Kelley Blue Book celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, marking a century of tracking automotive trends and values. To honor this milestone, we’re counting down some of the top-selling vehicles of all time — models that earned their place through reliability, affordability, and lasting appeal. From the Ford Model T, which revolutionized transportation, to the Toyota Corolla, still prominent in showrooms today, these are the cars that defined generations.
Tracking down reliable historical sales data was more challenging than we expected when we embarked on this exercise. We have relied on information disclosed by the auto manufacturers in their public and media channels, on contemporary press reports, and on our in-house experts. We’re defining “most popular” as vehicles with undisputed sales over time, cultural impact and relevance, and overall memorable stature. Let the debate begin!
10. Ford Model T
The Model T changed the world by making car ownership affordable to ordinary citizens for the first time. Its low price made it possible for everyday workers to purchase and drive an automobile without breaking the bank. Production began in the United States and later expanded overseas. Manufacturing ran from 1908 to 1927, with more than 15 million units built. Next on Ford’s assembly line: the Model A.
9. Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala hit the streets in 1958 and enjoyed over six decades of production before being discontinued in 2020. The car found its niche among middle-class families who valued its practicality and reliability. The Impala became known for its distinctive triple taillights and gained widespread adoption as a police vehicle in the 1970s and 1980s. With about 17 million units sold, the Impala remains one of Chevrolet’s most successful models.
8. Toyota Pickup/Tacoma
The Toyota Pickup was first developed in 1968, and the line continues today. In North American markets, the truck used the simple “Pickup” name, while in many overseas markets, Toyota called the truck “Hilux.” In 1995, Toyota renamed the truck “Tacoma” in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and some other countries, likely to distinguish the midsize truck from a new full-size Toyota truck, the T-100 and later the Tundra. A black Toyota Pickup was featured in the 1985 film Back to the Future. Toyota has sold over 20 million Pickup/Hilux/Tacoma units to date.
7. Volkswagen Beetle
The Beetle’s iconic, quirky shape, combined with its low price, catapulted the vehicle into popularity. Volkswagen designed the Beetle in the early 1930s, but the outbreak of World War II delayed production until 1945. In 1972, the Beetle claimed the crown as the world’s highest-selling vehicle. It remained on the market in the U.S. through the 1979 model year. Beetle production finally ended on July 30, 2003, when the Puebla, Mexico, factory produced the last Type 1 Beetle example. Volkswagen revived the nameplate in the U.S. in 1998, producing a New Beetle through the 2010 model year. Although the vehicle is no longer manufactured, it is still widely acknowledged as a cultural phenomenon. Volkswagen produced 21,529,464 Type 1 Beetle examples during the car’s run from 1945 to 2003, according to Richard Copping’s book, “Volkswagen Beetle.” That’s a lot of Bugs.
6. Ford Fiesta
Ford discontinued the Fiesta in 2023 and stopped selling it after the 2019 model year in the U.S., but the company has suggested it could revive the nameplate as an electric vehicle in 2028, in collaboration with French automotive group Renault. The vehicle was wildly popular in the United Kingdom and claimed the title of the best-selling UK car from 2009 to 2020. In 2017, Ford released the seventh generation of the vehicle globally. Over 22 million units were sold worldwide during the Fiesta’s run. The Fiesta is a great example of a world car that was only modestly popular in the U.S.
5. Honda Civic
The Honda Civic was in the right place at the right time, debuting in the United States just before the 1973 Gas Crisis. Domestic manufacturers had previously ignored the compact fuel-efficient segment, believing that Americans were more interested in horsepower than gas mileage. The Civic stepped in to fill the gap, and Honda worked rapidly to improve quality and amenities to appeal to American tastes. Over its lifetime, the Civic’s long-term reliability, outstanding fuel efficiency, and versatility cemented it as a popular choice for commuters and first-time buyers. Honda released a hybrid version of the vehicle in Japan in 2001, and later expanded it to the United States in 2003. The vehicle was also recognized by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in 2003 as one of the Top Ten Greenest Vehicles. Honda has sold over 27 million examples of the Civic worldwide.
4. Volkswagen Passat
Like the Ford Fiesta (#6 on this list), the Volkswagen Passat is a vehicle with a much bigger presence outside the U.S. than it had here. Launched in 1973 (a year before the VW Golf), the Passat is a midsize vehicle that VW has produced as a 4-door sedan and wagon at various times. Following earlier U.S. sales as the Dasher and Quantum, the Passat nameplate took over in the U.S. in 1990, and left the lineup after the 2022 model year. The global market got a ninth-generation Passat starting in 2024. The Passat is named after a wind, like several other Volkswagen models (Scirocco, Touareg, Golf, and others). Volkswagen has sold over 34 million Passat vehicles.
3. Volkswagen Golf
Over eight generations of production since 1974, the Volkswagen Golf has long been one of the world’s best-selling cars. The original Giorgetto Giugiaro design spawned many imitators (remember the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon?), as the versatile hatchback was sporty and practical. The Golf Mark 1 came to the U.S. as a 1975 model called “Rabbit,” and became the first foreign car built in the U.S. at a plant in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, starting in 1978. The U.S. version took on the Golf name in 1985 as the second-generation hatchback made the scene. The versatile Golf has come in a multitude of variants over the years, from 2-door to 4-door to convertible, making it a great choice for everyday drivers and those looking for a sportier vehicle. The GTI and R lines (the only ones currently available in the U.S.) provide stronger performance. Volkswagen has sold over 37 million Golf examples, according to company sources.
2. Ford F-Series
The top-selling vehicle in the United States for over 40 years, the Ford F-Series has dominated the marketplace with its blend of comfort and utility. The most popular version of this model is the F-150 pickup truck, currently in its fourteenth generation. Heavy-duty variants like the F-250 and F-350 have grown in popularity with the general public, beyond the construction and heavy industry uses they once served. Ford released a fully electric version, the F-150 Lightning, for model year 2022 and ended production in 2025. Ford has sold over 42 million examples of the F-Series to date.
1. Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is the king of global car sales. Thanks to affordability, reliability, and low maintenance costs, this vehicle has delivered dependable transportation to consumers. The Corolla has been around since 1966 (1968 in the U.S.) and was first manufactured in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Since then, it has built a strong reputation as reliable cars at affordable prices and has been manufactured at multiple factories worldwide. Toyota has sold over 52 million Corolla vehicles so far, and there’s no sign it’s slowing down.
There are no universally verified databases on global car sales data, meaning these rankings are based on the best available estimates.
