Which car holds the record as the best-selling automobile model of all time?

The Toyota Corolla is widely recognized as the best-selling automobile model of all time. Toyota introduced the Corolla in 1966, and its combination of compact dimensions, affordable pricing, dependable engineering, and low running costs helped it become a global success.

The name Corolla comes from a Latin word meaning “small crown,” continuing Toyota’s tradition of using names associated with the Toyota Crown. Over more than half a century, the Corolla has been sold in many body styles and adapted for different markets, including sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, and, in some regions, related variants such as the Corolla Levin.

The record is sometimes discussed alongside the Volkswagen Beetle, Volkswagen Golf, and Ford F-Series because manufacturers count sales and generations differently. The Corolla’s commonly cited total combines its successive generations and international versions, while some competing claims use narrower model definitions. Even with those methodological differences, Toyota Corolla is the standard quiz answer and the model most commonly identified as the global sales leader. Toyota has reported more than 50 million Corolla-family vehicles sold.