Ford Focus Increases Lead as Most Popular Car Globally

2014 Ford Focus (Credit: © Ford Motor Co.)

Ford has reason to celebrate since the Focus continues to be the most popular vehicle nameplate in the world. This declaration was made by the automaker after analyzing recently released Polk global car registration data. The model’s continued dominance was sustained amid double-digit sales increases for 2013, with China leading the way at an 85 percent increase in Ford Focus sales. Worldwide, a total of 856,587 models were registered from January through September of 2013, with 303,481 of those registrations happening in China alone. Year-over-year Focus vehicle registrations grew at a rate of more than 16 percent, creating a lead over the second top brand in the world that now measures 75,000 vehicles.

Not only is the Ford Focus a hit in China, which is now the largest automotive market in the world, it is also the best-selling small car in Europe. The automotive market in Europe is one of the most competitive, making the sales success significant.

According to the American automaker, buyers cite a few key reasons for choosing the Ford Focus over competing vehicles. The generous standard features are one factor that draws buyers in, followed by the modern exterior styling. Chinese buyers also cited the model’s excellent safety scores as well as the relatively high-end build quality as reasons for choosing the Focus.

As a company, Ford has been focusing more on its global strategy, creating products in the recent years it believes will be popular in markets across the globe. This strategy, called One Ford, has helped the automaker land two models in the top five best-selling vehicle nameplates worldwide. The subcompact Fiesta is the other globally popular Ford model. Combined, Focus and Fiesta vehicle registrations from January through September of 2013 totaled 1,402,555 cars worldwide.