Most Popular Cars in 2020

Best-Selling Used and New Cars in America

The study looked at over 12.9 million vehicle sales in 2020 to determine the most popular used and new cars across the United States nationally, by metro area and state. 

Most Popular Used Cars in America

Three compact SUVs make the list including the fourth-ranked Ford Escape, the fifth-ranked Nissan Rogue, and the eighth-ranked Chevrolet Equinox. “Compact SUVs are popular among used car buyers due to their versatility and value,” said Brauer. “Because they have been a rapidly growing segment among new car buyers for so long, there are a lot of these small crossovers available in the used car market.”

Rounding out the list are three sedans including the seventh-ranked Toyota Camry, the ninth-ranked Nissan Altima and the tenth-ranked Nissan Sentra. “These sedans are popular among first-time car buyers who are looking for affordable vehicles, and with commuters, thanks to their strong MPG ratings,” said Brauer. 

Most Popular New Cars in America

Four compact SUVs make the list, including the third-ranked Toyota RAV4, the fourth-ranked Honda CR-V, the sixth-ranked Hyundai Tucson, and the ninth-ranked Chevrolet Equinox. “These compact SUVs are all reliable and affordable vehicles that stand out among their competition in this competitive segment,” said Brauer.

Rounding out the list are the seventh-ranked compact Honda Civic and the eighth-ranked midsize Toyota Camry. “The Honda Civic and the Toyota Camry have been among the best-selling cars in America for decades,” said Brauer. “These passenger cars have excellent long-term reliability, which is why they remain popular even as the popularity of the sedan segment declines.” 

Most Popular Used Cars by City

The second most popular vehicle among American used car buyers is the Honda Civic, which is the most popular vehicle in 8 metro areas. “While the overall popularity of sedans is declining, popular sedans like the Honda CIvic remain in high demand in areas of the country with more temperate climates that don’t require all-wheel drive,” said Brauer. “The Honda Civic is a versatile vehicle that appeals to sporty buyers with its coupe option, as well as those looking for a family vehicle with its sedan and hatchback body styles.”

The Ford Escape is the most popular used vehicle in three metro areas. “The Ford Escape is among the most affordable vehicles in its class and has favorable reliability, which makes it an attractive option for used car buyers,” said Brauer.

Most Popular New Cars by City

Similar to the most popular used vehicles, the most popular new SUVs are all in the compact category. The Honda CR-V is the most popular new car in four metro areas, followed by the Hyundai Tucson in three, and the Chevrolet Equinox and the Toyota RAV4 each in two. “Compact SUVs are a popular vehicle segment that appeal to those buying SUVs for the first time as well as those who want a family vehicle and don’t require a large SUV,” said Brauer.

Rounding out the most popular new vehicles are sedans led by the Honda Civic in three metro areas. 

Most Popular Used Cars by State

The Most Popular New Cars by State

Methodology

iSeeCars.com analyzed over 8 million used car sales from the last five model years (2015-2019) and over 4.9 million new car sales in 2020. Each model’s share of used car sales and new car sales within each metro area and state was mathematically modeled to determine the best-selling cars in each geographical region. Heavy-duty automotive vehicles were excluded from further analysis.

About iSeeCars.com

iSeeCars.com is a car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars VIN check reports. iSeeCars.com has saved users over $261 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.