Cars with the most generations
We ranked 345 nameplates from the 1CARS catalog by number of generations. The Toyota Corolla leads with 12 generations.
Cars with the most generations
No. 1–25 of 345-
1. Toyota Corolla
1966–present
12 generations
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2. Ford Thunderbird
1955–2005
11 generations
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3. Honda Civic
1972–present
11 generations
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4. Honda Accord
1976–present
11 generations
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5. Chevrolet Impala
1994–2020
10 generations
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6. Chevrolet Bel Air
1950–1981
9 generations
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7. Toyota Camry
1982–present
9 generations
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8. Chevrolet Malibu
1997–2024
9 generations
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9. Chevrolet Corvette
1953–present
8 generations
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10. Porsche 911
1964–present
8 generations
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11. Mercury Cougar
1967–2002
8 generations
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12. Jaguar XJ
1968–2019
8 generations
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13. BMW 5 Series
1972–present
8 generations
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14. Volkswagen Golf
1974–present
8 generations
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15. Ford Taurus
1985–2022
8 generations
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16. Lexus ES
1989–present
8 generations
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17. Ford Falcon GT
2003–2014
8 generations
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18. Rolls-Royce Phantom
2003–present
8 generations
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19. Dodge Charger
2006–present
8 generations
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20. Ford Fairlane
1955–1970
7 generations
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21. Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
1963–present
7 generations
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22. Ford Mustang
1964–present
7 generations
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23. Dodge Coronet
1965–1976
7 generations
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24. Mercedes-Benz S-Class
1972–present
7 generations
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25. BMW 3-Series
1975–present
7 generations
Method and data
We count the generations of each nameplate recorded in the 1CARS catalog; facelifts are not separate generations. The years show the span from the first generation to the latest. How we collect and check data
Ranked: 345 of 1,149 models in the 1CARS catalog have a figure for this list.
Download the full list (CSV) · Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit “1CARS” and link to this page. Spot an error? Tell us — we check every report.
Where does my car rank?
See its place in every ranking and how it compares with the rest of its class.
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Questions and answers
Which car has had the most generations?
The Toyota Corolla (1966–present), with 12 generations. Second is the Ford Thunderbird with 11 generations.
How is this ranking compiled?
We count the generations of each nameplate recorded in the 1CARS catalog; facelifts are not separate generations. The years show the span from the first generation to the latest.
Why is a model missing from the list?
A model is listed only when the 1CARS catalog has a confirmed figure for it. Models without an official figure stay out instead of getting an estimate, and the list grows as we add data. Concept cars, prototypes, one-offs and racing cars are not ranked; limited-run models are marked.