A car is more than just a set of wheels that takes you from A to B – most people have a strong preference when it comes to the brand of the car they drive. When they buy a new car of a specific brand, they don’t just buy a collection of parts but what the brand represents: freedom, speed, power, perhaps environmental friendliness, economy, and reliability. And the most important car brands in the world are eager to offer all these features, and more, to their customers. Which ones are they? See below.
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Honorable mention: Tesla
While it is nowhere to be found among the top 100 car brands list of automotive intelligence specialist Focus2Move, Tesla is one of the most discussed – and beloved – car brands today. Founder Elon Musk managed to do what no other automaker before him: making the electric car cool and attractive for the masses.
Last year alone, Tesla delivered more than 350,000 cars in 2019 alone and has plans to scale up production in the years to come.
5. Nissan
Japanese cars are considered durable and reliable – and Nissan is not an exception. Its features are beloved by customers all over the world. While its deliveries decreased in 2019 by 7.7% compared to the previous year, they were sill enough for it to become the fifth-biggest car brand in the world, with more than 4.3 million units delivered.
4. Honda
Another Japanese brand with a long history, Honda sold more than 4.6 million cars in 2019 alone, enough to become the fourth-largest car brand in the world.
Honda isn’t just a car manufacturer – it also produces motorcycles, engines, robots, mountain bikes, even airplanes.
3. Ford
Ford’s models are very popular both in Europe and the US, popular enough for the brand to become the third most sought-after in 2019, selling more than 4.7 million units. Ford is an American model with a history of more than 110 years – it was the first to mass-produce cars, making them affordable for the masses. Now, more than a century from its inception, it is still going strong.
2. Volkswagen
Volkswagen is the flagship brand of the Volkswagen Group covering every vehicle category from luxury cars to utility vehicles. And its sales are strong across most of its segments and brands.
Even though Volkswagen skipped the Paris Motor Show in the last few years (and plans to do so in 2020, too), and its reputation was shaken by last year’s Dieselgate, VW still managed to become the second best-selling car brand in 2019 with more than 6.4 million units sold.
1. Toyota
Unlike its competitors, the Toyota group doesn’t have many brands under its umbrella, only five: Hino (utility vehicles), Ranz (electric), Daihatsu (more affordable models), Lexus (luxury), and Toyota (general purpose). The strategy seems to pay off: years in a row, Toyota was the best-selling car brand in the world, maintaining a market share of around 10%.
