By Gavin Knapp, SEMA Director, Market Research
Drivers spend more to accessorize and modify pickups than any other vehicle segment. The new 2026 SEMA Market Report shows that of the nearly $53 billion drivers spent to upgrade their vehicles last year, 30% of those sales went to modifying pickups. Over 20% of pickups were personalized last year, to the tune of $15 billion dollars in parts and accessory sales.
Pickups are the perfect platform to add modifications for performance, appearance, and function, as they perform so many roles. The pickup bed provides a great place for racks, toolboxes, or covers with customers buying nearly $4 billion in utility accessories last year. Whether they’re lifting or lowering their trucks, pickup owners continue to drive demand in key categories: 35% of the suspension market goes towards pickup applications while 15% of pickup owners spend goes to wheels and tires, and may serve as a gateway to additional accessorizing. Whether engine mods, styling upgrades, or lighting, pickup owners accessorize for a variety of use cases and lifestyles.
The pickup market continues to be robust, making up about 20% of new vehicle sales each year. Sales of pickups have continued to be strong, with several high-volume full-size models as the stars. But the market has also diversified in recent years with the return of mid-size and smaller pickups back into OEM lineups. The pickup market is growing, there are about 63 million pickups on the road today, up from only 51 million ten years ago. Making up over 20% of the U.S. vehicle fleet and 30% of the specialty-equipment sales, pickups are the biggest drivers of the market.
To learn more, download the 2026 SEMA Market Report. This, and all SEMA reports, are free for members at sema.org/research.