World Best Selling Executive Cars up to October 2023. Mercedes E Class becomes the new segment leader (+3.0%), followed by the BMW 5 Series. Toyota Crown surges 335.1% into 7th spot.

Vehicles included in this ranking are only 3/4/5 doors and wagon, while SUVs and MPVs are reported under the specific segment ranking.

Considering cumulative sales in 2023 up to October, the Mercedes E Class is the best selling executive car, reporting 233,010 sales and a 3.0% year-on-year growth. Starting with the new naming strategy applied by Mercedes in the early ’90s, the model began production in 1993 and is actually at its 5th generation (since 2016).

In second place ranks the BMW 5 Series with 215,575 sales (-15.7%). Manufactured since 1972, the 5 Series is the second best-selling BMW ever with over 7 million sales globally so far. In February 2017 the 7th generation production began.

The Audi A6 maintains 3rd position with 204,857 cumulative sales, a 36.4% decrease from the prior year.

The Hyundai Grandeur rises 3 spots into 4th reporting 96,692 units sold (+77.9%). 

The Zeekr 001 rises 3 spots into 5th with 61,515 sales (+24.0%) followed by the Skoda Superb -up 3 spots- with 54,402 units sold (+12.3%).  

The Toyota Crown grows 15 spots into 7th, reporting  54,330 sales (+335.1%), followed by the Genesis G80 with 45,617 sales (+4.1%) and the Dongfeng Aeolus Hyun -down 4 spots- with 40,537 sales (-32.8%).

Closing the Top 10 we have the Volvo S90 with 40,140 units (+11.8%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the top 25 models.

World Best Selling Executive Cars of 2022. Tesla model S with an extraordinary performance gains close to 500%, securing 4th place. Zeekr 001 rises 29 spots entering the Top 10 for the first time.

Vehicles included in this ranking are only 3/4/5 doors and wagon, while SUVs and MPVs are reported under the specific segment ranking.

In 2022 the BMW 5 Series maintains the top of the leaderboard with 299,883 sales, reaching 17.4% market share and a 3.5% loss in sales. Manufactured since 1972, the 5 Series is the second best-selling BMW ever with over 7 million sales globally so far. In February 2017 the 7th generation production began.

In second place ranks the  Mercedes E Class, which sold 262,430 units (-8.1%). Starting with the new naming strategy applied by Mercedes in the early ’90s, the model began production in 1993 and is actually at its 5th generation (since 2016).

The Audi A6 maintains 3rd position with 184,358 cumulative sales, a 20.6% decrease from the prior year.

The Tesla Model S in 4th reports 85,825 units sold (+487.8%). Manufactured in 2012, the Model S was the first ever electric luxury sedan to ever be produced. This car in the last year has registered extreme success reaching a more than 2000% increase in YTD sales.

In Fifth place the Dongfeng Aeolus E70 with 74,360 sales (+144.5%) followed by the Zeekr 001 with 71,941 units sold and an incredible +1097.6% growth.  

The Dongfeng Aelolus Hyun falls 2 spots into 7th, reporting  71,106 sales (+4.2%), followed by the Hyundai Grandeur with 67,041 sales (-24.7%) and the Skoda Superb with 54,473 sales (-5.0%).

Closing the Top 10 we have the Genesis G80 with 54,238 units (-19.5%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the top 25 models.

World Best Selling Executive Cars in 2021 final data: the BMW 5 series overtakes the Mercedes E Class. The Kia K8 enter the leaderboard and lands in 8th place.

Vehicles included in this ranking are only 3/4/5 doors and wagon, while SUVs and MPVs are reported under the specific segment ranking.

In 2021 the BMW 5 Series ends up in first place with 309,242 units sold (18.2% share). Manufactured since 1972, the 5 Series is the second best-selling BMW ever with over 7 million sales globally so far. In February 2017 the 7th generation production began.

In second place we have the previous leader, the Mercedes E Class, which sold 280,256 units (16.5% market share). Starting with the new naming strategy applied by Mercedes in the early ’90s, the model began production in 1993 and is actually at its 5th generation (since 2016).

In third place the Audi A6 with 232,349 sales (13.6% share) followed by the Hyundai Grandeur with 89,086 units sold (5.2% share), and the Dongfeng Aeolus Hyun with 68,219 units (4% share), the Genesis G80 with 67,344 sales (4% share) and the Skoda Superb -down 2 spots- with 63,338 sales (3.7% share).

In eight place we have the Kia K8 with 46,741 units (2.7% share), ahead of the BMW 7 Series -down 2 spots- with 46,085 units (2.7% share) and in 10th place the Volvo S90 with 43,927 units sold (2.6% share).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the top 25 models.

World Best Selling Executive Cars in 2020 final data: the top 3 spots remain unchanged compared to last year. The Mercedes E Class keeps dominating the market with a safe gap over the rivals BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. The Dongfeng Aeolus Hyun enters the leaderboard.

Vehicles included in this ranking are only 3/4/5 doors and wagon, while SUVs and MPVs are reported under the specific segment ranking. The top 4 best selling executive models remain unchanged compared to last year.

In 2020 the global leader remains unchanged from the last few years thanks to the success of the Mercedes E Class, which sold 327.083 units this year (18.2% market share). Starting with the new naming strategy applied by Mercedes in the early ’90s, the model began production in 1993 and is actually at its 5th generation (since 2016).

