The 10 Best-Selling Car Models Of All Time & The 10 Biggest Flops
They Can't All Be Winners
The automobile industry is full of variety. While some cars are known for being reliable workhorses with plenty of curb appeal, others inspire more of a "what were they thinking" reaction. While the Corolla has consistently sold hundreds of thousands of copies yearly since its introduction in the 1960s, the Ford Edsel has gone down in history as one of the most bafflingly unappealing car designs ever. Have you owned any of these best-selling or worst-selling car models?
1. Toyota Corolla
The poster child for reliable sedans, the Toyota Corolla has sold over 50 million units since it was introduced in 1966. It's the world's bestselling car.
2. Volkswagen Beetle
It's easy to understand why the Beetle is so popular. It became the car of the hippie movement and one of the first globally popular cars with a presence all over the world. Over 23 million have been sold.
3. Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is one of the most reliable cars on the market, with consistently high ratings over its 50-year stint. 24 million of them have been sold worldwide.
4. Ford F-Series
Ford F-Series pickups have been the best-selling trucks in the US for almost 50 years, with over 41 million sales worldwide. They've been in production for over 70 years and undergone dramatic transformations in that time, but they will always be a symbol of America.
5. Volkswagen Golf
Another mainstay in the Volkswagen catalogue, Golfs have been in production for over 45 years. With over 35 million units sold and a new one being snatched up approximately 40 seconds after, the Golf's popularity is unrelenting.
Charles Gaudreault on Unsplash
6. Lada Riva
It may surprise you to learn that the Lada Riva is one of the top-selling cars of all time, with over 17 million sold. It was the most popular passenger car ever produced in the Soviet Union. Production of the car ended in 2012 due to tightened emissions regulations in Western Europe.
7. BMW 3 Series
Since it was introduced in 1975, BMW has sold over 16 million 3 Series. It has some of the best driving dynamics out of any sedan on the market, and its classy design comes at an attainable price.
8. Ford Model T
Ford revolutionized the automobile industry with the Model T, the first mass-produced car. Between 1908 and 1927, 16.5 million units were sold, accounting for 55 percent of all cars on the road worldwide. It was the first car that was truly affordable to middle-class Americans.
9. Honda Accord
As at least one Honda Accord can be spotted at any given moment on almost any highway in the world, it should come as no surprise that it's among the best-selling cars of all time. Over 18 million have been sold since it was introduced in 1976.
10. Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen is doing what it always set out to do: make cars for the people. The Passat is a great example of one, with over 30 million sold, it's one of the best-selling midsize sedans on the planet.
Now that we've covered the best-selling cars on the planet, let's go over the models that have flopped the hardest.
1. Acura NSX
The first-generation Acura NSX was produced between 1993 and 2005, but it only sold a few hundred each year. It was revamped and reintroduced in 2016, but the result was underwhelming and expensive. Less than 2,000 were sold over six years.
2. Cadillac Catera
Marketed as a sporty sedan, the Catera was Cadillac's attempt to appeal to a younger demographic and compete with the likes of Acura and BMW, but its lackluster design and frequent recalls meant it didn't quite stand up to the task. After peaking in 1997 with over 17,000 units sold, sales tanked to only 7,500 and just kept falling.
3. Ford Edsel
One look at the Ford Edsel, and it's no surprise that it was one of the biggest flops in automobile history. Over-sized, over-stylized, and over-priced, only about 3,000 Edsels were ever sold.
4. Alfa Romeo 4C
The 4C was Alfa Romeo's failed attempt at a US comeback. The Italian exotic car proved to be uncomfortable and impractical for daily use, and only around 2,000 were ever sold.
Iorisrandombses5001 on Wikimedia
5. Chevrolet SSR
It's no wonder this weird-looking cross between and pickup and a convertible didn't sell well. Its toy-like aesthetic, complicated foldable top, truck bed that couldn't actually be used like one, and high price made it extremely unappealing to buyers, and only around 25,000 were sold.
6. DeLorean DMC-12
While the DeLorean DMC-12 garnered a cult following after being featured in the Back To The Future trilogy, it was known as a lemon, with only around 3,000 ever sold. It was such a flop that it even led to the company's financial ruin.
7. Fiat 500L
The 500L was a weird mini van Fiat 500 crossover introduced in 2013. While attempting to be too many things, it didn't really fit the bill for any, and unsurprisingly, sales were dismal, with only 6,000 sold over a seven-year period.
8. Cadillac ELR
Introduced in 2012, the Cadillac ELR's downfall was its price. It was essentially a Chevy Volt powertrain and platform wrapped in a more luxurious, $75,000 package. Buyers were unimpressed, and less than 3,000 were sold.
9. Tesla Cybertruck
Perhaps the world is just not ready for the cutting-edge design of the Cybertruck, perhaps it never will be. Despite generating immense buzz, the Cybertruck has missed Tesla owner Elon Musk's sales predictions by a staggering 84 percent.
