Ivan Vicario Martin
The listing of best selling cars in history has evolved a lot in recent decades, as could not be otherwise. Gone are the days when the top of the rankings was the Volkswagen Type 1 “Beetle”, which took the throne from the Ford Model T. The American model was the leader of the ranking for decades, but it no longer appears in the top ten.
The main reason is that, over time, the criteria for making this list have been relaxed. The main change is because The sum of several generations is now accepted, while the Model T and the Beetle achieved their figures by being basically the same car. In other words, without the change in methodology, both would still be at the top of the list.
To spice up the list, we are going to do it in ascending order, that is, the best-selling will be the last one. Also, as a finishing touch, We will tell you which is the most popular sports car in history, the only one to exceed more than 10 million units put on the market. To put things in context, the production of the first seven generations of the Porsche 911 was 1.045.055 copies.
15th – CHEVROLET IMPALA: MORE THAN 14 MILLION UNITS
We are talking about a model whose presence in the market has been like the Guadiana River, that is, it has appeared and disappeared from time to time. It is not currently for sale, but it was produced between 1958 and 1985, then between 1994 and 1996, and finally between 2000 and 2020. It has sold millions over its ten generations, mainly in the United States.
14th – BMW 3 SERIES: MORE THAN 14 MILLION UNITS
The BMW 3 Series has become the brand's best-selling model over the years, Reaching up to 30% of its sales. Although the most basic versions have been the ones that account for the majority of production, the truth is that the different M3 variants has served to boost its popularity and also its presence in competitions.
13th – FORD MODEL T: 15 MILLION UNITS
It is possibly the first global automotive icon and the first truly global car. Henry Ford dreamed of motorizing the United States and, although he was not the pioneer, he was the first to take advantage of the benefits of mass production. For most of its commercial life, the Model T It was only available in black, hence Ford's phrase “You can order the T in any color, as long as it is black”.
12th – FORD FIESTA: MORE THAN 15 MILLION UNITS
In July 2023 the Seafood said goodbye to the market for good. Seven generations have passed since 1976 and, above all, a success that led it to be the best-selling car in markets such as the English one for years. Its enormous production figures are its greatest legacy.
11th – VOLKWAGEN PASSAT: 16 MILLION UNITS
Quietly, the Passat has been adding more and more sales since its arrival on the market in 1973. For six generations, it was Volkswagen's flagship sedan, although For the last time it is only sold as a family model, cannibalized by SUVs. Only in China is it sold as a sedan.
10th – HONDA ACCORD: MORE THAN 18 MILLION UNITS
This is another sedan whose global success we have yet to fully appreciate. . where it has a smaller market share. In both Japan and the United States, its sales are very significant, so that has surpassed 18 million accumulated copies since it appeared in 1978. It is now in its tenth generation.
9th – TOYOTA HILUX: MORE THAN 19 MILLION UNITS
We continue the list of the best-selling cars in history with a pick-up that is a true global success. It is sold practically all over the world., in countries as diverse as Thailand, Australia, South Africa, Arabia, Argentina or Mexico. Each of its eight generations stands out for its bomb-proof toughness and reliability.
8th – FORD ESCORT: 20 MILLION UNITS
Although with the arrival of the Focus, the name Escort It was no longer used, but between 1968 and 2002 it was a car of enormous popularity practically all over the world. In addition, it was manufactured in various parts of the world, including the Ford factory in Almusafes, where a total of 1.098.393 units were assembled.
7th – FIAT 124 AND DERIVATIVES: 20.667.000 UNITS
Although it is not normally done, we thought it was fair to group the figures for the Fiat 124 and its derivatives, since The frame and body are basically identical. One and a half million Fiats were manufactured, plus another million and a half in Spain as SEATs, in addition to the almost 18 million made in the USSR and Russia and under the Zhiguli, VAZ or LADA brands. We would still have to add the Premier 118 NE Indians and the Turkish or Korean versions.
6th – VOLKSWAGEN “BEETLE”: 21.529.464 UNITS
Seen in perspective, It is possible that no car will ever sell as well as the Volkswagen Type 1 in a single generation. If this criterion were followed, it would be the clear leader of this list of the best-selling cars in history. Of course, the “people’s car” turned out to fulfill this premise to the letter. It was in production from 1938 to 2003.
5th – OPEL CORSA: MORE THAN 22 MILLION UNITS
We may not be aware of the popularity of race throughout Europe, including markets such as the English one, where it was even able to overtake the Fiesta. In 1998, it became the best-selling car in the world with more than 900.000 units, at which time It was produced on four continents under five different brands.. It has now reached its sixth generation.
4th – HONDA CIVIC: MORE THAN 27 MILLION UNITS
As with the Accord, the Civic has been a bit of an under-the-radar car in our market, while it was selling like hotcakes all over the worldIt has climbed the list over the years, but it will be hard for it to surpass the cars ahead of it. It has been on sale since 1972 and is now in its eleventh generation.
3rd – VOLKSWAGEN GOLF: MORE THAN 35 MILLION UNITS
One can only applaud Volkswagen for being able to replace the Beetle with an even more iconic car. No one could have imagined the phenomenal success that the Golf would have when it was launched. The first generation made its appearance in the years 1974. Guided by the coveted GTI, it has already reached its eighth generation, which continues to compete in the market against the SUV fashion.
2º – FORD F-SERIES: MORE THAN 40 MILLION UNITS
Americans love serious off-roaders and they love pickup trucks. So it's no surprise that the Ford F-150 and all its versions have topped the sales charts year after year almost since it appeared on the market. market in 1948With no less than 14 evolutions, it is Ford's most successful car, The brand that has the most models in this ranking.
1st – TOYOTA COROLLA: MORE THAN 50 MILLION UNITS
The Corolla surpassed the Beetle as the number one best-selling car in history decades ago, although it took several generations to do so. The Japanese understood the importance of the American market very well, which has boosted the numbers of the most popular Toyota. It arrived on the market in 1966 and is now in its 12th generation.
SPORTS – FORD MUSTANG: MORE THAN 10.250.000 UNITS
The most famous pony car in history is still going strong, to the point of having surpassed the barrier of 10 million cars. Since its appearance in 1965, the Mustang has had no rival, with years in which more than 500.000 copies were placed. By comparison, the Chevrolet Corvette It has not yet reached two million units sold, although in its defense we will say that it is a more upmarket car.
