Best Selling Cars Around The Globe: Toyota Corolla Now #3 In The World!

Matt Gasnier
by Matt Gasnier

After giving you my monthly World Roundup for November a few days ago, I will now rewind back one month (detailed data by model worldwide takes some time to compile…) to offer you an estimate of the Top 150 best-selling models in the world in October…

Had enough of the world and you just want to know which cars sell best in your own backyard? Easy. You can visit 171 countries and territories in my blog in the comfort of your own lounge. Just like that.

Back to our the world…

If in September the Ford Focus had started to benefit from the Japanese drama in China to pass the Toyota Corolla and historically grab the worldwide pole position, in October things are getting worse for Toyota… You can check out the worldwide Top 150 models ranking hereHandicapped by dramatically low sales in China, the Toyota Corolla now drops to passed by the Hyundai Elantra! The Focus stays on top with 88,096 sales, ahead of the Elantra at 74,386 units – its strongest worldwide month so far in 2012 and benefitting from a very successful launch of the last gen in China – and the Corolla at 73,833 sales… Two more models pass the 70,000-units mark this month: the Jetta and Passat, again on the back of mammoth Chinese sales.
VW Passat

The Ford F-Series (+1), VW Golf (-3) and Chevrolet Cruze (-2) follow, while the VW Polo is back in the Top 10 at #9 (+2) and the Ford Fiesta is stable at

Best-selling cars in the world – October 2012:

You can check out the worldwide Top 150 models ranking here

PosModelOctSep10m 2012Pos1Ford Focus88,0961835,32422Hyundai Elantra74,3865641,19853Toyota Corolla73,8332938,50714VW Jetta70,6333610,38095VW Passat70,0639623,47986Ford F-Series66,4887636,39467VW Golf65,8484648,46938Chevrolet Cruze63,1886634,36079VW Polo/Vento61,55711585,1891110Ford Fiesta53,52210609,95010

You can check out the worldwide Top 150 models ranking here

Outside the Top 10, the Toyota Hilux stays extremely robust in 12th position with just under 50,000 sales, the VW Gol/Voyage surfs on a very dynamic Brazilian market, up 12 spots on September to as does the Fiat Palio/Siena up 19 to The Chevrolet Silverado continues to progress at #17 and should finish the year upwards given the strong incentives GM will offer to get rid of stock of the current model before the 2014 generation launches early next year.

Kia K3

The Hyundai Tucson/ix35 is up again at #19 vs. #32 year-to-date, the Wuling Rongguang smashes its monthly record at 34,220 units and #27 (+17), the Kia Cerato/K3 starts to enjoy the effects of the K3 launch in South Korea and China at #28 (+21), the BMW 3 Series is up a further 4 ranks to #31 vs. #47 year-to-date, the VW Lavida is up 20 to #37 vs. #71 YTD and the Renault Duster, helped by fantastic performances in Russia and India, is up 22 spots to a best-ever

Toyota Aqua

Further down, the Toyota Prius c/Aqua breaks into the worldwide Top 50 for the first time at #43 and 27,720 sales, helped by a historical win in Japan. It now also outsells the Prius for the first time ( The Peugeot 208 is getting closer the Top 50 at while the Hyundai Santa Fe stays solid at #68 vs. #90 year-to-date and the Hyundai i20 takes off at #76 (+23) vs. YTD.

Matt Gasnier
Matt Gasnier

More by Matt Gasnier

Comments
Join the conversation
5 of 27 comments
  • Jimmyy Jimmyy on Dec 31, 2012

    The highly regarded Consumer Reports just ranked: Worst value for a small hatchback: Ford Focus SE Best value for a small sedan: Toyota Corolla LE

    • See 1 previous
    • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Jan 01, 2013

      I guess phrases "highly regarded Consumer Reports" and "Best value for a small sedan: Toyota Corolla LE" are sarcastic. Only CR can call piece of garbage "the best value".

  • AJ AJ on Jan 01, 2013

    Now that's some boring cars at the top.

    • Wsn Wsn on Jan 01, 2013

      Cars at the top are boring by definition. If you see 1M sales of Ferrari Enzos at the top, followed by 0.9M of 911s, those cars will be the very definition of boring cars.

  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
  • Corey Lewis Think how dated this 80s design was by 1995!
  • Tassos Jong-iL Communist America Rises!
Next