You are exactly right—the shift to a high-strength, military-grade aluminum-alloy body was one of the biggest moves Ford made for the F-150.Because aluminum lacks iron, it cannot rust in the traditional sense, solving a massive pain point for truck owners who live in the rust belt or use their trucks in harsh, wet conditions.Why It Matters for LongevityCorrosion Resistance: Instead of rusting away, aluminum forms a microscopic layer of aluminum oxide when exposed to air, which actually protects the metal underneath from further damage.Weight Savings: Switching to aluminum shaved up to 700 pounds off the truck, allowing Ford to beef up the high-strength steel frame underneath.Resale Value: A bed and cab that won't develop rust holes means the truck holds its structural integrity—and its value—much longer.While aluminum can still experience galvanic corrosion if it stays in direct contact with certain raw steels, Ford isolates the metals to prevent this, ensuring the bed stands up to years of heavy use.Are you looking into buying an aluminum-bed F-150, or are you comparing its durability against steel-bed competitors like the Chevy Silverado or Ram 1500?
A look at what Experian has found in its Q2 2026 study of the US market
A Number of Considerations About Vehicle NumbersA look at what Experian has found in its Q2 2026 study of the US marketBy Gary S. Vasilash Quick: How many light-duty vehicles are currently rolling on the roads in the US—as in all the vehicles not just those that have been recently driven off of dealer lots? [Pause to let the “Final Jeopardy” theme play in your head.] The answer, according to the Experian Q2 2026 “Automotive Market Trends Report” is 299.9 million vehicles. That’s up from the Q2 2025 number of 295.3 million. Old on the RoadWhile everyone pays attention to new vehicles, let’s face it: repair facilities have a whole lot of opportunity on their hands: according to Experian 91.7% of the vehicles in operation (VIO) are made up of vehicles from the last 25 model years. Plenty to fix. And while on that subject, it is worth noting that the various and sundry tariffs that are in effect have caused the prices for repair parts to rise at a non-trivial rate: remember, there are tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper, and auto parts made in China, which, even if you’re insisting on OEM parts during a repair at a dealer, are likely to be the source. So while you will save money by not buying a new vehicle—as of July 2026, the latest figure, Kelley Blue Book has the average transaction price for a new light vehicle at $49,855. And there are many people who are going to need to be paying for repairs. That is, as of Q2 2026 69.9% of utility owners are in vehicles that are out of the basic OEM warranty. The numbers are 84.3% for light trucks and 87.7% for passenger cars. Car CharacteristicsAmong the interesting findings about VIOs in the Experian report:
What’s Out There?What is absolutely unsurprising is the vehicle that is at the top of list of models in operation: the Ford F-150. After all, not only is the F-150 the best-selling pickup for 42 years running, but it is, well, “Built Ford Tough,” so that toughness evidently translates into longevity on the road.
In second place there’s the Chevy Silverado light duty. Again, not surprising. But what is unexpected is the vehicles that hake the next seven spots:
(The Accord, RAV4 and Civic are tied.) Further down the list are the Toyota Highlander, Toyota Tundra and the Honda Pilot. So of the top 25 VIO Toyota has six vehicles and Honda five. Ford has four appearances on the list as does Chevy. The combined Toyota-Honda number is 11 and Ford-Chevy eight. Seems like there’s a conclusion to be drawn there. And respect must be given to Subaru, a comparatively small percentage of the overall US market (e.g., in 2025 it was slightly under 4%, while Toyota, Ford and Chevy were all in double digits and Honda at 8%). It has two vehicles (Outback and Forester) on the top 25 list.
What About Electric?What is completely unbalanced is the list of the top 20 electric vehicles registered in Q2 2026: The Tesla Model Y has 40.4% of the market.
That leaves 59.6% of the market for the other 19 models. . .except that the Tesla Model 3 is in second place at 16% (leaving 43.6%), the Cybertruck 1.5% (42.1%), Model X 1% (41.1%), and Model S 0.9%. This means the rest of the OEMs share 40.2% of the market with 15 vehicles while Tesla takes 59.8% of the market with its five vehicles. That’s tough math for everyone else when scale is key to driving down costs. Again, ToyotaIn the top 20 new registrations for hybrid and PHEVs in Q2 2026 Toyota takes the lion’s share, with the Camry, RAV4, Sienna, Grand Highlander, Corolla, and Highlander all on the list. Honda has three (CR-V, Accord and Civic), as do Hyundai (Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade) and Kia (Sportage, Telluride and Carnival). Ford has one (Maverick). Chevy—or any GM brand—zero.
It is worth noting that hybrids—not of the plug-in variety, however—represent the propulsion system choice of the moment. According to Experian in 2023 hybrids represented 7.2% of the market, a mere 0.1% ahead of EVs. But by Q2 2026 hybrids are at 14.3% and EVs 6.2%. And odds are the market share of hybrids will continue to grow—maybe not the 98.6% increase as experienced from 2023 to Q2 2026, but likely substantial just the same. Meanwhile, EVs have a 12.7% deficit over that period of time. Yet if you consider the amount of attention given to even the slightest development related to EVs (e.g., why such a fascination with new charging stations being installed? This would be like every time a gas station got a new car wash attached or convenience store added there would be analysis of the capabilities of each), and compare that with hybrids, it is clear that people just “get” the cost savings of hybrids. The Car Collective's Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell The Car Collective's Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless they enable payments.
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