The RAV4 crossover has officially dethroned longtime leader Toyota Corolla to top the list of the world's most popular cars for 2025.
The ranking, published by focus2move.com based on data from 162 countries from the beginning of the year to August 2025, shows significant shifts at the top, reflecting both the continued dominance of the SUV segment and the challenges of electrification.
In 2025, the Toyota RAV4 climbed two places to become the new global market leader, reporting a slight increase of +1.1% in sales. This reinforces the trend that consumers are increasingly preferring SUV models over traditional sedans. Here are the top ten most popular cars:
Toyota RAV4: Up 2 spots (+1.1%)
Toyota Corolla: Down 1 spot (-8.8%)
Ford F-Series: Up 1 spot (+12.2%)
Tesla Model Y: Down 2 spots (-11.3%)
Honda CR-V: (+1%)
Chevrolet Silverado: (+6%)
Toyota Camry: Up 2 spots (+11.8%)
Hyundai Tucson: Down 1 spot (+3.2%)
Toyota Hilux: Down 1 spot (+0.8%)
KIA Sportage: (-0.6%)
Ranking Analysis and Key Observations:
Toyota’s Dominance: The Japanese manufacturer maintains its global dominance, occupying four spots in the top 10 with RAV4, Corolla, Camry and Hilux models.
Rise of pickups: Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado show strong performance, with Ford’s American pickup truck registering an impressive +12.2% growth to take third place.
Challenges for electric vehicles: While the Tesla Model Y remains the best-selling electric model, it recorded a -11.3% decline and fell two places to fourth place. This reflects general challenges facing the industry, such as gaps in charging infrastructure and problems with the global supply chain.
Traditional models hold their ground: Despite the transition to electrification, traditional gasoline and diesel models continue to dominate the top ten.
These figures clearly show that as the industry moves towards electrification, brands such as BYD and Tesla face market challenges. However, the fact that the Model Y has managed to hold on so well speaks to the enormous potential of electric vehicles.
The strong growth of models such as the Toyota Camry (+11.8%) and the Hyundai Tucson (+3.2%) shows that the market remains dynamic and strongly influenced by preferences for practicality and proven reliability - qualities that crossovers like the RAV4 embody perfectly.