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Top 10 Best-Selling Cars of All Time

Ranked by total units sold for each nameplate, from the Toyota Corolla to the Honda Accord, with years built and who each one suits.

Toyota Corolla50 million 2

Ford F-Series43 million 3

Volkswagen Golf37 million

Quick answer

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car of all time, with 50 million units sold since 1966 across twelve generations. The Ford F-Series pickup is second at 43 million and the Volkswagen Golf third at 37 million.

How it's ranked: Total units sold per nameplate, as listed on Wikipedia's List of best-selling automobiles. A nameplate counts every generation sold under that name.

Toyota Corolla

Toyota · Compact car · released 1966

50 million

The most popular car ever built, by a wide margin.

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car nameplate of all time with 50 million units sold, and it has held that title since 1997, when it passed the Volkswagen Beetle. Toyota has built it since 1966 and reached the 50 million mark over twelve generations in 2021; its Wikipedia article puts sales at over 54 million as of early 2026. The name means "small crown" in Latin, a nod to the Toyota Crown.

Best forBuyers who want a reliable, low-cost compact car

Skip it ifYou need room for a big family or heavy towing

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Toyota_Corolla

Ford F-Series

Ford · Pickup truck · released 1948

43 million

The truck that outsells almost every car on earth.

The Ford F-Series is the best-selling pickup line ever, with 43 million units sold. Ford has built it since the 1948 model year as its range of full-size pickups. The F-150, introduced in 1975, is the most popular version and is now in its fourteenth generation, introduced for the 2021 model year; the Super Duty trucks added in 1999 cover the heavier F-250 to F-450 models.

Best forTowing, hauling and work-site duty

Skip it ifYou want easy parking in a tight city

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Ford_F-Series

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen · Compact hatchback · released 1974

37 million

Europe's benchmark hatchback for five decades.

The Volkswagen Golf is Volkswagen's best seller and the third best-selling car of all time, with over 37 million units sold worldwide. It has been built since 1974 across eight generations and sold in the United States and Canada for some generations as the Volkswagen Rabbit. The original Golf replaced the rear-engined Beetle with a front-engined, front-wheel-drive design.

Best forA practical, fun-to-drive hatchback

Skip it ifYou want a big sedan or SUV

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Volkswagen_Golf

Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen · Family car · released 1973

34 million

The quiet family workhorse behind the Golf.

The Volkswagen Passat has sold 34 million units worldwide, making it the fourth best-selling car of all time. Volkswagen has built it since 1973 as a large family car, sold as a sedan, wagon and hatchback and under names including Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar and Carat in different markets.

Best forLong-distance comfort and a big trunk

Skip it ifYou want a small city car

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Volkswagen_Passat

Honda Civic

Honda · Compact car · released 1972

28 million

The compact car that made Honda a household name.

The Honda Civic has sold 28 million units, according to the best-selling automobiles list, and its own article counts over 27 million through 2021. Honda introduced it in July 1972 as a two-door fastback sedan with a 1,169 cc engine and front-wheel drive, and it built a reputation for being fuel-efficient and reliable. Today it sits between the Fit/City and the Accord in Honda's line-up.

Best forFuel economy and long-term reliability

Skip it ifYou need three rows of seats

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Honda_Civic

Toyota Camry

Toyota · Mid-size sedan · released 1982

22 million

Toyota's other global best seller.

The Toyota Camry has sold 22 million units and has been on sale since 1982. It started as a compact car and grew to mid-size in the 1990s, and Toyota calls it its second "world car" after the Corolla. In several markets it sits above the Corolla and below the Avalon or Crown.

Best forA comfortable, reliable family sedan

Skip it ifYou want an off-road vehicle

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Toyota_Camry

Ford Fiesta

Ford · Supermini · released 1976

22 million

Europe's favorite small Ford, now only on the used market.

The Ford Fiesta sold 22 million units over seven generations, from 1976 until it was discontinued in 2023. It was developed mainly by Ford's European operations and positioned below the Escort and later the Focus, and it was built in countries from the United Kingdom and Germany to Brazil, India and South Africa.

Best forUsed-car buyers who want a cheap, nimble small car

Skip it ifYou want to buy one new - production has ended

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Ford_Fiesta

Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen · Small family car · released 1938

21.5 million

The best-selling single design ever made.

The original Volkswagen Beetle, officially the Type 1, sold 21.5 million units and was built from 1938 to 2003. Its 65-year production run is the longest for any single generation of car, and it is the best-selling car of a single platform in history. It was built in twenty locations worldwide and became a global cultural icon.

Best forClassic-car collectors

Skip it ifYou want modern safety features

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Volkswagen_Beetle

Toyota Hilux

Toyota · Pickup truck · released 1968

21 million

The world's go-to tough pickup.

The Toyota Hilux has sold 21 million units since 1968. It is mostly sold as a pickup truck or cab chassis. Toyota says the name is a blend of "High Luxury" - it was considered luxurious only next to the spartan, heavy-duty Toyota Stout that came before it.

Best forTough work and rough roads

Skip it ifYou live in the US or Canada - it is not sold new there

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Toyota_Hilux

Honda Accord

Honda · Mid-size sedan · released 1976

19.5 million

Honda's long-running family sedan.

The Honda Accord has sold 19.5 million units since 1976, and its article puts worldwide sales at over 19 million. It is best known as a four-door sedan and has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord name has also been used on coupes, wagons and hatchbacks.

Best forA roomy, refined daily sedan

Skip it ifYou want a truck or a big SUV

Source: en.wikipedia.org › Honda_Accord

Questions people ask

What is the best-selling car of all time?

The Toyota Corolla, with 50 million units sold since 1966.

What is the best-selling truck of all time?

The Ford F-Series, with 43 million units sold since 1948.

Is the Volkswagen Beetle still the best seller?

No. The Beetle sold 21.5 million and was passed by the Corolla in 1997, but it is still the best-selling car built on a single platform.

Which brand has the most cars on this list?

Toyota and Volkswagen each have three, Ford and Honda each have two.

Which car on this list is no longer made?

The Ford Fiesta ended production in 2023 and the original Volkswagen Beetle in 2003.

How we ranked

Total units sold per nameplate, as listed on Wikipedia's List of best-selling automobiles. A nameplate counts every generation sold under that name. Every number on this page comes from the source linked under each pick, and every photo shows the actual product. Brands can't pay to be on this list.

List source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_automobiles · Updated 2026-11-11