Jumpstart: Shopper Interest in Full-Size Pickups Climbs in February
The full-size pickup was the No. 3 most-shopped segment on the media company’s portfolio of automotive websites. The main drivers were luxury-oriented consumers, who were seen cross-shopping full-size pickups in February.
Shopper interest in the redesigned Ram 1500 climbed 172% in February, according to Jumpstart. (Photo courtesy of FCA USA)
SAN FRANCISCO — Luxury-oriented shoppers on Jumpstart Automotive Media’s portfolio of automotive websites were seen cross-shopping full-size pickup trucks in February, the media company said this week. The pickup in interest helped the segment climb four spots from a year ago to the No. 3 most-shopped vehicle category for the month — the highest it’s ever been, according to Jumpstar.
Fueling shopper interest were the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, which made their debuts at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January. The redesigned RAM 1500 alone recorded a 172% increase in shopper interest from December to January, surpassing Ford’s F-150 for the top spot in share among full-size pickups. The Silverado, which boasts a lighter body and a diesel option, climbed 31% from January 2017.
The full-size pickup truck segment represented three of the Top 5 most-shopped models in January. The Ford Mustang took the top spot for the month after being No. 1 in December. The RAM 1500 climbed 22 spots from December to finish in second, while the Ford F-150 climbed from fourth to third. The Chevrolet Camaro finished fourth, while the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 finished fifth.
According to Jumpstart, the percentage of luxury shoppers crossing over to the truck segment increased 22%, while the percentage of non-luxury shoppers looking at trucks increased 11%.
“Luxury shoppers are willing to pay higher prices to get the latest technology and advanced features, and most trucks offer this in some of their higher packages.” said Aline Hilsabeck, senior director of insights and analytics at Jumpstart. “For example, the new RAM 1500 has a trim option that comes with a 12-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, all the blind spot monitoring and advanced safety features, and more. These are luxury features, so when you combine them with the size, functionality, and versatility of a large pickup truck with towing capability, the appeal is undeniable.”
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