TeamOwning a great car is the most amazing feeling in the world! With a plethora of automobile manufacturers out there, new models enter the market every few days. Spoilt for choice, people buy cars based on brand trust, features, affordability, personal choice, and other random factors.
However, if we look at the history of cars, each carmaker has had some hit releases and some flops. But how does one decide if the car has aced it? Well, the answer lies in its sales. If the car has sold in millions, it is considered a public favorite and therefore produced, marketed, and exported in huge numbers.
While choosing the right car for you, picking up a public popular choice is perhaps the wisest move ahead since it’s a heavy investment and you don’t want to suffer later. Here are some top-selling cars of the past few decades that you can consider for the perfect ride;
1. Toyota Corolla
Who hasn’t heard of Toyota’s number one car, Corolla? Released in the year 1966, Corolla quickly won consumers’ hearts and by 1974, it was ruling the automobile market. By 1997, it had outdone even the charming Volkswagen Beetle with skyrocket sales. But Corolla is popular even today and people buy a Corolla every 15 seconds.
So what makes this car most loved? The truth is, it does everything a car is supposed to do without being too flashy. It’s reliable, affordable, has good gas mileage, and a perfect family car. It might not necessarily appear the most exciting, but its comfort level is what attracts buyers most. The Corolla is for anybody who wants a trouble-free vehicle for the long term.
2. Ford F-Series
Ford F-Series, is another popular choice for millions of drivers globally. Introduced to the world in 1948, Ford’s F-Series became the best-selling truck by 1977. However, during these years, this model saw many changes and remodeling. In 1961, Ford released the F series in various size options that gained much public praise.
Simply put, the F-Series is more liked in the US where it accounts for over 50% of the truck market as compared to the Ranger which makes up a large part of the truck market outside the US. Statistics reveal that over 15 million F-Series were sold in North America alone!
This vehicle is one tough truck capable of pulling massive loads or towing huge trailers and will last you for many years.
3. Volkswagen Golf
Moving down the list, we find the best-selling car coming out of Europe; the Volkswagen Golf. It added the hatchback body style in the ’70s to distance itself from its rival, the Golf-chasing Rabbit. Today, only its name and body style are shared with the Rabbit.
It has been Volkswagen’s go-to family electric vehicle and has helped the company keep its sales up, despite the dip in sales as a result of the Dieselgate Crisis. In 1997, it became Volkswagen’s best-selling model, and today it is also one of the most popular vehicles in Europe.
4. Honda Civic
Next is the world’s best-selling passenger car; the Honda Civic! In the United States, the Civic has sold over 28 million cars since its introduction. It is a US favorite since its emergence in 1973 and one of the best compacts on the market as of present; one quick look at the roads and you’ll probably see generations of Civics still out there
Like the Corolla, the Civic is another family favorite that provides reliability as well as versatile options in color, model, and features. For anyone looking for an affordable fuel-efficient, comfortable ride, the Civic may be the perfect car.
5. Lada Riva
The Lada Riva is one of Russia’s most successful automobiles, but unfortunately known for all the wrong reasons. Launched in 1970  by VAZ – a state-owned Soviet car company, the Riva came to be known by multiple names such as the Lada 1200 and the VAZ 2101.
The Riva was meant to be the “largest in its class worldwide”. It had an air-cooled V4 engine and weighed less than 2,000 pounds. It was intended to be a luxury vehicle, but the quality was dismal. The Riva was plagued with reliability issues, while the suspension was said to be “disappointing”. Simply put, it wasn’t at all an admirable car, in fact, it was dreadful! However, since it was one of the few bulletproof models out there, 19 million were sold. Surprisingly, the Lada remained in production even until 2012!
