In a true shakeup for 2023, the Chevrolet Equinox took third place this year, representing 2.1% of the respective sales mix. That's down 0.1% from last year, further emphasizing the somewhat slower sales year, but Chevy still managed enough unit sales to overcome the incumbent Ram 1500.

While the Equinox EV may be delayed en route, its gasoline-powered sibling remains popular throughout vast portions of the country. In fact, seven different states (including New York and Michigan) and their respective buyers made the Equinox the best-selling 1-5-year-old used car. Take that, Ram.

Ram 1500

Ram had a lot to contend with this year. From the announcement of a battery-electric version to the UAW strike, 2023 was a mixed bag for Stellantis. Even so, the Ram 1500 still managed to capture 2.1% of the market in this dataset.

That's down 0.2% from 2022 but remains respectable in a sample size of 9.2 million. To be precise, that's around 193,000 used Ram 1500s sold. Notably, the Ram 1500 still holds a margin of 5% over the next most popular used truck—the Toyota Tacoma.

Toyota Camry

Not every buyer will opt for the pseudo-sporty Toyota Camry TRD, but at least 1.8% of the 9.2 million used cars sold last year were Toyota Camrys. It's tried-and-true for decades at this point, and the word-of-mouth advice that passes down from generation to generation is that a Toyota Camry will never leave you stranded.

The Camry also moved up one position for 2023, narrowly beating out the Honda Civic. For what it's worth, Maryland is particularly fond of the Camry, devoting 2.4% of its 1-5-year-old used car sales to the Toyota sedan.

Honda Civic

Falling one spot for 2023, the Honda Civic remains popular for good reason. It's relatively affordable ($25,025 new), fun to drive in nearly every trim, and the new generation interior makes the best of minimalist but modern design. Representing 1.7% of the sales mix, it's unlikely we'll see the Honda Civic drop off the best-seller list for some time.

It's worth watching what plates are on that Civic next to you, though, as New Jersey and California residents are especially fond of the compact Honda sedan. It made up 3.4% and 2.5% of the pre-owned sales mix in the Garden State and Golden State, respectively, in 2023.

Toyota RAV4

Just like the Civic and Camry, the RAV4 is a legacy nameplate with a lot of merit to boot. Consistently growing over its three-decade run, the RAV4 represents the smaller end of the midsize crossover realm. The RAV4 made up 1.7% of the used share in 2023.

That allowed the RAV4 to hold its place in line for another year, both in overall used sales and in used SUV sales. In Massachusetts, the RAV4 is particularly popular, representing 3.0% of the state's 1-5-year-old pre-owned sales in 2023.