The World’s 10 Best-Selling Vehicles from January to June 2016;
1 - Toyota Corolla 634,298 units
2 - Volkswagen Golf 500,630 units
3 - Ford F-Series 478,384 units
4 - Ford Focus 367,479 units
5 - Hyundai Elantra 363,490 units
6 - Volkswagen Polo 358,602 units
7 - Toyota RAV4 346,791 units
8 - Toyota Camry 339,611 units
9 - Honda CR-V 321,038 units
10 - Chevrolet Silverado 307,845 units
Any list of the world’s best-selling cars is going to be only imperfectly representative of all markets, as very often models and trims vary from one country to the next. All the same, in recent years differences between markets have bene shrinking noticeably. In a sense, the needs and preferences of consumers in different markets are becoming increasingly homogenized.
Toyota dominates with the Corolla… Ford gains ground.
For the first half of this year, the list is quite similar to 2015’s, with the Toyota Corolla on top ahead of the VW Golf. The Ford F-Series , meanwhile, gains one position to sit in the third spot.
SUVs growing in popularity
In a reflection of a longstanding trend in North America, the popularity of SUVs continues to grow globally. The Toyota RAV4 moves up from 10th on the 2015 list to take the 7th position for worldwide sales for the first half of this year. And while the Honda CR-V stays in the same number 9 spot it occupied the year before, its sales are up 10% in comparison to 2015. These increased sales of SUVs are coming at the expense of sedans, whose numbers continue to decline. The Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus and Toyota Camry all saw their sales decrease by between 10% and 15% from 2015 to 2016.
A tight battle brewing
It will be interesting to see the year-end sales totals of the cars occupying the 2nd and 3rd places on the list. The second-place VW Golf has seen its sales decline while right behind it the Ford F-Series has the wind in its sails, racking up a 15% increase in sales. A year-end promotional offer from Ford to boost unit sales past 500,000 could well take it to the second spot. That the American carmaker keeps offering interesting modifications and add-ons to its signature model can only help its cause further.
It’s worth taking a look at a car not on the list but bubbling just beneath it. Hyundai’s new Tucson currently is at 11th place for global sales, with 285,060 units sold as compared to just 94,267 units in the same period in 2015. It is closing in fast on the GM Silverado, which has seen its sales fall slightly, from 310,981 units in 2015 to 307,845 in 2016.
*Source Auto Express - Dennis Publishing Limited.
Focus2Move Global Mobility Database
Data from January to June 2016