Click the above image to see it in its full resolution. It shows the best selling new vehicles in 146 countries. There are not many surprises there: North America loves their F-150s, Europe is mostly driven by various Volkswagen Group vehicles, and Toyota owns Oceania, southern Asia, Middle-East, parts of Africa, and South America.
What I did found surprising was the popularity of Hyundais. The brand seems totally scattered but it is the top seller in Russia, Nepal, Dominican Republic, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Ireland. Equally scattered is the popularity of Suzukis in Bolivia, Hungary, and Myanmar. As the saying goes, if you can make it in Bolivia, you can make it anywhere, so why are Suzukis not loved equally all over the world?
From the earlier mentioned VW Group, Skoda seems to be kicking ass all over central and southern Europe. Even the Swiss chose the Skoda Octavia over anything else. Moving east, former Soviet Republics are the biggest odd-balls. Turkmenistan fancies the C-class Benzito and is the only country in the world where a Mercedes is the top selling brand. In Azerbaijan, on the other hand, people prefer the reliable, affordable, and capable Soviet-designed Lada Niva. Lithuania, fancies the small Fiat 500.
Fiat is also the top-seller in Italy, which isn’t shocking, but also in Turkey. No other FCA vehicles seem to have the top-seller spot anywhere in the world. BMW outsells everything else in the small but rich Andorra with the X5, of all models. Not surprisingly, Swedes prefer to avoid moose in their domestic/Chinese Volvos.
The amount of countries where the top sellers are body-on-frame Toyotas, be it pickups or SUVs, is quite amazing. Basically of Central America, Middle East, Africa, and Australia. Who knew Paraguay loved the HiLux so much? It is no surprise that Toyota committed to producing BoF vehicles for the next foreseeable future.
Source: Park Indigo
By Kamil Kaluski
East Coast Editor. Races crappy cars and has an unhealthy obsession with Eastern Bloc cars. Current fleet: Ford Bronco, Lexus GX 470, and a Buick Regal crapcan racecar.
Ross Ballot
“What I did found surprising was the popularity of Hyundais. The brand seems totally scattered but it is the top seller in Russia, Nepal, Dominican Republic, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Ireland.”
Also South Korea, despite being Toyota-colored on the map.
Indeed. I actually missed that probably because it was so obvious.
I wonder is the best selling new car in North Korea. I wonder if there are any new cars being sold in North Korea.
No worries. My advantage is that geologists spend years learning to spot the obvious.
Apart from stealing Volvos, I’d assume it’s all in the firm hands of Pyeonghwa.
“I’d rather push a Sungri than drive a Pyeonghwa.”
I remember reading that story about the Volvo’s a few years back. I bring it up every so often when people are talking about Volvo’s and occasionally when people are talking about North Korea.
Yes, it’s a very odd industrial/diplomatical thing. Even my MIL is now aware of it and mentions having seen another of the Volvos in a random TV news report. I wonder if the brand’s name will have a strong standing after having been exposed like that for decades – when the regime finally implodes one day.
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/09/05/north-korea-owes-sweden-eu300m-1000-volvos-stole-40-years-ago-still-using-267043.html?amp=1
Also, the proofreading team seems unaware that
– Dacia is Renault.
– As is Nissan.
– Kia is Hyundai
– Skoda is VW
– And Vauxhall is Peugeot, formerly Chevrolet
– Bringing Peugeot’s count to 3 and justifying its own color.
– Especially since pink and green are now available, see above.
– And Ford of Sierra Leone == Ford corporate brings the error count to somewhere around 15.
There’s also the issue that the map’s title refers to “car model” but it’s color-coded by marque, although the labels do, at least, specify not just marque but model, mostly*.
*Lookin’ at you, Canada.
Some issues could be excused by timestamp (Opel was moved from GM to Peugeot only this spring), but the GM situation still is inconsistent, since Vauxhall==Opel but Chevrolet!=GM.
Also, Bulgaria’s Dacia is free of Renault, Volvo is a Geely enterprise.
Eventually, I doubt that all data is based on the same year, and most is pure entertainment, but not relevant.
I think they are dealing with make/brand not manufacturer
Also…. Good news! The Dacia Sandero is the best-selling car in Spain!
/James May voice
I find it sad that NZ has (very slightly) better taste in vehicles than us.
Last month the Ranger outsold the Hilux if that is any consolation. It is only the base 4×2 petrol versions that Ford don’t offer that are keeping the Hilux in front.
Also the Corolla and Hyundai i30 are also both very close to sales leadership I gather.
It’s all Toyota Hiluxes, Ford Rangers, VW Amaroks and Nissan Navaras in this part of it, Auckland seems to be all Hino cement trucks, Maseratis and Mercedes Benzes.
The new X-Class is going to be a huge seller here AND they’ll probably all look like this, silver with alloys and chromed roll bar..
https://www.mercedes-benz.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/07/00-mercedes-benz-vehicles-x-class-br-470-header-3400×1440-1.jpg
Saudi Arabia gets “The Accent”, while the rest of the world has to slum it with just “Accent”.
That ain’t Paraguay.
Apparently there are two. Maybe the proper pronunciation is “Pair o’ Guays”.
Well, Venezuela was having financial difficulties so Paraguay made an offer. Don’t worry, it’s not a hostile takeover but a “merger of equals”.