As we pass the mid-point of 2016, the top five most searched for cars on Autotrader all have one thing in common: technically speaking, they're trucks.

From January to June this year, more visitors to the Autotrader website have been looking up the Jeep Wrangler than any other car.

However, it's not the exception, if anything it's the rule and suggests that utilitarian chic could be one of this year's biggest automotive trends.

Autotrader has sifted through all of its web data for its U.S. web properties for the first half of 2016 and has discovered that with the notable exception of the latest Ford Mustang -- the sixth most popular search -- the entire top 10 is made up almost entirely of American-built light- and medium-duty pickup trucks (seven in all) plus two Jeep models, the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee.

"Trucks are great vehicles to have all year, but particularly for summertime activities like tailgating or towing a boat to the lake," said Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader.

The Jeep Wrangler celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and that could help to explain the upturn in interest for the model, however as Autotrader points out, it is a genuinely versatile and genuinely cool car to own thanks to its slide-off doors and in many cases removable roof too.

Perhaps less surprising is that the Ford F-150, America's most popular vehicle in terms of unit sales, is in second place and that its closest direct rival, the Chevrolet Silverado 15000, rounds out the top three. Combined sales of the F-150, the Silverado 1500 and the Ram 1500 pickup truck (fourth place) account for 10 per cent of all cars sold in the US every year.

Following the heavier duty Ford F-250 pickup in fifth and the Mustang in sixth, the Ram 2500, GMC Sierra 1500, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complete the top 10.

All of which, according to Autotrader, are good indications of car-buying confidence.

"Let's not forget that trucks are necessary work vehicles for a variety of important industries. Coupled with low gas prices, significant truck shopping activity is a sure sign of health for the American economy," said Moody.