Demand for cars in 2020 is down from pre-pandemic levels, but some of the world's top automakers have weathered this challenging year surprisingly well.
The online publication NENWS.com analyzed the sales data of various automakers last year and ranked the most popular cars in different countries of the world.
Car enthusiasts in the United States, as every year for almost four decades, prefer Ford F-Series pickups over any other type of vehicle. Residents of countries such as Argentina and Australia single out Toyota, while Swiss drivers usually opted for the midsize sedan of the Czech brand Skoda.
Toyota became the global sales leader among automakers, which allowed it to overtake Volkswagen and regain the title of the best-selling car brand in the world for the first time in five years. Toyota sold more than 9.5 million vehicles in 2020, down 11.3% from 2019, but a less steep drop than Volkswagen's (-15%, to 9.3 million vehicles).
Top most popular car brands in the world
1. Toyota is the most popular car in 44 countries around the world.
2. Volkswagen is the most popular car in 17 countries.
3. Renault is the most popular car in 5 countries.
4. Hyundai is the most popular car in 5 countries.
5. Chevrolet is the most popular car in 5 countries.
Globally, Toyota also sold the most vehicles in 44 countries, according to data compiled from NENWS.com by AutomotiveTouchup . Volkswagen is second again, topping the rankings in 17 countries.
1. Toyota Hilux is the most popular car model in 14 countries.
2. Toyota Corolla is the most popular car model in 6 countries.
3. Toyota Land Cruiser is the most popular car model in 6 countries.
4. Skoda Octavia is the most popular car model in 6 countries.
5. Toyota RAV4 is the most popular car model in 5 countries.
6. Renault Clio is the most popular car model in 5 countries.
In addition to the popular Toyota Corolla sedan (more than 1.1 million vehicles sold in 2020) and the Rav4 compact SUV (995,000 vehicles sold), one of Toyota's hits is the Hilux midsize pickup .
Often used in off-road racing such as the Dakar Rally in Senegal, the car costs about $23.5 thousand. In 2020, it became the best-selling car in 14 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Panama, South Africa and Fiji. The Hilux has a reputation for being very reliable, with Toyota calling it "the world's toughest pickup truck."
Last year, unexpectedly for many, the Skoda Octavia took one of the top places in the ranking of the most popular models in the world. This family sedan is produced by the Czech Volkswagen Group subsidiary Skoda Auto, available in most of Europe for a base price of almost $25,000 and was the best-selling car of 2020 in six countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
In general, Toyota and Volkswagen were in the lead in the world rankings. The Toyota Corolla was the top selling car in six different countries including Ireland, Finland and Taiwan. The Rav4 was the best selling car in five countries including Estonia, Iceland and Ukraine. Drivers in six other countries, including Bahrain and Yemen, opted for the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV .
By comparison, the Volkswagen-owned brands were the most popular cars in 14 countries, including Germany ( VW Golf ), Norway ( Audi E-Tron electric SUV ) and the Netherlands ( VW ID.3 electric hatchback ).