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About This Quiz
When the world's first automakers began tinkering with wild machines in their barns and carriage houses, people thought they were wasting their time. After all, what could possibly replace the horse, car, locomotive or steamship — tried and true methods of travel? It didn't take long for people to begin to take note, however, when these early, self-propelled carriages actually worked and took their drivers where they wanted to go.
The automobile soon became a mark of wealth, available to the elite families who could afford to take a chance on these exciting new machines. But it didn't take long for inventors like Henry Ford, with his inexpensive production line and affordable product, to make them available to the masses, and with that, came competition, economic influence, and the actual start of the auto industry we know today. Over the last century, automobiles have influenced wars, towns and cities, agriculture, and so much more. The way people purchase vehicles can have a massive impact on what gets made next — and what that says about the world.Â
Do you think you know what the best-selling vehicles of the times were? Put your knowledge to the test with the top car quiz today!Â
Ford F-Series
Canadians has some love for their southern neighbors, and they need a reliable pickup truck that can get through any winter weather. That's why Ford F-series trucks have been among the top-selling models in Canada since the 1940s.
RAM 1500
Chevrolet Colorado
Toyota Tacoma
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Honda Civic
Ford Model-T
Chevy Malibu
The Chevy Impala, another mid-sized Chevrolet sedan, is considered one of the best-selling vehicles of all time, but the Chevy Malibu never quite made the list. Honda, VW, Ford, and Toyota show up several times.
Toyota Corolla
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Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Though the 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass was a little bit stuck in the middle when it came to design — after all, the '70s and '80s both had their own unique looks — it still sold very well, more than half a million units that year alone.
Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile Aurora
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1970
1982
In 1965, the title of best-selling car in America went to the Chevy Impala. In 1970, the honor still lay with the Oldsmobile Cutlass, and in 1994, another Ford reigned, the Ford Taurus. In 1982, the honor went to the Ford Escort.
1965
1994
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Dodge
Chevrolet
In 1984, the top-selling vehicle in America was the Cavalier, a vehicle produced from 1982 up until 2005 by Chevrolet. Nearly 400,000 units were sold in 1984. Over the years, it was available in two, three, and four-door options, as a coupe, convertible, hatchback, sedan, and wagon.
Ford
Chrysler
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Chevrolet Corvette
Chevy II
Chevrolet Caprice
Chevrolet Celebrity
Chevrolet continued to hold the crown as the top-selling automaker in America. After the Chevrolet Cavalier had its run, the 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity took over, selling over 400,000 units that year.
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Ford Focus
Ford most definitely has a foothold in the European market and is now even selling the Mustang abroad. In a country of fewer than 5 million people, selling 150,00 vehicles for a single model is no small feat.
Chevy Malibu
Lincoln Continental
Honda Civic
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Ford
As far as American vehicles go, it's not surprising that Ford keeps coming out on top. While the Ford Model-T was one of America's first best-selling vehicles, in 1987, it was the Ford Escort that came out on top.
Chrysler
Dodge
RAM
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Ford F-150
Ford Model-T
Volkswagen Beetle
Toyota Corolla
The competition is close, and it's easy to see why certain cars perform so well in sales at certain points in history. The world's need for smaller, commuter-friendly vehicles at reasonable prices makes the Toyota Corolla, with more than 40 million models sold, the top selling vehicle of all time.
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Nissan
Toyota
Honda
There's a reason Honda keeps showing up at the top of the best-selling vehicle lists, both in America and around the world. Vehicles like the 1989 Honda Accord were affordable, fun to drive, and good on gas, all traits today's Honda models feature as well.
Mazda
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Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Beetle
Ford Model-T
Much of the Ford Model-T's success came from its production and its marketing. It was so much more affordable than anything else on the road — thanks to the use of the Ford assembly line — that mid-level buyers didn't have much choice. This market monopoly allowed it to hit some amazing milestones.
Chevy Impala
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BMW X5
Kia Cerato
Ford Falcon
Many automakers have found success in the Australian market, either by working along Australian automakers or by exporting models to the country. Derivatives of the Ford Falcon have sold over 3.5 million models in Australia.
Holden Commodore
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Ford Taurus
The Toyota Camry came in a close second, but the Ford Taurus was the best-selling vehicle in the American markets for 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996. The Camry came later and lasted four years in a row.
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Chevy Impala
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Toyota Corolla
Ford Taurus
Honda Accord
For years, the same few vehicles have been vying for the top position as the best selling vehicle in America, and the Honda Accord came out on top of the rest in 2001, but it didn't keep the title for long.
Volkswagen Golf
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Toyota Camry
After usurping the 2001 win from the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry went on to become the No. 1 best-selling car in the United States in 2002 and for most of the first decade of the 21st-century.
Ford F-150
Ford Escort
Chevy Impala
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Ford
Chevy
Toyota
Toyota held on to the best-selling sedan in America title from 2002 until 2019. In 2019, they sold nearly 350,000 units of the Toyota Camry, and continue to dominate the streets.
Honda
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Passat
Golf
The Golf hasn't just sold well in Germany, it has sold well all over the world. From 1974 to today, more than 7 million VW Golfs have been sold in Germany and more than 34 million around the world.
Jetta
Arteon
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Volkswagen Polo
Ford Fiesta
While each of these vehicles made the top 10 list of best-selling vehicles in Britain for 2019, the Ford Fiesta came out on top — and it wasn't the first time. Last year alone, more than 75,000 units were sold.
