The best-selling cars of all time

Eight million or more

If you grew up in Britain, you’ll remember a time when a Mk2 Ford Fiesta like the one above was parked on every suburban street. The Popular Plus and XR2 are mostly forgotten now, but the Fiesta has gone on to become one of the world’s best-selling cars. Nonetheless, others have sold even more. Here, we count down the most popular cars ever made – nothing here has sold less than eight million…

Renault 4

Total sales: 8.1 million

Ladies and gentleman, give it up for the Renault 4. Compared to some of the dizzying figures further up this list, 8.1 million sounds relatively modest. But hang on a minute, because that’s from a single car. No ‘next generation’ this or ‘original, updated’ that. One. Single. Car. Born in 1961, died in 1992. Legend.

Citroen 2CV

Total sales: 8.8 million

We’re cheating a little bit here, because the 8.8 million figure includes derivatives of the 2CV, such as commercial vehicles. That said, even in standard form, the ‘Tin Snail’ managed nearly four million sales.

Fiat Uno

Total sales: 8.8 million

Few could have predicted how successful the Uno would be. The pretty, Giugiaro-designed supermini was born in 1983 and became incredibly popular in developing countries. Around 6.3 million were produced in Italy, with the remainder in locations such as South America, Morocco and the Philippines. The name even lives on in the form of the Fiat Novo Uno.

Mini

Total sales: 9 million

Mini purists look away now, because we’re combining the figures delivered by the original Mini and the BMW remake. Between 1959 and 2000, more than 5.3 million Minis were sold. The new Mini has managed around four million sales since – and you can expect that to rise and rise.

Fiat Punto

Total sales: 9 million

The Punto soldiered on until 2018, looking increasingly behind the times. Still, with a total of nine million sales behind it, this stylish hatchback was very successful. Approximately 90 percent of Puntos have been pressed into use as hire cars in southern Europe. Probably.

Ford Mustang

Total sales: 10.3 million

Ford built its 10 millionth Mustang in 2018. Since then, ‘Mustang’ has become a brand in its own right, with the new electric Mach-e SUV named after Ford’s iconic pony car. We’ll take a Shelby-tuned original with a good ol’ V8, thanks anyway.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Total sales: 10 million

Mercedes-Benz was a bit sneaky with the 10 million claim, because that includes the 190 that preceded the C-Class. But hey, as nine million German taxi drivers will testify, the C-Class has been a sales hit.

Toyota Camry

Total sales: 10 million

The Camry recently returned to the UK after a long absence, but it has remained incredibly popular across the pond. In 2020, it was America’s fifth best-selling vehicle, with the top three places all taken by trucks. We’ll meet the top-selling Ford F-150 further up this list.

Volkswagen Jetta

Total sales: 10 million

We can’t buy the Jetta in the UK, but other countries – the USA, especially – can’t get enough of the Golf with a boot. Otherwise known as the GWAB. Not really.

Mazda 323

Total sales: 10.5 million

Another surprise? Perhaps, but the Mazda 323/Familia earns its place here with a very strong performance. First introduced as a van, the Familia Sedan made its debut in October 1964. It quickly established itself as Mazda’s core model and went on to sell in excess of 10 million.

Oldsmobile Cutlass

Total sales: 11.9 million

Six generations, 38 years and 11.9 million units sold. Yep, the Cutlass was a successful motor car. Shame the Oldsmobile brand no longer exists.

Vauxhall and Opel Astra

Total sales: 12 million

Certainly a car you’d expect to find on this list, but given the recent arrival of a new Astra – and indeed a fully electric Astra-e – we wonder how many sales this familiar hatchback can add to its 12 million total.

Renault Clio

Total sales: 12 million

The Renault 5 didn’t make this list, but its successor, the Renault Clio, has done. Not all owners are called Nicole and not all Clios are mass-market, as the mid-engined V6 version proved.

Ford Focus

Total sales: 12 million

The Ford Focus is a big-selling nameplate around the world. It also topped the UK charts for many years before being surpassed by the smaller Fiesta. Even so, Ford recently announced that Focus production will end in 2025, as the company pivots to electric cars.

