The history of the automobile is littered with models that barely got off the ground that were monumental flops or that were flashes in the pan disappearing after a period of sales prosperity then there are those that have wildly surpassed expectations remaining favorites for many years if not decades there are hundreds of different car models sold by dozens of automotive manufacturers each and every year so when a single model strikes a chord with people it’s generally pretty special we have the list of the top 10 best selling cars of all time.
Revolutionary Model T
Ford model t with 16.5 million units sold you don’t see any of these around anymore but it’s probably the most revolutionary card that’s ever been made this is the first affordable mass-produced car for the average american it was built in 1908 in detroit by henry ford now considered a classic and one of the most important cars ever made the model t is sought after by collectors and well-preserved models can now fetch a small fortune from 1908 to 1927 ford officially sold over 15 million model t’s but due to spotty record keeping that number might actually be much higher.
Enduring Success: Honda Accord Legacy
Honda accord sold over 17 million units first introduced in the 70s the accord wowed the public with its value fuel economy and standard luxury features years later it’s one of the best selling cars ever made and has earned a reputation for both quality and reliability it went through many transformations since its induction into the Honda lineup in 1976 but one thing about the Honda accord has remained constant it sells in droves today it offers efficiency and good driving dynamics at an affordable price and can do everything most families need.
Opel Corsa: European Commuter Icon
Opel vauxhall corsa sold over 18 million units we can’t get the corsa in the us but in Europe the car has sold like crazy since 1983.the corsa is a practical commuter car that’s been battling for a spot among the best-selling hatchbacks along with vw golf ford fiesta and similar some compacts in the European market opel conceived this little car as a fun sporty and practical commuter car it can quicken your pulse but still help you run your daily errands that mission seems to have connected with people the corsa is the most successful opel voxel model.
Ford Escort: Transatlantic Perspectives
number seven ford escort which sold over 18 million units the escort was introduced to America in 1981 but had been a strong seller in europe since 1968. the escort is well known on both sides of the atlantic but for different reasons in the states it was somewhat of a forgetful people carrier you might remember it as the junky rusty car that your neighbor had but in europe especially the uk the ford escort is a legend it was one of the hottest cars for decades thanks to its extensive use and rallycross the escort helped cement ford’s position in the european market in the united kingdom where sales of the escort were the strongest it became a national institution.
Enduring Legacy: Honda Civic
Honda civic sold over 18 million units it seems that most people either owned or know someone who owned a Honda civic most importantly most people like civics much like accord the civic has a reputation for longevity and high standards however what separates the two is that the civic truly has something for everyone from its original sub-compact design pacific has over the years metamorphosed from one design architecture to one of the best selling packages among the leading brands worldwide before the launch of the civic in 1972 Honda considered pulling out of a car manufacturing altogether the civic was their first big hit on the auto market and kept Honda in the business of making cars good thing they kept selling cars or else they would have missed out on well over 18 million civics sold.
Riva: The Timeless Family Sedan
Spot selling over 19 million units known under a variety of names including the vic-2105 and lada nova the riva is the cockroach of cars small ugly and damn near invincible this is essentially the best bang for the buck family sedan you can get in the 70s hence its popularity in europe what’s even weirder is the model as you see it remained in production until 2012 outdated looks and all however the fact that people still drive these things should stand as proof of how timeless and reliable.
Volkswagen Beetle Legacy
23 million units sold launched in 1938 to hitler’s specifications the beetle took the world by storm in the 1950s and 60s becoming a cultural icon in the process both the vintage beetle of 1938 and the newer models deserve the same spot on the list newer versions of the car haven’t been quite as successful at connecting with the culture but the model has managed to carve out a niche of its own astonishingly the original car remained in production until 2003 who knows how long the new beetle will last the beetle is one of the longest running production cars in history.
Volkswagen Golf Legacy
Over 30 million units sometimes the gulf sometimes the rabbit whatever its name the best-selling model of all time for volkswagen it came on the scene in 1974 and since then the boxy hatchback has sold over 30 million cars the quintessential hot hatch the volkswagen golf is one of the most iconic cars to come out of europe cheap dependable and endlessly fun the gulf is both a practical family car and a capable speedster its gti trim with its turbocharged engine became a rallycross legend and introduced a generation of gearheads to the world of performance motoring simply put the gulf saved volkswagen as it tried to figure out where to go in a post-beetle world the gulf was sold as the rabbit until 2006 when volkswagen brought back the gulf in 2010.
Iconic Ford F-Series
Ford f series with over 40 million units sold ford’s f-series pickup has been america’s best-selling truck since 1977 and the country’s best-selling vehicle since 1983.Ford introduced the 13th generation f series for the 2015 model year and for the first time the ford f-series was mass-produced with an aluminum intensive design while retaining its separate body design work and upskilled gvwr frame the 2017 model year series retain the cab features of the f-150 tough long-lasting and capable of hauling huge loads or towing big trailers the model dates back to 1948 meaning f-series fans have been buying the same truck for generations this means forrest truck has one hell of a dedicated base topping.
Corolla: A Timeless Icon
Toyota corolla with over 44 million units sold among all cars to ever become a household name the corolla seems to be the all-time most popular choice for the average consumer and it’s not hard to see why the company combines incredible reliability with an affordable price technology and decent performance as consistently as any other brand and it doesn’t quit one quick scan of the roads and you’ll likely find generations of corollas still out there.
There are other cars out there that have similar attributes but hardly any of them can do it as simply and easily as the corolla the first toyota corolla rolled off of the assembly line and into our hearts in 1966 by 1974 it was the best-selling car in the world many of these best-selling cars are still sold today which means the rankings from one year to the next will stay pretty consistent the following list was created using data from a number of sources and bestselling carlos it also incorporates recorded sales numbers since those sources were published.
