From BMWs to Audis, practically everyone has a dream car in mind.
Of course, dreams are quite different from reality, so what do most Brits in fact end up with?
That's what we're here to answer.
And if you're of a certain age (maybe 'vintage' would be a better word?), then chances are that you may well have driven at least one!
10. Rover Metro
Intended as a follow-up of the classic Mini, the release of the Volkswagen Polo in 1976 convinced Rover that they needed to expand the Mini into something larger. But perhaps for the better, the Rover Metro went on to became a popular car in its own right, even to the point of outdoing the mighty Ford Fiesta in its early years. Heck, even Princess Diana owned one prior to her engagement to Prince Charles. Talk about British car royalty!
Such was its popular appeal that in the first seventeen years of its production (between 1980 and 1997), the Rover Metro generated a very respectable 1.5 million sales.
9. The Mini
Nope, not the rebranded BMW-inspired MINI from the early 2000s. We mean the real Mini.
It might be vintage expensive now and driven by just a select few, but that wasn't the case back in its heyday. Yep, these were common sights back in the 60s. And not only is it one of the most recognisable cars around, the original Mini's also about as British as you can get. How many other cars do you see draped in the Union Flag without looking stupid, or that can lay claim to having raced around the streets of Turin in an iconic 60s film?
Yep, the Mini lives long in the memory AND the sales record.
8. Ford Focus
When it first came onto the market, the Focus had pretty big shoes to fill in replacing the top-selling Ford Escort, and it didn’t disappoint. In fact, the Focus almost became a next generation Escort, yet in the end the manufacturer decided to keep that car in rotation at the same time.
And considering that it only debuted in 1998 (the latest date of all the cars on this list) and still managed to sell over 2 million units is testament to its popularity. Indeed, the Ford Focus was (and is?) a favourite amongst boy racers for its speed, and a favourite amongst parents for its generous space.
7. Volkswagen Golf
One that we've practically all heard of, the Volkswagen Golf certainly holds claim to being the best hatchback on the market, even if it might not be the highest-selling one ever. Famed for its loveable nature and dependability, it's no surprise that the Golf has been the recipient of numerous international awards over the year – twice the winner of European Car of the Year and winner of World of the Year on one occasion.
Now well into its 8th generation, the Volkswagen Golf remains as iconic and reliable as ever, known for its no frills nature and comfortable drive. It's safe to say that it just keeps improving, and that doesn't look like stopping soon!
6. Vauxhall Cavalier
One of the more obscure vehicles on the list, the name makes sense, because this car definitely has a right to a cavalier attitude. It was one of the best-selling cars of the early 80s, having just been beaten to the top spot by the Ford Cortina in 1985 and 1984. The Cavalier consistently saw sales of over 100,000 per year in the 80s and 90s, until production sadly ceased in 1995. Over the years, it's seen plenty in the way of facelifts, versions and modifications, including the release of a sports coupe and an estate version.
The reason for its 1995 'death' was that parent company Opel sadly retired the Cavalier name in favour of branding their Vectra model as part of Vauxhall. Which in hindsight might have been a poor decision, as sales of the Vectra could never match those of the Cavalier.
5. Vauxhall Corsa
Once the dream car for every boy racer who's just passed their test, the Vauxhall Corsa has always been a popular model in the UK. Now entering its 5th generation, the peak of the Corsa's success came in 2002-2005 when it was the best-selling supermini and in the top three best-selling cars overall. First produced in 1982, it wasn't released in the UK till 1993.
Originally though, Vauxhall were hesitant to name it the Corsa as they thought that sounded too close to 'coarser' – obviously with negative implications that the car is rough and of poor quality. That was clearly no stumbling block though as Corsa is now a household name across the globe. And in Britain it persistently came up as the number two supermini for the best part of two decades. Not too shabby.
4. Ford Cortina
The Ford Cortina was the country's best-selling car for a staggering 9-year run from 1972 to 1981. It even broke a British record in 1979 by making 193,000 sales.
Produced over a period length of five generations and twenty years (between 1962 and 1982), the Cortina helped bring the country from the love of the Mini to the love of compact family cars. It ceased production in 1982, but would only give way to yet more top-selling Ford cars. Indeed, it marked the beginning of a long period of dominance for Ford vehicles in the UK.
3. Vauxhall Astra
Its 40-year existence makes it one of the longest-living cars still in production, and the original Vauxhall Astra has been one of the UK's best-selling cars since 1979.
Originally known as the 'Opel Kaddett' (what kind of name is that?) it's one of the nation's most loved family cars, sitting behind the Ford Escort. Its roots date back to 1936 when it was developed to rival the famous Volkswagen Beetle. And in the UK, it was a replacement for the beloved Vauxhall Viva.
Vauxhall remains stubborn in prolonging the Astra lineage, and the seventh generation model released in 2016. Its longevity has to go down to the vast amount of sales it has received, and one can only wonder for how much longer the Astra will continue to grace the UK's streets.
2. Ford Escort
That’s right, another Ford model. Despite the Escort ceasing production over 15 years ago, it still dominated twenty years' worth of the automotive market and racked up a heck of a lot of sales along the way.
This trendy car made its first appearance in 1968, replacing the successful and long-running Ford Anglia (the flying car from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, in case you didn't know). And six years into production in 1974, Ford had already sold the two millionth Escort.
Maybe it's the dependability, the charming looks. Your perfect driving escort.
1. Ford Fiesta
Yep, the daddy of them all. From motoring veterans to first-time drivers, a Ford Fiesta has always been a safe choice for anyone. It's hard not to love this people-pleasing hatchback, and apparently the British public has accounted for owning roughly a quarter of all Fiestas. Go figure.
In fact, so many Fiestas have been sold that if you were to line them up nose-to-tail, they'd stretch twice all the way around the coast of mainland Britain. That's a lot of Fiestas!
The name 'Fiesta' has a Spanish inspiration, as the factory where production began was in Valencia, Spain in 1976, and the name was personally chosen by Henry Ford II to honour the connection with Spain.
Summary
We hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane (or memory road, in this case).
It's safe to say that of all motor manufacturers, it's Volkswagen and Ford that take up the most space on this popular cars list, and most of those vehicles are still around in their latest guise, so they're only going to rack up more car sales.
Why not lease one of them?