Volkswagen Polo

Total sales: 12 million

It’s got a way to go before it catches up with its larger sibling, but the Volkswagen Polo – which has a reputation for solidity and reliability – goes from strength to strength.

Chrysler Voyager

Total sales: 12 million

Lord Sugar’s candidates may have traded up to Volkswagen Transporters, but the Chrysler Grand Voyager has managed to rack up 12 million sales across the world since 1988. You’re hired.

Opel and Vauxhall Corsa

Total sales: 13 million

The Corsa is the most successful Vauxhall-Opel car ever, and has now overtaken the Ford Fiesta in the UK sales chart. Like the larger Astra, a new all-electric version adds an interesting twist to the range.

BMW 3 Series

Total sales: 13 million

Ah, the BMW 3 Series. The world’s best premium compact saloon. Guaranteed to provide a certain level of exclusivity. That’s if you don’t include the other 12,999,999 drivers.

Chevrolet Impala

Total sales: 14 million

Chevrolet has managed to shift more than 14 million Impalas since its introduction in 1958. Today, it is far removed from the elegance and charm offered by the first three generations – or the cool-factor of the classic Impala SS muscle car.

Volkswagen Passat

Total sales: 15.5 million

Ferdinand Piech, legendary leader of the Volkswagen Group, should have taken pride in his achievement with the Passat. He turned it from an also-ran family saloon to a hugely successful compact exec. Fair play, Dr Piech.

Ford Fiesta

Total sales: 16 million

It’s the UK’s best-selling car of all time and has also managed to amass more than 16 million sales across the world. Is this a good opportunity to remind you how good the Fiesta ST is? OK, thought not.

Ford Model T

Total sales: 16.5 million

The amazing thing about the Ford Model T is that there are only eight cars above it on the list of best-sellers. It revolutionised the car industry and Ford sold 16.5 million in just 20 years. It was also named the most influential car of the 20th century.

Honda Accord

Total sales: 18 million

The Honda Accord is incredibly popular around the world, but it’s the way it conquered America that impresses most. It was the first Japanese car to be built in the USA and has developed a hard-earned global reputation for reliability.

Ford Escort

Total sales: 18 million

The Ford Escort cheats the system. The original Escort was introduced in Europe back in 1968, with the North American version arriving in 1981. The name even made a comeback in China, as a saloon car based on the previous generation Focus.

VAZ-2101

Total sales: 19.3 million

What do you want to call this? The Fiat 124, the Lada 1200, the Lada Riva, or perhaps the VAZ-2101? The 2101 was a re-engineered Fiat 124 that became the wheels of the Eastern Bloc. It wasn’t very good, but it sold in huge numbers.

Honda Civic

Total sales: 20 million

The Civic is ahead of the Accord, but let’s not forget it arrived four years earlier than its larger sibling. That said, the Civic changed the fortunes of Honda, opening up a global market. Without the Civic, Honda might not be a household name today.

Volkswagen Beetle

Total sales: 23.5 million

It needs no introduction, The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the best-known and best-selling cars in the world, amassing a total of 23.5 million sales since its launch in 1938. It remains the only good thing we can give Adolf Hitler credit for.

Volkswagen Golf

Total sales: 35 million

In 1974, Giugiaro penned the original and quite brilliant Golf. Eight generations later, more than 35 million have found homes. This is especially impressive today when there are so many alternatives on offer, not least from within Volkswagen’s own stable.

Ford F-Series

Total sales: 38 million

The Ford F-Series is not only the king of pick-ups, it’s arguably the king of all vehicles. Certainly in North America, anyway. The most impressive fact is that the vast majority of those millions have been sold in the USA.

Toyota Corolla

Total sales: 50 million

The Toyota Corolla is the automotive equivalent of white goods. But that’s clearly what millions of people want – 50 million, to be exact. Former Toyota president Eiji Toyoda said: “While some are of the opinion that Corolla rode the wave of motorisation, I think it is the other way around. We worked to create popular demand with Corolla and that’s what we did.” Hard to argue with that.