Toyota's Corolla is not only the top-selling vehicle of all time, with over 37 million sold through 11 generations, but it remains at the top of current global sales charts, according to data compiled by Focus2move.com. F2M crunched the numbers from the first half of 2016, from over 140 countries, to give us a picture of the world's buying patterns, which differ notably from those in South Africa. These are the top ten:
1 - Toyota Corolla - 634 298 units sold
Once South Africa's best seller overall, the Corolla continues to dominate abroad, albeit having lost 1.2 percent year-on-year. In South Africa the latest version is sold alongside the previous generation model (now called Corolla Quest) and the pair remain SA's most popular C-segment sedan range.
2 - Volkswagen Golf - 500 630
Volkswagen's latest Golf has climbed global sales charts in recent years, having risen from seventh place in 2012, and is also the best seller in its segment in SA - where the performance versions, GTI and R, are particularly popular.
3 - Ford F-Series - 478 384
Ford's full-sized pick-up truck gets its global podium on account of its popularity in North America, where it has been the best selling vehicle for decades. Its smaller brother, the Ranger, is Ford's bakkie contender in most of the rest of the world, and is the second best-selling one-tonner in SA.
4 - Ford Focus - 367 479
Though still one of the world's most popular cars, Ford's Focus has lost some ground, with sales falling 16.4 percent compared to the first half of 2015. Its fortunes have improved in South Africa however, since the facelifted model was launched at a lower price than its predecessor.
5 - Hyundai Elantra - 363 490
Hyundai's Elantra is currently going through a model-changeover, with many overseas markets now receiving the more mature looking new-generation Elantra. The new sedan has been delayed in South Africa, however, due to rand weakness.
6 - Volkswagen Polo - 358 602
Proportionately the Polo enjoys more popularity in South Africa than it does abroad, and like the Corolla it's sold in two generations, with the previous one sporting a Vivo badge. Even when you separate their sales figures, the pair emerge as SA's two top-selling passenger cars.
7 - Toyota Rav4 - 346 791
The recent facelift has clearly proven a hit as Toyota's Rav4 has gained some ground internationally, climbing just over 10 percent year-on-year. It's also among the segment leaders on local shores, having sold 441 units in July.
8 - Toyota Camry - 339 611
Once a common sight on SA roads, the Camry remains popular in many markets abroad, particularly in the US and Australia. However, the fact that the world's best-selling large saloon is only in eighth place shows that global buying habits are changing.
9 - Honda CR-V - 333 597
Outselling the Civic, Honda's hugely practical soft-roader is another indication that SUVs are slowly but surely taking over the world.
10 - Chevrolet Silverado - 307 845
Another big bakkie that's here on account of its North American sales, the Silverado offers largely the same recipe as its Ford counterpart, but has yet to jump on the weight-saving aluminium band wagon and all that other mumbo-jumbo that probably means nothing if your surname is Trump or Bush.
Best of the rest
South Africa's best selling vehicle, the Toyota Hilux , only managed 14th on the list, with 287 438 sales, although the recent model changeover could have influenced this to some degree.
The Hyundai Tucson took 16th place with 285 060 sales and a whopping 202 percent improvement on last year, and other notable sellers were the Honda Civic (11th, 305 706 sales), Volkswagen Jetta (12th, 297 087) and Kia Sportage (18th, 220 441).
Click here to see the full list on F2M.