For years now, Subaru has retained a mystique of being the predominant vehicle on Colorado’s roadways. That’s easy to understand, of course. Take a trip up the Interstate 70 corridor to any ski resort, and there are Subarus aplenty on the road and in the parking lots.
But in real numbers, the iconic Outback isn’t No. 1 in Colorado, or even No. 2.
Last year, almost 95,000 Ford F-150 pickup trucks maintained active vehicle registrations, according to data provided by Colorado’s Division of Motor Vehicles. Behind that, Chevy Silverado pickup trucks took the No. 2 spot with around 75,000 registrations, with Subaru Outback SUVs still appearing on the medal stand, but taking the bronze with almost 56,000.
The runner-ups include:
Toyota Tacoma — 53,529
Jeep Grand Cherokee — 52,550
Toyota 4Runner — 51,927
Subaru Forester — 51,430
Toyota RAV4 — 43,156
Honda CR-V — 41,960
GMC Sierra — 41,129
In 2022, the Ford F-150 also counted as Colorado’s most popular used car, making up 4.3% of those sales, online automotive search engine iSeeCars.com reported.
Pickup trucks and SUVs currently hold the hearts of drivers in a state rife with mountain roads and different terrains, but the luxury car market is also trying to make its mark on the Centennial State.
Coloradans’ dream car is the Audi R8 — the most-searched luxury car model in the state at 8,100 monthly searches — followed by the Tesla Model S, according to car leasing service Nationwide Vehicle Contracts. In particular, Tesla models have grown to be a more common sight on Colorado streets, with six stores and galleries throughout the state.
Although Tesla’s showroom at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center shuttered, the more affluent pockets of the Denver area offer other options for potential luxury vehicle owners. These include Lamborghini Denver in Highlands Ranch, Aston Martin Denver in Highlands Ranch and Mercedes-Benz of Denver in Glendale.
But luxury car brands aren’t necessarily trying to make the list of most popular vehicles for Colorado drivers.
“Given our volumes as a luxury brand, I would not believe any Land Rover model would be the top selling car in Colorado,” said spokesperson Joe Stauble.
Subaru, Jeep, Toyota vying to be favorites
Although Ford sits at the top of Colorado’s car rankings now, other automotive companies are vying to unseat it.
“Over the last few years, the demand for Subaru vehicles has been very strong,” said spokesperson Todd Hill. “Overall sales have been limited by supply-chain constraints,” but those are now easing.
The launch of new Crosstrek and Impreza models — and the impending introduction of a Crosstrek Wilderness model later this year — could offer a boost. The Subaru team anticipates the new Crosstrek Wilderness model “will be very popular in the Colorado market and contribute to our overall sales growth,” Hill said.
Last year, the Crosstrek dominated the automobile manufacturer’s sales in Colorado, totaling at 5,779 — a jump of 23% in sales compared to 2021. That year, the Outback counted as the top model.
So far, this year, the Crosstrek continues its winning streak, with sales “very slightly higher than last year” for the first three months of 2023.
Ethan Black, 28, still believes the Subaru counts as the state’s “default car.” The Denverite drives a baby-blue Subaru Crosstrek.
“In any given grocery store parking lot, there’s at least one other baby blue Subaru Crosstrek,” he said. “On more than one occasion, I have tried to open other peoples’ cars because there are so many of them and they look identical to mine.”
But Brandon Moreland of dealer Fort Collins Jeep foresees his brand shooting to the top in the near future.
“Jeep is iconic with Colorado,” he said on a phone call. “You go to the mountains or even down in the Denver metro area, and all you see is Jeep.”
The Grand Cherokee SUV and Wrangler SUV models sell the fastest at his dealership, falling in line with national trends.
Jeep doesn’t break out sales by state, but in the U.S., its top-seller for 2022 was also the Grand Cherokee, with more than 223,000 sales. Next up was the Wrangler with more than 181,000, then the Compass subcompact SUV at a little over 86,000 sales, according to spokesperson Diane Morgan.
However, Denver resident Emily Tracy, 32, considers Jeeps — soft tops in particular — to be “too much of a liability,” given the state’s car theft problem. In 2021, Colorado held the No. 1 spot in the nation for motor vehicle thefts.
Her partner was gifted a 2004 Jeep Wrangler for his 16th birthday. But after it was broken into more than three times in the Cheesman Park neighborhood, with the ignition ripped out twice, the couple sold it last summer.
Denverite Brandon Osborn is convinced Toyota is Colorado’s favorite brand, with Tacoma pickup trucks, 4Runner SUVs and RAV4 SUVs “everywhere I see.”
The 30-year-old pointed out the number of Toyota specialty shops in Denver — “more so than any other brands.”
Toyota spokesperson Victor Vanov said the automotive manufacturer hopes “to continue to grow sales in the state as we’ll introduce 23 new, refreshed or special edition vehicles in 2023.”
Currently, 23 car dealers — 19 Toyota and four Lexus — operate throughout Colorado, with no present plans for expansion.
Last year, almost 28,000 Toyota vehicles and more than 3,000 Lexus vehicles were sold in the state, Vanov said. From the start of 2023 through March, the manufacturer has already sold 8,200 Toyota vehicles and more than 1,000 Lexus vehicles.
Vanov highlighted their electrified car options, which encompass hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure battery models. Right now, the company offers 22 electrified vehicles between the Toyota and Lexus brands — “the most among any automaker.”
In 2022, 29% of total vehicle sales in Colorado were electrified, ranking “among the top states for electrified sales.” So far, this year, that percentage jumped to 32%, with nearly half of Lexus vehicle sales counting as electrified.
One longtime population residing in the Centennial State — black bears — tend to favor Toyota sedans, along with minivans and Honda sedans.
“Through trial and error, bears have also learned that busting into a small, lightweight Honda or Toyota sedan is simpler than a Cadillac or Hummer,” Washington State University reported.
Other automotive brands
Ryan Hill, 44, personally puts the Toyota Tacoma at the top of the pyramid. “I only ended up with a new Chevy Colorado because the used Tacoma market is so competitive,” the Boulder resident said.
But he holds out hope that electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian — a newcomer in the automotive industry — “surpasses all of the above.”
Founded in 2009, the company sells just two models to consumers right now: the R1T pickup and the R1S SUV.
In Denver, Rivian’s service center “caters to over 1,000 owners in the area and we have thousands of order holders in the area as well,” said spokesperson Miranda Jimenez. But she declined to provide specific regional sales numbers.
Kia is also offering some competition.
“The Kia brand, especially our rugged and capable line up of SUVs, has seen tremendous growth in Colorado in recent years and given the name it stands to reason that the most popular Kia model statewide is Telluride,” said Eric Watson, vice president of sales operations at Kia America.
Last year, more than 3,000 Telluride SUVs sold in Colorado. The Sportage SUV ranked as No. 2 with almost 2,000 sales, then the Sorento SUV at No. 3 with more than 1,000 sales.
Nearly 18% of total Kia sales statewide are electrified models, according to Watson. The Sportage and Sorento models “gained in popularity as car buyers in Colorado have shown a strong interest in buying ‘green’ vehicles.”
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