‘Peak truck’: Has America broken up with its most loved vehicle?

American roads are synonymous with big trucks. But a recent report shows that people’s love for trucks might be diminishing as they move on from them and lay their eyes on other vehicles.

According to a US auto market report compiled by the country’s top dealership merger specialists, Dave Cantin Group and Kaiser Associates, America has hit “peak truck” with evidence showing that car buyers’ preferences are changing.

The report’s survey found a 3 per cent decline in the number of people who expect their next vehicle to be a truck or SUV compared to last year, stating that “consumer preferences are finally moving away from trucks and SUVs toward more affordable sedans, driven by concerns over vehicle affordability.”

With new trucks averaging around $60,000 compared to $39,233 for cars, they no longer offer the same value for inflation-weary buyers. Meanwhile, the share of truck SUVs has peaked from a mere 24 per cent in 2014 to 45 per cent 10 years later as people in the US like space, comfort, and utility better now.

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With the Ford F-150 leading sales—Ford claims it has been America’s bestselling truck for 48 years—some US automakers have shifted focus away from smaller, less profitable cars. Meanwhile, Japanese brands like Toyota and Honda now produce the country’s top-selling sedans.