Ask another driver what the most common cars are on the road, and they'd make a decent guess of it.

But correctly naming the most popular nameplate of all time for every major manufacturer is a much tougher task.

That's because many might have been produced and sold well before they were even born. Some cars are far also more popular in overseas markets than ours. And there too are instances where the most popular badges belong to motors that aren't -  and never have been - sold in Britain.

To put your automotive knowledge to the ultimate test, we've tracked the best-selling nameplates that have lasted the test of the time for generations from the 40 most recognisable manufacturers that sell cars in the UK today.

While some are limited-production supercar makers like Bugatti and Ferrari, others are serious volume sellers - like Audi, BMW and Ford - who shift millions of cars around the world every year.

In the first of our three-part series running over the coming days, we cover the car makers from A to J. 

Let us know in the comments how many best sellers you named correctly... 

Alfa Romeo

Best seller: Alfasud (1972-1989)

Examples sold: 1.02 million 

Alfa Romeo's all-time best-selling car is the seventies and eighties Alfasud - the front-wheel-drive hatchback that aimed to rival the VW Golf.

While it was a peach to drive and offered sublime handing, it wasn't all that robust to the elements.

Questionable build quality and a habit for rusting limited its appeal, especially in countries without warmer climates. Yet over a million were bought in a production run lasting 17 years.

Aston Martin

Best seller: Vantage (2005-present)

Examples sold: circa 25,000

While the DB7 is often considered that car that pulled Aston Martin off the brink of collapse, it isn't the British luxury firm's biggest volume product.

In fact, that mantle goes to the DB7's direct replacement, the Vantage. By 2021, Autocar says 24,700 V8 and V12 Vantages had been snapped up across two generations, and with the third iteration debuting last year, numbers must now be over 25k.

But, like other luxury car firms, the emergence of an SUV to its model line-up means the DBX will likely surpass the Vantage's popularity by sheer sales.

Audi

Best seller: A4 (1998-present) 

Examples sold: over 8 million 

Testament to its longevity on the market, which spans five generations, the Audi A4’s popularity as one of the most sought-after compact executive saloons has helped it achieve over eight million deliveries over the last 27 years or so.

That’s remarkable numbers given the stiff competition, with the A4 going head-to-head with major German rivals – the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class – for the entirety of its life cycle.

But Audi has recently removed the A4 name from its line-up, instead renaming its compact exec model the A5 as part of a shift in its naming structure. 

Bentley

Best seller: Continental GT (2003-present)

Examples sold: circa 90,000 

Before the VW Group bought Bentley in 1998, the luxury car maker in Crewe was churning out fewer than 1,000 units. But the arrival of the Continental GT in 2003 put an end to that.

The company went from coach building hundreds of cars to a mass-production assembly line when the  Continental GT was born in 2003.

It became an ever greater runaway success when the convertible joined the fleet a few years later, with Bentley producing and selling over 90k worldwide in total.

BMW

Best seller: 3 Series (1975-present)

Examples sold: Over 16.5 million 

It’s going to be no shock to learn that BMW’s 3 Series is the German brand’s biggest volume seller. Having emerged on the market in 1975, it has arguably been the choice compact executive saloon since, despite intense competition from Mercedes’ C-Class and Audi’s A4.

Bolstering its appeal has been its variety of body shapes – from Touring estates, a generation of shortened ‘Compact’ coupes, premium convertibles and fire-breathing M3s.

BMW too has been reluctant to fettle too much with its winning formula, with every generation of 3 Series carrying identifiable DNA. And it remains one of the world’s favourite compact exec cars today, despite the threat from electric rivals like the Telsa Model 3.

Bugatti

Best seller: Type 40 (1926-1930)

Examples sold: 807 

Okay, Bugatti is far from a mainstream brand. However, it is a household name, especially of late with the huge coverage for the Veyron and Chiron models, which is why we've included it. But also because its best-seller of all time is from a century ago. 

The Type 40, produced between 1926 and 1930, is the brand's highest-volume output with 807 in total.

While Bugatti - recently under VW Group ownership but now retained under a joint venture between Rimac (55 per cent) and Porsche AG (45 per per cent) - has the manufacturing capacity to produce far more vehicles today, it limits its hypercar output to retain its exclusivity. And so that it can command seven-figure prices.

Veyron production was restricted to 450 units, while Chiron output was higher at 500 cars.

Citroen

Best seller: 2CV (1948-1990)

Examples sold: 3.9 million

We'll be filing this best-seller under 'pretty obvious'. That's because the 2CV is the model synonymous with French maker Citroen.  

