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- The Tesla Model Y has lost its crown, but by a very small margin and in what’s considered a transition year between the previous model and the update that Tesla presented at the beginning of 2025.
- It’s the second pickup on the list and, while they aren’t direct rivals in the market, it is a tough competitor for the Hilux in terms of sales, as it’s especially in demand in the United States.
- This sedan, which isn’t available in many Western markets, increased its sales by up to 6% last year, achieving 502,000 registered units to squeeze into tenth place on the list of the 10 best-selling cars in the world in 2024.
Toyota has plenty to celebrate: five of their vehicles have made it into the list of the world’s best-selling models in 2024. One of them sits at the very top of this ranking.
Only one can reign supreme. The title of world’s best-selling car is highly contested, a recognition that rewards a manufacturer’s success in designing and building the vehicle that achieved the most registrations in the past 12 months. In 2023, that honor belonged to the Tesla Model Y. In 2024, the electric crossover has been dethroned by another SUV.
It was a huge surprise when, at the beginning of last year, we discovered that an electric car had become the world’s best-selling vehicle. The Model Y achieved a total of 1,223,000 units registered during 2023, figures that represented a significant 11% increase compared to the results obtained the year before.
Toyota RAV4 overtakes Tesla Model Y as the world’s best-selling car
Thanks to automotive analyst Felipe Muñoz, we now know which were the 10 best-selling cars globally. The Tesla Model Y has lost its crown, but by a very small margin and in what’s considered a transition year between the previous model and the update that Tesla presented at the beginning of 2025.
Without taking anything away from the winner, the electric SUV saw its registrations decrease by 3% compared to 2023 data, with 1,185,000 units sold worldwide. The winner surpasses it by just 2,000 units, though it achieved an 11% increase in sales compared to the previous year.
The new king is the Toyota RAV4, a vehicle that managed to register 1,187,000 units in 2024 and now leads the list of best-sellers. In that list, to nobody’s surprise, there are four other Toyota models, two Tesla models, two pickup trucks, and one Chinese car.
The third spot on the podium goes to the Toyota Corolla Cross. The compact SUV closed 2024 achieving 859,000 units registered worldwide, becoming the model on the list with the greatest growth in sales compared to the previous year at 18%.
This massive increase allowed it to climb some positions and surpass the now fourth-ranked Honda CR-V. The Japanese crossover increased sales by 1% and ended up registering a total of 854,000 cars. It is, by far, the best-selling model from Honda.
Toyota dominates the list of global best-sellers
Fifth place goes to another Toyota car. It’s the Corolla Sedan, a compact sedan that saw its sales drop by 11%, closing the year with a still respectable 697,000 units.
One step below we have the Toyota Hilux. Not only is it the sixth-ranked and the fourth best-selling Toyota model in the world, but also the pickup truck that achieved the most sales last year. It ended with 617,000 units registered despite losing 15% of sales compared to the previous year, making it the model that declined the most on the best-seller list.
Even so, the Hilux still outperformed the seventh-ranked Ford F-150. It’s the second pickup on the list and, while they aren’t direct rivals in the market, it is a tough competitor for the Hilux in terms of sales, as it’s especially in demand in the United States. Its sales fell by 2% last year, but it still managed to achieve 595,000 registrations.
Eighth place goes to another Toyota model, the Camry. The sedan also saw its global sales decline by up to 8% compared to 2023 data. This didn’t prevent it from establishing itself among the world’s best-selling cars with a total of 593,000 units.
In penultimate place (at least on this list) we have the Tesla Model 3. The electric sedan, which underwent a complete restyling a few months ago, has seen its sales grow by 10% compared to the previous year. This leap forward has allowed Tesla’s entry-level model to reach ninth place with 560,000 sales.
And in last place we have the BYD Qin. This sedan, which isn’t available in many Western markets, increased its sales by up to 6% last year, achieving 502,000 registered units to squeeze into tenth place on the list of the 10 best-selling cars in the world in 2024.
(It’s worth noting that the global automotive landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with electric vehicles gaining ground but traditional combustion and hybrid models still dominating the sales charts. The narrow margin between the RAV4 and Model Y suggests we’re witnessing a fascinating transition period in automotive history.)
