Toyota Corolla – 40+ Million Sold
So, the #1 best-selling car of all time, by raw numbers, is neither exciting nor sporty. It’s the Toyota Corolla, and while it is neither of those cool things, it is certainly worthy of this distinction. Designed and built in 1966, the Corolla was, surprisingly, the best-selling car in the world just 8 years later, in 1974. It has since retained this title. Why?
For starters, this formerly subcompact, currently mid-size car is one of the most reliable cars ever made, period. Loyalists to the brand frequently boast about the digits on their odometers, with some 70’s and 80’s models clocking in over 350,000 miles, still running and driving. The Corolla has seen the most changes and updates across its production line with eleven generations built, almost more than any other car on this list.
source: ShutterStock
Most of those updates were mechanical, with the general styling of the Corolla remaining the same from 1966 to 1987. The Corolla’s reliability and build quality don’t come with a premium price tag, either. In fact, the Corolla has always been one of Toyota’s least expensive cars ever produced, and even with the 2018’s well-equipped rendition, that hasn’t changed. Today, the new Corolla comes standard with pre-collision detection, lane departure warning, a 5-star crash rating, 40 MPGs, plenty of cargo space, and respectable performance. In the end, the Corolla is simply the best realization of what the general worldviews as the perfect car.
