At the end of January, there was a lot of information circulating about the Toyota RAV4 being overtaken as the world’s best-selling car by the Tesla Model Y. This information comes from data collected by JATO Dynamics – the world’s oldest and most experienced automotive data company, founded 40 years ago.
The sales milestone announced by JATO Dynamics for the Model Y is 1.23 million units. In the same JATO Dynamics report, they projected sales figures for the Toyota Corolla at 1.01 million units and the Toyota RAV4 at 1.07 million units – the previous two best-selling global models.
Depending on the viewpoint of each person/organization, the world’s best-selling car in 2023 could be the Tesla Model Y or the Toyota Corolla. Photo: Carscoops
However, in the early days of February, Toyota announced that the sales figure for the Toyota Corolla in 2023 was 1.64 million units, while the RAV4 sold 944,000 units. Although Toyota’s data is approximate, the Corolla’s sales still surpass the Tesla Model Y by 400,000 units.
Nevertheless, Toyota’s method of calculation may still make many people accept that the Tesla Model Y is the world’s best-selling car. According to the Japanese brand, Corolla’s sales “represent the total sales of all Toyota vehicles worldwide.”
The range of vehicles included in Corolla’s sales figure includes 6 vehicles: Corolla, Corolla Cross, Auris, Wagon, Fielder, and GR Corolla. The only vehicle with the Corolla name that is not included in this group is the Toyota Levin (China).
The sales figure for “Toyota Corolla” includes the total sales of all body styles (SUV, sedan, hatchback) and localized versions based on the Corolla prototype. Photo: Carscoops
Among the 6 names mentioned above, one name that stands out is the Corolla Cross. While the other 5 names are still sedans or hatchbacks closely aligned with the original version, the Toyota Corolla Cross SUV can be considered a separate entity. The individual sales figure of the Corolla Cross is unclear, but its contribution to the overall sales figure is certainly significant.
The Corolla Cross plays a major role in driving global sales of the Corolla. Photo: Toyota
If we were to use Toyota’s method of calculation, Tesla could also combine the sales figures of the Model 3 and Model Y, as these two vehicles share the same platform with only cosmetic differences. In that case, the total sales figure for the Model Y and Model 3 would be 1.74 million units, compared to the Corolla’s 1.64 million units.
