In a surprising twist to the narrative surrounding Tesla’s popular Model Y, recent data suggests that the electric vehicle might not hold the top position in global sales for 2025 as previously claimed by Elon Musk. Despite the Tesla CEO’s assertion on social media that the Model Y is the world’s best-selling car for a third consecutive year, emerging statistics challenge this claim.
Elon Musk recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to praise the Tesla team, stating that the Model Y had clinched the title of “world’s best-selling car for the third year in a row.” This bold statement follows a strong 2023 performance when the Model Y indeed topped global sales charts, earning it the accolade of ‘Electrek car of the year’ (source).
However, the situation in 2024 was less clear-cut. Tesla’s Model Y was in close competition with the Toyota RAV4, losing out by a narrow margin of approximately 2,000 units according to certain analysts (source).
For 2025, early indicators suggest a different outcome. While comprehensive global registration data is yet to be finalized, preliminary analyses indicate that Toyota has likely regained the lead. Analysts tracking the market data for the first three quarters of 2025 project a less favorable Q4 for Tesla, potentially positioning the Model Y in third place worldwide.
Toyota Takes the Lead
Current estimates from industry analysts suggest that the Toyota RAV4 will top the charts with an annual sales volume of approximately 1.2 million units, reflecting a slight increase of 0.6% from the previous year. The Toyota Corolla follows with an estimated 1.08 million units, despite experiencing an 8.1% decline year-over-year.
Meanwhile, the Tesla Model Y is expected to secure around 1.03 million units, marking a notable decrease of 12.7% in its sales volume compared to 2024.
The Data Puzzle
A significant challenge in verifying these claims lies in Tesla’s reporting practices. Unlike other major automakers that disclose detailed sales figures by model, Tesla combines its delivery numbers for the Model 3 and Model Y. This lack of specific data release allows for broad claims, such as those made by Musk, which then require extensive analysis to validate.
Due to this opaque reporting, analysts must rely on registration data collected from various countries to piece together the actual sales performance of the Model Y.
Electrek’s Perspective
Despite the uncertainties, it is undeniable that achieving a top-three position in global sales is a significant accomplishment for any vehicle, let alone a premium electric SUV like the Model Y. However, transparency and accuracy remain critical in reporting such achievements.
For Tesla to decisively prove Musk’s claims, a simple step would be to release specific delivery numbers for the Model Y. Until then, the available data suggests that Toyota has once again taken the lead in the global automotive sales race for 2025.
Original Story at electrek.co