The World's Most Popular Car Brands at the Start of 2025

The title of the most popular car brand still belongs to Toyota, with 706,544 units sold in January, securing 10.8% of the global market share. However, even this automotive giant is feeling the squeeze, as sales dropped by 6.6% year-over-year.

In second place, Volkswagen maintains its strong position with 395,777 vehicles sold, though the German automaker also experienced a 4.3% decline in sales. Meanwhile, in third place, Honda faces a particularly alarming downturn—277,991 units sold, but a staggering 22.5% drop compared to last year. The brand’s struggles are largely driven by declining demand in China, where consumers are shifting rapidly toward electric mobility.

Ford claims fourth place, climbing one spot in the rankings despite selling 270,437 vehicles, which represents a 5.4% decline. Hyundai, in fifth place, is also losing ground, with a 9.8% drop and 263,208 vehicles sold, signaling a slowdown for the South Korean manufacturer.

Following closely behind are some familiar names: Nissan (226,543, -14.1%), Kia (219,302, -3.7%), Chevrolet (213,008, -5.5%), and BYD (208,713, -4.7%). But the real headline-grabber is Geely, which has stealthily climbed into the top ten, selling 190,557 vehicles in January—a remarkable 26.5% surge, propelling it up four places in the rankings.

It seems the days when consumers chose cars based on brand loyalty, heritage, or emotional connection are fading fast. In today's market, price, battery range, and whether a car can handle 800 km of city driving on a single charge are what truly matter.