Introduction
In 2023, Regtransfers published our first roundup of the The Most Popular Car Brands by Country. How much has the global automotive landscape changed? Check out our most recent analysis of how the market changed between 2023 and 2025.
Key facts at a glance
- Toyota is the best-selling car brand in the world in 2025, leading in more countries than any other manufacturer.
- Volkswagen leads in Europe, topping the charts in 17 countries, including Germany, the UK and Sweden.
- BYD is the fastest-rising brand in the dataset, now leading in four countries across Asia and Europe, including China, the world's largest car market.
- Africa is the most varied region in the analysis, with nine different brands leading across eighteen countries.
The world's best-selling car brands in 2025
More cars are being bought and sold across the world than ever before - but which manufacturer is coming out on top?
Toyota is the world's most popular car brand in 2025, leading sales in more countries than any other manufacturer across the globe. The bulk of Toyota Motor Corporation's sales are of Toyota and Lexus, but the company also manufactures and sells vehicles under the brand names Century, Daihatsu and Hino.
We've gone through the 2025 sales figures country by country to find out who leads the pack and where. Geographically, the top 5 selling car manufacturers in the world are as shown.
Top selling car brands in 2025
Top 5 selling car manufacturers in the world 2025
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 37 | 36.6% |
| 2 | Volkswagen | 17 | 15.8% |
| 3 | Fiat | 5 | 5% |
| Skoda | 5 | 5% | |
| Suzuki | 5 | 5% |
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How the rankings have changed since 2022
Sales of Toyota and Lexus-branded cars grew 3.7% worldwide in the year from 2024 to 2025, with global sales exceeding 10.5 million cars. In contrast, despite coming second in the rankings of brands dominating the most countries' markets, Volkswagen's global sales declined by 1.4% from 2024, with 2025 sales totalling 4.73 million cars.
Both in total sales volume and the number of countries in which it dominates, Toyota is still the world's best-selling car brand in 2025, but the competition looks very different from a few years ago.
Chinese maker BYD, the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, did not even exist in 2022, and Vietnam's VinFast sold only 7,400 cars that year - all in Vietnam. Their spectacular growth has seen them become the biggest new names in the rankings.
While EV manufacturers have moved up fast, some brands that featured heavily in previous years have slipped back.
See how the full picture looked as we explore the world's most popular car brands by region.
The most popular car brands in Asia in 2025
Toyota is the best-selling car brand across Asia in 2025, leading in more than half the countries covered in the region. Asian manufacturers lead the vast majority of markets in the region, leaving little room for American and European brands.
BYD is the standout change from previous years, now leading in several Asian markets including China, the world's largest car market. VinFast leads in Vietnam, its home market, for the first time. Hyundai holds firm across a handful of countries, while Maruti Suzuki (Suzuki Motor Corporation's Indian subsidiary) and Perodua lead in India and Malaysia, respectively.
Top selling car brands in Asia 2025
Asia 2025
Ranking manufacturers by the number of Asian countries they lead, alongside their relative market share.
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 13 | 52% |
| 2 | BYD | 3 | 12% |
| Hyundai | 3 | 12% | |
| 4 | Ford | 1 | 4% |
| IKCO (Iran Khodro) | 1 | 4% | |
| Maruti Suzuki | 1 | 4% | |
| Perodua | 1 | 4% | |
| Suzuki | 1 | 4% | |
| VinFast | 1 | 4% |
The most popular car brands in Europe in 2025
The picture is clearer in Europe than in most regions, with Volkswagen leading across well over a third of the continent. Skoda adds to the group's hold on Central Europe, making it the strongest concentration of dominance for any manufacturer group.
The Nordic markets stand apart, as Tesla, rather than a European brand, comes out on top. The rest of Europe is a mixed bag with Renault, Fiat, Dacia, Toyota and Kia all leading in individual markets, and BYD also making an appearance.
Top selling car brands in Europe in 2025
Europe 2025
Ranking manufacturers by the number of European markets they lead, alongside their relative market share.
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 17 | 40.2% |
| 2 | Skoda | 5 | 11.9% |
| Toyota | 5 | 11.9% | |
| 4 | Dacia | 2 | 4.8% |
| Fiat | 2 | 4.8% | |
| LADA | 2 | 4.8% | |
| Renault | 2 | 4.8% | |
| Suzuki | 2 | 4.8% | |
| Tesla | 2 | 4.8% | |
| 10 | BMW | 1 | 2.4% |
| BYD | 1 | 2.4% | |
| Kia | 1 | 2.4% |
The most popular car brands in North America in 2025
Toyota was 2025's best-selling car brand in the USA - the world's second-largest car market, as well as in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Toyota also comes out on top across North America as a whole. Perhaps ironically, USA-owned Ford leads in Canada, while Nissan takes Mexico. The European manufacturers do not lead in any North American market.