Volkswagen Golf
Vauxhall Corsa
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Lamborghini Diablo
Lamborghini Countach
Lamborghini Murcielago
Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini models are known for their exclusivity, which is why the Lamborghini Gallardo — produced from 2003 to 2013 — is the highest-seller from the brand with just 14,000 units produced.
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Renault
Citroen
Peugeot
In 2019, the top French cars sold were produced by French automakers, including Citroen, Peugeot, and Renault. By the end of the year, Peugeot had sold more than 100,000 units for the year, putting it at the top of the list.
Volkswagen
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Chevrolet Equinox
Nissan Rogue
Honda CR-V
Toyota RAV4
While the other vehicles here were still some of the top sellers in America of 2019, the Toyota RAV4 was the only one listed to sell more than 400,000 units, coming in closer to 450,000. All the vehicles above it on the list are trucks.
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Fiat 500
Fiat Panda
Fiat Uno
The FIAT Uno was only produced from 1983 to 1994, but in 11 years sold to the tune of 4 million units—and did it all in a county with a population of just 60 million people.
Fiat Berlina
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BMW X3
Though BMW is known for its performance and motorsport past, it is the more consumer-friendly BMW X3 that reached top sales for the company in 2019. With more space for passengers and cargo and the perfect blend of performance and luxury, it's little wonder 70,000+ units were sold.
BMW i8
BMW 8 Series
BMW Z4
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RAM pickup
Chevrolet Silverado
Ford F-Series
When it comes to sales, pickup trucks often dominate the list, and 2019 was no exception. Chevrolet, Ford, and RAM trucks each sold more than half a million units for the year, but Ford F-Series topped the list with nearly 900,000.
Toyota Tacoma
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Renault Clio
The Renault Clio has dominated in the French car world since it was first introduced in 1990. More than 14 million have been produced and nearly a quarter of those have been sold at home.
Citroen 2CV
Peugeot 508
Citroen DS
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FIAT
FIAT has long held court over the Italian automotive market, and it's not hard to see why. Cute, lovable and small, FIAT models are perfect for driving through old cities or along the beach. In 2019, nearly 300,000 FIAT units were sold.
Alfa Romeo
Abarth
Lancia
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Dodge Challenger
Ford Mustang
The race was tight, and for most of 2019, it appeared Dodge was going to come out the victor, with the highest sales in the muscle car segment. But the Ford Mustang has been around the block more than once and won the year with more than 70,000 units sold.
Dodge Charger
Chevy Camaro
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BMW X5
Volkswagen Beetle
Mexico was once a location where many Volkswagen models, including the Beetle and the bus, were produced. This likely contributed to the Beetle's success in the country.
Audi A3
Volkswagen Golf
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Audi A3
Audi A4
Audi Q5
As with the BMW, it's the family-focused, performance luxury SUV that delivers on sales for Audi. The Audi Q5 sold nearly 70,000 units in 2019 and the Audi Q7 sold nearly 35,000.
Audi Q7
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Volvo
When you think Sweden, you have to think Volvo. Volvo has long remained a point of Swedish pride. The Volvo 200 Series sold more than 1 million units from 1974 to 1993, in a country of 10 million people.
Saab
Koenigsegg
Volkswagen
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1953
1957
1979
Corvette's production numbers have varied significantly over the years, with some models produced at the rate of fewer than 1,000 a year. The top-selling Corvette of all time, the 1979 C3, sold 53,807 units.
2019
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Mazda MX-5
The Mazda MX-5 is an affordable sports car that is as at home on the open road as it is down at the track. Perhaps that's why it is the top-selling two-seater convertible sports car in history, with well over a million models sold.
Chevrolet Corvette
Audi TT
Porsche 718
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1973 Eldorado
1971 Chevrolet Corvette
1967 Ford Mustang
1965 Chevrolet Impala
While the modern Chevrolet Impala models don't bear much resemblance to their ancestors, it's easy to see why this vehicle did so well. In 1965, the Chevrolet Impala sold to the tune of more than 1 million units.
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Audi A3
Volkswagen Golf
Given Austria's proximity to Germany, it's little wonder why the best-selling vehicle is a Volkswagen — and a Golf, at that! Nearly 1 million units have been sold in Austria.
Volkswagen Jetta
MINI Cooper
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Jeep Wrangler
Jeep Grand Cherokee
While both the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee are brand's top-selling vehicles in America for 2019, the Jeep Grand Cherokee sits in first place for the year, with nearly 250,000 models sold.
Jeep Renegade
Jeep Gladiator
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France
While French cars may not have much of a foothold in the United States, they're very popular across Europe. In Turkey, the best-selling vehicle is the Renault Symbol, and more than 300,000 are on the road.
Spain
Germany
Japan
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Volkswagen Golf
While all four of these vehicles are at the top of the best-seller list for the European automotive market, only one can come out on top, and that's the 2019 Volkswagen Golf. With nearly half a million models sold, it has 2.7% of the market.
Renault Clio
Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Tiguan
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Japan
Portugal
Finland
Skoda is a Czech automobile company that we don't see a lot of in the United States. Still, it's had a large impact on Finland, where more than 100,000 models of the Skoda Octavia have sold.
Qatar
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China
Incredibly, China bought more than 21 million vehicles last year, making it the top-consuming region in the world. The United States purchased nearly 17 million cars and Europe nearly 16 million.
The United States
Europe
Japan
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Volkswagen
Volkswagen's reach extends even to China. One reason for the brand's international success in China is that many Volkswagen factories are located there.
Toyota
Ford
Honda
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