Conceived before the Second World War, the project was kept hidden from France’s German occupiers. When launched in 1948, it was designed to enable a farmer and their family to cross a freshly ploughed field with a basket full of eggs without breaking them.

Many were even built in Britain, at Citroen’s former factory in Slough, during the 1950s, though the vast majority were produced in France. Citroen also sold over 1.2 million van variants. There has been recent talk that the car maker could relaunch the nameplate for a future EV...

Ferrari

Best seller: 458 (2009-2015)

Examples sold: circa 24,000 

Like its super and hypercar rivals, Ferrari model sales are restricted by their exclusive production runs. If the Italian Stallion wanted to manufacture more vehicles to increase sales, it would, but it keeps output numbers low to warrant the high pricing.

The one churned out in the highest volumes so far is - believed to be - the 458, made between 2009 and 2015. Ferrari doesn't give exact figures, but its estimated that 15,000 Italia coupes were built and 6,000 Spiders. Another 3,000 or so Speciales also made it off the Maranello assembly line.

How long the 458 retains the crown as Ferrari's all-time best seller is in question, with the brand's Purosangue SUV. It is being restricted to 20 per cent of all models it makes, but that still translates to between 2,500 and 3,000 units annually. Over a ten-year cycle, that could be up to 30,000 examples. 

Ford

Best seller: F-Series (1948-present)

Example sold: Over 43 million 

If you ask Britons what Ford's best-selling car of all time is, we're sure plenty would name the Fiesta. And rightfully so. That's because the supermini has topped the UK sales charts 17 times dating back to 1990.

However, its 22 million global sales is merely around half of Ford's largest volume product - the F-Series pick-up.

Since the late 1940s, it has been available in all manner of shapes, sizes and guises, yet it has routinely been the US market's most popular choice - which is why more than 43 million have been bought in its lifecycle.

Fiat

We would forgive you for thinking the 500 would be Fiat’s best-selling single model of all time. And its 124 would too be among the best guesses, given the use of its platform by a number of Eastern European brands in the seventies and eighties.

But it might come as surprise to many to learn that it’s the boxy Uno supermini that amassed Fiat’s greatest volume of registrations – the vast majority of them in its native Italy, where it was a huge hit in the eighties and nineties.

But the Uno might not remain Fiat’s volume seller for too much longer. The ongoing availability of the 500 (which has over seven million global sales) and arrival of a new Panda to add to its own eight million sales achievement could spark a changing of the guard.

Honda

Best seller: Civic (1972-present)

Examples sold: Over 28 million 

The Honda Civic might just be one of the most versatile cars that's ever existed; it's equally popular in the Japanese car tuning scene as it is among families wanting a practical and spacious motor to transport their kids in supreme safety.

Strong value for money, bulletproof reliability and decent fuel consumption has underpinned the Civic's success for decades.

With over 28 million sold worldwide, it's among the top five most delivered motors of all time across all manufacturers.

Hyundai

Best seller: Elantra (1990-present)

Examples sold: Over 14.5 million 

Hyundai in the last two decades has shifted from a somewhat overlooked brand to one of Britain’s favourite badges. It’s quality interiors, wide selection of combustion models and brilliant choice of EVs has made it a household name in the 2020s.

But the model nameplate that tops the brand’s delivery quota is one that Britons aren’t all that aware of: the Elantra.

Sold across global markets with a different name – including i30 in the UK and Lantra elsewhere – it has amassed some 14.5 million sales. This is down to a combination of inoffensive styling, keen pricing and very strong reliability, which has made it popular across the world.

Jaguar

Best seller: XJ (1968-2019)

Examples sold: 1 million 

The XJ is Jaguar's best-selling nameplate, which is partially thanks to its incredible longevity as part of the brand's line-up. 

Having been available in various forms for half a century, it's little surprise to see it rack up over 1million global deliveries.

Given Jaguar's controversial decision to relaunch as an exclusively electric car firm in 2026 - and sell only luxury EVs priced in excess of £100k - we don't see the XJ losing its position as Jag's all-time most popular model any time soon. 

Jeep

Best seller: Wrangler (1987-present)

Examples sold: over 5.1 million 

It is a close call between the Wrangler and the Cherokee, but the largest volume selling Jeep is the former. 

Having Replacing the CJ in 1987, the Wrangler has enjoyed a consistent sales performance over the last four decades.

It has garnered a faithful fanbase of owners who love its simplicity and go-anywhere capabilities. Though the open-body construction is definitely better suited to warmer climates than the UK offers.