Market Snapshot: Pickup Truck Accessory Trends

Pickup trucks have come a long way since being primarily associated with the work vehicle market. It’s true, bare bones examples are still out there. But most new models sold today are rocking crew cab setups, leather interiors, and some serious onboard tech.

Even mid-sized pickups and more recent compact trucks like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz offer customers impressive comfort and convenience. They also represent a more extensive effort to target younger audiences, as well as new truck owners who want a vehicle that’s as urban-friendly as it is ready for the dirt trails.

Alongside these shifts in the market is a demand for modifications – and lots of them. SEMA data estimates that 13.6 million pickups were modified last year. And on top of that, the pickup truck represents the single biggest segment in the specialty-equipment parts market, accounting for 31% of $50.9 billion specialty-equipment retail sales in 2021.

With that kind of volume, it’s worth taking a closer look at what upgrades and modifications pickup owners are making.

Legacy & Top Performers

Certain products will always reign supreme, simply based on the pickup truck’s essential design. SEMA gives a broad idea of what these legacy performing categories are by saying that the most popular modifications aim to “improve the truck’s utility or appearance.”

Basically, pickup owners enjoy making their trucks look and behave more like a truck – even if they don’t always use them that way.

As SEMA points out though, “performance enhancements have their niche,” too. After all, half the fun of aftermarket mods is making something go faster, further, and louder.

What does this mean by the numbers? Well, here’s a look at some of the more significant product performers:

• The most common upgrades remain truck bed and utility accessories, making up 34% of purchases. Some of the top products under this category include what you’d probably expect as a worthwhile upgrade, including bedliners (drop-in and spray-on), hitches and receivers, and tonneau covers.

• Behind those utility accessories are exterior body products like side steps, window shades and vents, and body protection. This makes sense for drivers interested in putting a little more wear and tear on their trucks with more challenging road (and off-road) conditions.

• Trailing behind these two categories is lighting. Essential bulb upgrades are the top product, followed by aftermarket options for beefing up your lumens like fog lights, light bars, and underbody lighting.

Emerging Trends

As we mentioned, the growth of smaller and mid-sized pickup customers continues. Alongside that comes emerging areas of aftermarket products.

Shelling out for appearance and comfort/ease of use is popular with newer truck owners. And that spending is projected to climb. SEMA’s report says nearly half of the surveyed drivers expect to spend more than $1,000 on modifications and upgrades this year, predominately in aesthetic and comfort-related purchases.

Some of the reported top products in the emerging category include:

• Floor mats and other interior products
• Audio accessories
• Backup cameras

Overall, there’s still a need for heavier-duty upgrades. Ultimately though, it seems drivers want a truck that’s easy to get in/out of, comfortable to ride in, and safe to handle varied and challenging conditions.

Another emerging truck segment that stands to develop its own set of accessorizers is the electric pickup market.

The Ford F150 Lightning and Rivian R1T are already on the road, and the electric Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are set to arrive soon. While it’s a little too early to draw an accessory profile on these particular truck owners, it’s clear their performance upgrades will be very different. However, we can reasonably assume that truck bed and utility accessories will remain a hot commodity. (After all, these are still trucks.)

Market Full of Opportunity

Whether it’s legacy products or emerging products, what’s also apparent is that upgrades for pickups are a continually growing sector.

SEMA says 84% of its surveyed group of total truck accessorizers plan to purchase more upgrades within the following year. Of work truck owners, 89% say they’ll make upgrades in the next 12 months.

With both surveyed groups, accessibility and comfort are top categories.

The TrailFX Difference

If you’re getting into the accessorizing game, you’ll want to choose a manufacturer that builds products made for the modern demographic of pickup owners. Whether you’re climbing into a daily driver, a work truck, or an Overlander chariot, you’ll want that combination of comfort and function we discussed earlier.

TrailFX is an excellent choice for both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts, thanks to its sheer volume of variety in pickup accessories. TrailFX carries a full range of products like bumpers, drop-down steps, bed liners, LED light bars, tonneau covers, leveling kits, and toolboxes, to name a few.

Jeep and Bronco drivers will find a massive product selection, from roof racks and soft tops to grille guards, side steps and plenty in between. To top that all off, the company’s accessories are constructed with durable, long-lasting steel for a uniform look and reliable performance.

TrailFX products also come backed by some solid warranties, including limited lifetime coverage on stainless steel products and a limited 3-year warranty on all mild steel products.

Of course, upgrades and accessorizing aren’t a one-size-fits-all situation. That’s why TrailFX also has the resources to help you decide what will work best for your pickup. The manufacturer’s interactive garage configurator lets you plug in your year, make, and model. That way, you don’t go down a rabbit hole browsing products only to find out it doesn’t match your ride.

Whether it’s snow, mud, rocks, or just the wide-open four-lane, TrailFX’s product line gives you plenty of options to ensure that your pickup cab is as comfortable as it is functional.

For more information on TrailFX products, visit https://www.trailfx.com/.