Here are the top 500 best-selling cars in the world in 2022. With more than 700,000 copies sold, the Tesla Model Y was the 3rd best-selling car in the world over the past year, all engines combined. The Model 3 comes in 10th position and is well ahead of other electric cars.
If Tesla is about to have a difficult year in 2023, nothing could suggest it. Because the manufacturer is doing particularly well at the start of the year, with very good results and a new production record in Germany. The firm also ended 2022 very well, with more than a million cars delivered worldwide.
A great performance
This year is therefore starting under the best auspices for the manufacturer, which remains the world number 1 in electric vehicles ahead of BYD and Volkswagen. And this, we owe it in particular to the two big price cuts that took place in January and last April. So much so that the Model Y was the best-selling car in Europe in the 1st quarter, ahead of thermals. Elon Musk thinks the Tesla Model Y will be the best-selling car in the world in 2023, all engines combined.
A few days earlier, Jato announced that the SUV was also the most registered electric vehicle in the world, with no less than 747,000 copies. It is placed behind the 1.02 million units of the Toyota RAV4 and far ahead of a Model 3 arriving in 10th position with 482,000 copies.
Today, analyst Felipe Munoz reveals on his website Fiat Group World a more complete classification, that of 500 best-selling cars worldwide over the past year. Unsurprisingly, the numbers are identical to those of Jato, but the list is much more complete. The RAV4 therefore still dominates the market, followed by the Toyota Corolla and the Model Y. The electric SUV is followed by the Honda CR-V and the Toyota Camry. The Model 3 still comes 10th with 482,200 copies.
If sales of the electric sedan are down slightly by 3%, those of the SUV have increased by 91%. This is probably no coincidence, when we know the appetite of customers for this type of bodywork, especially since the Model Y was less expensive than its little sister in the French configurator. Note that both are eligible for the ecological bonus of 5,000 euros.
Tesla, and then the others
Elon Musk’s firm therefore does not have too much to worry about for the moment, even if Chinese competition is becoming more and more pressing. If the classification unfortunately does not distinguish between the thermal and electric versions of certain models which have both, it does however give us a small idea of the market. For example, the Ford F-150 arrives in front of the Model 3 with 525,100 copies, but a large part is sold with an internal combustion engine.
However, Tesla should be wary of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, which ranks 14th with 443,400 copies sold last year and sales up 14%. Especially since the Chinese electric city car is now imported into Europe recently. The Peugeot 208 is also very well placed, since it occupies 31st place with 300,600 units. But again, impossible to know the proportion of electric versions.

We know, however, that 13,266 units of the e-208 were sold in the 1st quarter of 2023 in Europe, which gives us a small idea of the success of the city car. Another model that works rather well, the Hyundai Kona, placed in 57th position with 232,500 copies. And this despite sales down 18%. A small fall which should stop with the launch of the new version recently unveiled.
And the Dacia Spring in all this? If the electric city car is a hit in Europe, what about the world? Well the situation is a little different, since it is placed in 416th position in the top 500. Indeed, these are only 49,000 copies that were sold around the world over the past year. This is explained by the fact that it is only marketed in Europe at present.
Discover the top 20 best-selling cars in the world in 2022
Model | Number of copies |
---|---|
Toyota RAV4 | 1,015,700 |
Toyota Corolla | 991,600 |
Tesla Model Y (electric) | 747,500 |
Honda CR-V | 733,300 |
Toyota Camry | 673,300 |
Toyota Hilux | 632,500 |
Nissan Sentras | 566,500 |
Toyota Corolla Cross | 530 300 |
Ford F-150 | 525 100 |
Tesla Model 3 (electric) | 482,200 |
Honda Accord | 479,300 |
Honda HR-V | 470 600 |
BYD Song Plus | 464,700 |
Wuling Hongguang Mini EV (electric) | 443,400 |
Toyota Highlander | 405,600 |
Ram 1500 | 394,200 |
Honda-Civic | 389,500 |
Chevy Silverado | 375,800 |
Hyundai Elantra | 371 100 |
Mazda CX-5 | 363,600 |
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