If you were asked to mention some best-selling cars today, you might mention a few, including some electric vehicles, but do you know each brand’s best-selling cars of all time? In order to find out, a lot of research and calculations were done.
The results of the research were surprising because many of these top-selling cars from each automaker have actually not been sold in years, while the sales numbers for some of them are still increasing. Let’s check out the top 10 best-selling cars of all time.
1. Toyota – Corolla (1966 till date): 51 million+
The Toyota Corolla has been the best-selling car in the world since 1966. It became the top seller in just eight years. This was after overtaking the Volkswagen Beetle.
The Corolla is still super popular in many countries today. One big reason for its success is that Toyota has been making it for a long time. The automaker still produces one every 15 seconds.
2. Ford – F-Series (1948 till date): 43 million+
The Ford F-Series has been around since 1948 and is the best-selling vehicle in the United States. This pick-up truck comes in many styles and sizes. It is popular among people because it is tough, affordable, and dependable.
People who buy it often stick with it because they trust it and like what it offers. Ford also made history with the Model T. It sold 15 million of them back when most people could not even afford a car.
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3. Volkswagen – Golf (1974 till date): 36 million+
The Volkswagen Golf was introduced in 1974. It has since then become one of the best-selling cars in the world. Many people think of the Beetle as Volkswagen’s most popular car. However, the Golf has sold far more, leaving the Beetle’s 21.5 million sales behind.
By 2013, Volkswagen had already built 30 million golf cars, including the fuel-efficient 1.6 TDI BlueMotion model. Now, with over 36 million sold, the Golf continues to be produced at an impressive rate. Volkswagen produces 2,000 of these cars per day, every single day of the year.
4. Honda – Civic (1972 till date): 28 million+
The Honda Civic debuted in 1972 and has sold more than 28 million cars so far. The current Civic looks much sportier and more modern compared to the simpler design of the original model.
However, it has always been known for offering great value, good features, and engines that are designed to save fuel. While the high-performance Type R versions focus less on fuel savings, they have still helped make the Civic a legendary car in its own right.
5. Opel/Vauxhall – Corsa (1982 till date): 20 million+
The Opel/Vauxhall Corsa has been around since 1982 and since then has sold more than 20 million units. When it first came out, it was called ‘the Corsa’ in Europe. However, in Britain, it was called ‘the Nova,’ until 1993.
After that, Britain started using the Corsa name for the second version of the car. Its popularity grew quickly, and it became one of the top three best-selling small cars in many European countries. Of all the sales, about 75% come from Opel (the European brand) and 25% from Vauxhall (the British brand).
6. Nissan – Sunny (1966 till date): 20 million+
The Nissan Sunny has been on the market since 1966. Since it has been in the market, it has sold over 20 million cars and is still selling. In the 1990s, it was popular in Europe under the name Sunny. However, in other places, it has had other names like the Almera, Pulsar, and Sentra.
A newer model, the Qashqai, known as the Rogue Sport in the US, has become a big hit. In just 21 months, more than half a million second-generation Qashqais were built in a factory in northeast England. This means a new one was made every 62 seconds.
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7. Lada – Riva (1980-2015): 18 Million Sold
The Lada Riva is also called the VAZ 2105 or Nova. It was a simple and durable car. Its design was based on the Fiat 124, a car that was first introduced in 1966.
During the Cold War, countries in Eastern Europe needed affordable and tough cars that could handle bad roads and low-quality fuel. The Riva fit the job perfectly. However, it was not known for being comfortable or fun to drive. Even though 18 million were sold, not everyone would agree it was a great car to own.
8. Chevrolet – Impala (1957-2020): 16.8 Million Sold
The Chevrolet Impala was a popular full-size car in the U.S. for over 60 years. They were giving it out for more than 16 million units. In the 1960s, some versions of the Impala were made faster to compete with muscle cars.
Later on, the car became more focused on saving fuel than speed. As more people started choosing SUVs instead of large vehicles, the Impala was eventually discontinued. Chevrolet’s smaller Malibu sedan is still being sold, but with about 11 million sales, it probably would not catch up to the Impala. Meanwhile, the Silverado truck, introduced in 1998, is quickly catching up with over 13 million sales so far.
9. BMW – 3 Series (1975 till date): Over 16.5 Million+
The BMW 3 Series has changed a lot since it was first introduced in 1975. Each version highlights the time it was made, from the stylish 1970s models to the sharp designs of the 1980s and the sleeker cars of the 2000s.
These updates, whether big changes or small improvements, have always been carefully planned. This attention to detail has made the 3 Series one of the top-selling cars in its category. They are especially popular with drivers who love their style and performance.
10. Renault – Clio (1991 till date): Over 16.1 Million+
The Renault Clio has been a massive success. Renault has sold more than 16 million cars of this model worldwide.
Its popularity comes from being available in many different versions to suit different markets around the globe. This wide appeal has made it one of the best-selling small cars ever. The fifth and newest version came out in 2019. Renault even calls the Clio the most popular French car in history.
Even though some of the top-selling cars of all time are not being produced anymore, others are still selling. This shows that certain cars have stayed popular for a long time and continued to be a big deal in the car world, even after many years.