Ten world best selling cars of all time

Since the production of the first gasoline engine car, the Benz Patent motorwagen in 1886 by Carl Benz, automotive manufacturers have built multiple car models not just to show their tech know-how, but also to persuade the buyers. As Adalla Allan writes, some have managed to thrill the buyers with their features, making them some of the best selling models

Toyota Corolla (1966-present)

Just last week, the popular Toyota Corolla sedan was relaunched as a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).

The Corolla model earned the crown of the world’s best selling car in 1974, just eight years in the game.

By 2016, the Japanese model had hit the 44 million milestone after selling in over 12 generations, making it the best selling car model of all time.

The name Corolla is part of Toyota’s naming tradition of using names derived from the Toyota Crown for sedans, with corolla is Latin for ‘small crown’. 

Ford F series (1948-present)

It is the Ford’s longest-running nameplate and the best selling pick-up truck in the world for many years.

The F-Series is a range of light-duty trucks marketed as full-size pick-up trucks slotted above the compact Ford Ranger in the Ford truck model range.

As of June 2013, the F-Series had sold more than 33 million pieces worldwide spanning 12 generations.

Volkswagen Golf (1974-present)

Ever since Mitsubishi ended the production of the Evolution series in 2016, its buffs have been seen to shift their enthusiasm to Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The VW Golf became Volkswagen›s bestseller in 2002, overtaking the Beetle; currently sold over 30 million cars in eight generations.

The car has proven to be one of the most flexible cars to technology right from its first transformation (the MK1) to the eighth (MK8) and now the German automaker based in Wolfsburg city has produced its electric version.

Volkswagen Beetle (1938-2003)

The creation of this German classic was proposed by the then leader of the Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler who wanted a cheap, simple car to be mass-produced for his country’s new road network that led to the name Volkswagen meaning ‘people’s car’.

It was the first Volkswagen model in the market masterminded by the lead engineer Ferdinand Porsche and his team in 1938, but started full-scale production after the World War II.

The car has since become one of the best selling cars producing over 21 million vehicles in over 60 years of its production, the last original Beetle rolled off the line in Puebla, Mexico, on July 30, 2003.

The Beetle was increasingly facing stiff competition from more modern car designs leading to its production decline.

Lada Riva Classic (1970-2012)

The car is barely known in Africa, but it’s the most successful car ever produced by a Russian manufacturer.

Today, they are generally referred to as the Lada Classic series being derived from the original Fiat 124 platform, which has been the now-iconic mainstay of the AvtoVAZ line-up since the company›s foundation.

Along with the other Fiat 124 derivatives, it sold over 17 million models and is also one of the longest production run platforms alongside the Volkswagen Beetle.

Honda Civic (1972-present)

Originally a sub-compact car, the Honda Civic has gone through several generational changes, becoming both larger and more comfortable moving into the compact car segment.

Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient with a 1169cc engine, reliable and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness. Currently, its sells stand at 16.5 million worldwide.  

Honda Accord (1976-present)

The Honda Motor Company began as motorcycles manufacturer in 1948 and later ventured into automotive production in 1963.

Accord and Civic became one of its first car models produced, and has since become one of the most successful cars ever produced by the company.

Accord became the first car from a Japanese manufacturer to be produced in the United States from 1982 and has since become the most successful Japanese car sold in North America.

Honda Accord has achieved considerable success, especially in the US, where it was the best-selling Japanese car for 16 years (1982–97), topping its class in sales in 1991 and 2001, with around 10 million vehicles sold.

Ford Model T (1908-1927)

This was the first car to achieve one million, five million, 10 million and 15 million units sold. By 1914, it was estimated that nine out of every 10 cars in the world were Fords.

It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class people in the world.

Volkswagen Passat (1972-present)

Volkswagen is certainly the second most popular automotive company after Toyota. Having its three models on this list isn’t a surprise.

The four-door saloon is a series of large family cars now in its eighth generation.

To date, it is the third most successful Volkswagen model, having sold more than 15 million cars worldwide.

Chevrolet Impala (1958-85, 1994-96, 1999-2020)

It is not by surprise that this is the only car from American car manufacturer General Motors (GM) that falls on top 10 list of best-selling cars of all time.

GM has been focusing mostly on manufacturing left-hand wide off-road cars that are just like the American highways and these are some of the reasons why they have not been selling in most countries in the world.

In 2009, the company had gone bankrupt and closed up until 2015 when the American government offered them grants. 

The GMC, Cadillac Escalade, the highly hyped Hummer and the Chevrolet are the brands that build up GM.

Impala’s best selling nameplate; over 13 million built over nine generations not counting 2000 to present.

Production for 2000 to present is unknown. The bestselling car in America in a single year with 1,046,514 sold in 1965.