USA-owned Ford leads in Canada, while Nissan takes Mexico. The European manufacturers do not lead in any North American market.
Top selling car brands in North America in 2025
North America 2025
Ranking manufacturers by the number of North American markets they lead, alongside their relative market share.
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 3 | 60% |
| 2 | Ford | 1 | 20% |
| Nissan | 1 | 20% |
The most popular car brands in South America in 2025
Once again, we see Toyota's dominance, as they achieve top sales in four South American markets: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Peru. Runners-up Fiat take 25% or markets with Brazil and Uruguay, while Kia and Chevrolet have to settle for just 12.5% each, with Kia taking Colombia and Chevrolet taking Ecuador - the brand's only win in 2025.
Top selling car brands in South America in 2025
South America 2025
Ranking manufacturers by the number of South America markets they lead, alongside their relative market share.
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 4 | 50% |
| 2 | Fiat | 2 | 25% |
| 3 | Chevrolet | 1 | 12.5% |
| Kia | 1 | 12.5% |
The most popular car brands in Oceania in 2025
Topping the markets in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, Toyota is the best-selling car brand across all of Oceania in 2025. Japan's relative geographical proximity to the Oceania region gives Toyota a significant logistical advantage over manufacturers shipping from Europe or North America, which must surely be reflected in the results.
Toyota used to make cars in Australia, but production there ended with the closure of the Altona, Victoria manufacturing plant in 2017.
Top selling car brands in Oceania in 2025
Oceania 2025
Ranking manufacturers by the number of Oceanic markets they lead, alongside their relative market share.
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 3 | 100% |
The most popular car brands in Africa in 2025
Africa demonstrates more brand diversity than any other region in the dataset, with nine different brands leading across eighteen markets.
Toyota is the best-selling car brand across Africa in 2025, leading in nine of the eighteen countries covered. Second place Suzuki takes two countries, Angola and Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). The remaining markets are split equally between Fiat, Nissan, Roewe, Isuzu, Dacia, Innoson and Kia.
Nigeria, the continent's most populous country, is led by Innoson, the only homegrown African brand to top any market in this analysis. Roewe leads in Ethiopia, making it the first Chinese brand to top an African market in this dataset.
Top selling car brands Africa in 2025
Africa 2025
Ranking manufacturers by the number of African markets they lead, alongside their relative market share.
| # | Brand | Market Leads | Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota | 9 | 49.7% |
| 2 | Suzuki | 2 | 11.1% |
| 3 | Dacia | 1 | 5.6% |
| Fiat | 1 | 5.6% | |
| Innoson | 1 | 5.6% | |
| Isuzu | 1 | 5.6% | |
| Kia | 1 | 5.6% | |
| Nissan | 1 | 5.6% | |
| Roewe | 1 | 5.6% |
The rise of electric vehicles
Arguably, the most interesting revelation in the 2025 results is not which long-established brand leads the most countries - it is the impact made by the arrival of manufacturers that were not in the conversation a few years ago.
BYD now leads in several markets, including China, the world's largest car market. These are not small gains on the fringes: BYD is taking on and beating well-established rivals in major markets across Asia and further afield.
In Europe, Tesla leads in Iceland and Norway, two markets where EV take-up is furthest ahead, showing how quickly the picture can change when a market tips heavily towards electric. Electric vehicles accounted for more than one in four new cars sold worldwide in 2025. If that share keeps growing at its current pace, which seems very possible, several markets currently led by well-established manufacturers could change hands before the next time we run this global analysis.
Conclusions
It is no surprise to see Toyota come out on top in 2025. The Japanese manufacturer leads across more countries than any other brand, and in some regions, the gap between Toyota and the rest is about as wide as it gets. The reasons are not hard to see. Toyota has spent decades building a reputation for reliability and value that works in every market, backed by a range that covers everything from city cars to pickups to hybrids.
BYD is the name to watch, now leading in four countries across Asia and Europe, including China, the world's largest car market. VinFast has broken through in Vietnam. These brands show how quickly the rankings shift when electric vehicles take hold.
Volkswagen leads across more European countries than any other brand, with Skoda adding to the group's strength in Central Europe.
Africa has more variety than any other region in the dataset. Nine different brands lead across eighteen countries, with Nigeria's Innoson the only homegrown African brand to top any market in the analysis.
Judging by trends shown in 2025's results, the 2026 rankings will make very interesting reading.
Frequently asked questions
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