Best Selling Cars Around The Globe: Who Is Really The Winner In California?

Matt Gasnier
by Matt Gasnier

Last time I opened my mouth we went on an exhausting worldwide roundup that crowned the new generation Toyota RAV4 as the most impressive performer. So this time I thought we should just relax and enjoy the sights of California.

Sales by state is a rare luxury so please indulge…

…but don’t expect too many pick-up trucks or Fords or Chevrolets though…

See the Top 15 best-selling models in California here

California is the largest state in the USA in terms of new car sales, and over the first Quarter of 2013 it is up a massive 13% year-on-year to 403,658 registrations, to be compared with +7% in the USA overall. Toyota doesn’t separate sales of different Prius models in sales statistics by state, so as a result the Prius family is once again the best-selling ‘model’ in California with 15,661 sales and 3.9% share.

However the Honda Accord can be considered the most popular unique model here thanks to 15,369 units sold and 3.8% share, passing the Toyota Camry (now and Honda Civic (now that were both above it both over the Full Year 2012 and Q4 2012. So a very satisfying performance for the Accord really benefiting from the ‘new’ generation of the model…

Toyota Corolla

See the Top 15 best-selling models in California here

The Toyota Corolla also registers a very impressive gain, up to #4 with 14,188 sales and 3.5% vs. 2.2% over Q4. This means the 5 most popular cars in California over the period are all Japanese! In fact, Japanese brands represent 48% of the Californian car market vs. 37% in the US as a whole, while US brands account for 28% of sales vs. 45% in the US overall and European marques are at 16% vs. 9%…

The Ford F-Series remains the best-selling domestic model, up one spot on 2012 to #6 at 8,806 units and 2.2%.

Tesla Model S

See the Top 15 best-selling models in California here

In fact Ford brings two additional models in the Californian Top 15 this year: the Focus is up to #10 with 6,637 sales and the Fusion is up to #12 at 6,507 units. With the Chevrolet Silverado at #14 this makes 4 US models in the Top 15 vs. just two last year.

Would American brands be starting to reclaim Los Angeles streets?

Finally, notice the Tesla Model S selling 2,406 units or roughly half of all its total US sales over the period!

Check out also:

California (USA) Full Year 2012: Toyota Prius new leader

California (USA) Q4 2012: BMW 3 Series and Mercedes E-Class up

That’s all for today!

Matt Gasnier, based in Sydney, Australia, runs a blog named Best Selling Cars Blog, dedicated to counting cars all over the world.

Matt Gasnier
Matt Gasnier

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  • Chicagoland Chicagoland on May 30, 2013

    "...the 5 most popular cars in California over the period are all Japanese!" Um, not a surprise at all, an '!' as if it's something never heard before? Biggest surprise is 'only' 48% market share, I expected higher, with all the talk about CA being nearly all Asian makes on freeways.

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on May 30, 2013

    No Leaf sales in Q1? Something's missing from the data.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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