In second place we have the BMW 5 Series with 308.778 units (17.1% share). Manufactured since 1972, the 5 Series is the second best-selling BMW ever with over 7 million sales globally so far. In February 2017 the 7th generation production began.

In third place the Audi A6 with 263.096 sales (14.6% share) followed by the Hyundai Grandeur -up 1 spot- with 145.469 units sold (8.1% share), overtaking the Skoda Superb with 79.437 units, the Genesis G80 -up 8 spots- with 60.943 sales (3.4% share) and the BMW 7 Series -up 1 spot- with 47.675 sales (2.6% share).

In eight place we have the Volvo S90 with 42.701 units (2.4% share), ahead of the new entry, the Dongfeng Aeolus Hyun with 40.964 units (2.3% share) and in 10th place the Peugeot 508 with 38.026 units sold (2.1% share).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for the top 25 models.

World Best Selling Executive Cars in 2019 was still dominated by the Mercedes E Class with a safe gap over the archrival BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. Impressive performance scored by the Peugeot 508, landing in 11th place.

Vehicles included in this ranking are only 3/4/5 doors and wagon, while SUVs and MPVs are reported under the specific segment ranking.

In 2019 the global leader was unchanged from the previous year, thanks to the success of the Mercedes E Class sold in 396.837 units (-0.9%). Despite several predecessors had been on sales since 1953, starting with the new naming strategy applied by Mercedes in early ’90s, the model started production in the 1993 and actually is at the 5th generation (since 2016).

In second place the BMW 5 Series with 361.560 units (-3.2%). Manufactured since 1972, the 5 Series is the second best-selling BMW ever with over 7 million sales globally so far. In February 2017 the 7th generation production began.

In third place the Audi A6 with 238.561 sales (-4.1%) followed by the Skoda Superb with 101.973 units (-21.4%), the Hyundai Grandeur with 100.617 sales (-11%), the Cadillac XTS  with 54.144 sales (-35%) and the BMW 7 Series with 52.968 units (-6.7%).

In eight place the Chevrolet Impala with 52.790 sales (-20.4%) ahead of the Volvo S90 with 50.290 (-2.9%) and in 10th place the Toyota Crown with 46.628 units (-46.2%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Group and top 10 Models

World Best Selling Executive Cars in the 2017 grew 7.6% at 3.0 million units. On top of the list the archrival Mercedes E Class and BMW 5 Series with a wide gap of the Audi A6, penalized by the age of current model. Tesla Model S ranked in 10th place.

Global Sales

In the 2017, the “Executive Cars” segment (the segment E under the European segmentation), accounted for the 3.8% of the global car passenger’s sales, with 3.07 million vehicles sold, up 7.6% from the previous year.

The top three markets for this segment are China (with 29.6% of global sales) USA ( with 25.8%) and South Korea (with 8.7%).

Best Selling Models

Vehicles included in this ranking are only 3/4/5 doors and wagon, while SUVs and MPVs are reported under the specific segment ranking.

In the 2017 the global leader was the Mercedes E Class with 385.000 sales (+36.0%). Despite several predecessors had been on sales since 1953, starting with the new naming strategy applied by Mercedes in early ’90s, the model started production in the 1993 and actually is at the 5th generation (since 2016).

In second place the BMW 5 Series with 337.000 units (+6.2%). Manufactured since 1972, the 5 Series is the second best-selling BMW ever with over 7 million sales globally so far. In February 2017 the 7th generation production began.

In third place the Audi A6 with 255.000 sales (-6.4%). On sales since the 1974, is actually at the fourth generation (since 2011) waiting for the arrival of the next in few months.

Behind the Skoda Superb with 141.000 units (-2.0%) followed by the Hyundai Grandeur, up 5 spots with 132.162 sales (+92.1%), the Chevrolet Impala with 87.816 units (-25.5%) and the Ford Taurus with 80.231 sales (-14.3%).

In eight place the Nissan Maxima with 75.987 (+3.7%) ahead of the Toyota Crown with 64.459 (-8.0%) and in 10th place the Tesla Model S with 60.712 units (+11.7%).

Data Source

This report is done utilizing data extracted from our GAD (Global Auto Database) the wider Auto Sales Database actually existing in the World, with sales data by region/area/country broken down by type/size/body-style/brand/model from January 2010 to the last month. Data are collected by over 300 sources, including all the official providers (local Minister of Transportations or Associations of car Manufacturers).

Copyright

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Rank 2017	Rank 2016		Sales 2017	Sales 2016	Variation 2017
1	2	Mercedes E Class	385.350	283.311	36,0%
2	1	BMW 5 Series	337.427	317.670	6,2%
3	3	Audi A6	255.443	272.766	-6,4%
4	4	Skoda Superb	141.107	143.930	-2,0%
5	10	Hyundai Grandeur	132.162	68.781	92,1%
6	5	Chevrolet Impala	87.816	117.848	-25,5%
7	6	Ford Taurus	80.231	93.625	-14,3%
8	7	Nissan Maxima	75.985	73.268	3,7%
9	9	Toyota Crown	64.459	70.064	-8,0%
10	14	Tesla Model S	60.712	54.365	11,7%