Japan
Best-selling vehicle: Toyota Corolla
Market share: 4.7 %

For car lovers, Japan is a wondrous place filled with mythical beasts like the Skyline GT-R, Honda NSX, and Toyota Supra. In reality, its narrow roads, tight parking spaces, and exorbitant taxes favor kei cars, sub-600 cc econo cars that come in all shapes.  

When that reality kicks in, it’s a sure bet that buyers will turn to something safe and secure. Despite the availability of quirky alternatives like mini-breadvans and cube-like conveyances, the plain, vanilla choice still wins out: the Toyota Corolla. Open a dictionary, and it’s likely to have a drawing of a Corolla under “economy sedan.” Lately, it’s added size, comfort, and even a bit of style to its repertoire. The Corolla’s refined ride and soothing interior help to keep at bay the frenetic pulse of Tokyo or Osaka.

Japan’s tight regulations practically force car owners to replace their cars after three years of ownership. That also plays into the Corolla’s hands, as these cars are known to need only fuel and air to run forever. Three years is a blink of an eye. In twenty-seven years, the Corolla has been toppled from the top spot only once, by the Honda Jazz. The year after that, the new version was once again number one.

Germany
Best-selling vehicle: VW Golf
Market share: 6.5 % of passenger cars

The Fatherland is yet another of automobile-dom’s legendary kingdoms. The famed autobahn must be filled with AMG Mercedes, BMW M5s, and Porsche Carreras. It’s true that you will see your fill of these, but what you will mostly find is a humble hatchback, the VW Golf.

What the Corolla is to Japan, the Golf is to Germany. Refined repeatedly through decades and many iterations, the car’s mission is to provide decent, comfortable transportation for a reasonable price. The Golf has an evil twin called the GTI, with 200 turbocharged horses under its hood, but we found even the basic 1.6 liter version to be sufficient for the autobahn. Its sophisticated suspension clings onto the banked off-ramps like a Rottweiler.

With its straightforward, timeless style, the Golf goes beyond class barriers. It could be a housewife behind the wheel, or a bank president. So heil the true volks wagen, the Golf.

Kazakhstan
Best-selling vehicle: Skoda Octavia (probably)
Market share: Glorious

What would Borat drive? Probably a horse and buggy. If he had to go to the city, he just might pick the Skoda Octavia. Statistics are sketchy, but the brand seems to be the preferred one in many of the former Soviet Republics.

The Czech automaker was once synonymous with “tin can,” but under Volkswagen it has flourished into a world-class automaker. The Octavia is a sedan based on the—you guessed it—the VW Golf. As a result, it’s refined, well-built, and reasonable priced. It even has a standard iPod input. Mr. Sagdiyev may not find a sexy time with this car, but he also can’t go wrong with this one. High-five!

India
Best-selling vehicle: Maruti Alto
Market share: 19.9% of passenger cars

As an emerging auto market, India has enormous potential, perhaps bigger than China. As of now, though, roads are infamously rutted and chaotic. Enter the Maruti (aka Suzuki) Alto. Philippine motorists may be too proud to drive a car that’s smaller than a suitcase, but Indians seem to have no reservations about it. Its subcompact size and simple construction imply frugal operation and easy maintenance. The car seems to be built to take a beating and keep on rolling, if its durable predecessors are anything to go by.

Powered by its India operations, Suzuki is one of Japan’s fastest-growing automakers. If they can convince Indians to trade up to a Swift, then perhaps they and their customers will find true happiness.

China
Best-selling car: VW Jetta
Market share: 4.7 % of passenger cars

China’s economy is growing at a roaring pace, acting as an engine for the entire world. Its roads are not quite paved with gold, but the rolling stock on the roads speaks of ample wealth. Visit a booming area like Shanghai or Beijing and BMW 7 Series, Bentley Flying Spurs and Mercedes S-Class sedans will dance in your eyes. (And we’re not even in Hong Kong yet.) Please don’t bother with cheap models like the 3 Series, unless you really can’t afford anything else. SUVs are not too popular, as they connote farm work and manual labor.

Yet for many folks, a car is still a dream purchase. When many of them achieve that goal, they buy a model that is in plentiful supply and yet looks and performs well: the VW Jetta.

The Jetta is the sedan version of the Golf. If it works for the finicky Germans, why not for the Chinese? Jettas are assembled locally under a joint-venture company. Based on their driving behavior, Chinese motorists don’t seem to know much about road rules, let alone car maintenance. It’s as if the whole country should have “Caution: Student Driver” stenciled across their taillights. The Jetta is nimble enough to evade wayward motorists and pedestrians, and it has powerful brakes. It certainly won’t hurt that it’s wearing a German badge. In the Middle Kingdom, a German by way of Shanghai rules.

It is no surprise that safe, practical models are the primary choices of people around the world. The cars listed here are among the cheapest models available in each country, with the exception of wealthy America. Their enormous sales volumes and standardized production mean massive profits to their companies. These are the workhorses that allowed Toyota to develop the Supra, VW to hand-build the Bentley Continental, and Ford to produce the GT. They may not be glamorous, fast, or pretty, but they keep the world on wheels.

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