These were the 10 best-selling cars in the world in 2024

(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) - As every year, the eagerly awaited global ranking of the world's best-selling cars returns. A meticulous analysis that combines official sources, reliable estimates, and data from 153 markets, one-third of which is provided by JATO Dynamics. The remaining information comes from national statistics offices, car dealers, and customs authorities. Here are the figures for 2024.

After dominating the rankings last year, the Tesla Model Y cedes first place to the Toyota RAV4 (also sold as the Wildlander in China). This happened by a very narrow margin: about 3,000 units more for the Toyota, which closed the year with approximately 1,187,000 cars sold (+11% compared to 2023).

A remarkable result considering the current model is reaching the end of its life cycle. Growth was driven by markets such as Europe (+14%) and the Asia-Pacific region (+73%), although the majority of sales remain concentrated in North America (47%) and China (30%).

In contrast, the Tesla Model Y recorded a 3% decline in 2024 (the facelift didn't arrive in Europe until early 2025), with approximately 1,184,500 units sold. Despite 5% growth in China, the decline in Europe (-17%) and the Asia-Pacific region (-39%) had a negative impact on the overall result. China and North America together account for over 76% of the electric SUV's sales.

Corolla disadvantaged by growth of the "twin" SUV

The once undisputed number one in the global market, the Toyota Corolla, slips to fifth place, with a decline of 11%, due both to the age of the model (the current generation dates from November 2018) and the success of the SUV version Corolla Cross, which takes third place with over 858,000 units (+18%).

Close behind, the Honda CR-V (known as Breeze in China) holds fourth place, thanks to moderate growth of 1% with a total of about 854,000 units.

It's notable that four of the top five spots are occupied by Japanese models, three of which are from Toyota. Even more significant is the fact that none of these models is exclusively electric, in a context where electrification is gaining increasing ground.

Hilux and F-150: The pick-ups hold up

In sixth place is the Toyota Hilux, which, despite its age (the current generation dates back to 2015), is still the world's best-selling pickup truck. Its success is largely due to its strong presence in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and Latin America. It is not sold in the United States or China.

Right behind it, in seventh place, is the Ford F-150. Unlike its Japanese rival, the American icon concentrates about 95% of its sales in the US and Canada alone. It's worth remembering that this ranking considers the F-250 and F-350 models separately.

Camry, Model 3 and BYD Qin complete the top 10

In eighth place is another Toyota: the Camry, which continues to defy the SUV craze thanks to the loyalty of markets such as the Middle East, China, and the United States. Its sales gap to the Tesla Model 3 was approximately 33,000 units. The Californian sedan nevertheless benefited from a 10% increase over the previous year, thanks to the facelift introduced at the end of 2023.

Rounding out the top 10 is the BYD Qin, the first Chinese car to enter this global ranking. The electric mid-size sedan owes its success almost exclusively to the Chinese market. BYD's international ambitions are currently focused primarily on SUVs and compact cars.

The author of the article, Felipe Munoz, is Automotive Industry Specialist at JATO Dynamics .