Skip advert
Advertisement
Features

Best-selling cars 1965

The Austin/Morris 1100 was the best-selling car of 1965 with almost 160,000 registrations

Austin/Morris 1100 - 1985

Queen Elizabeth II courted controversy in 1965 by appointing all four Beatles to the Order of the British Empire – an honour traditionally reserved for military veterans.

This was also the first year that official car registrations figures were unveiled, and they showed just over one million new cars found homes that year. The sixties were the most successful decade for the 1959 Mini, but surprisingly, it never topped the annual sales charts at home, ranking third in 1965.

Ford Cortina - 1965

Instead, the Austin/Morris 1100 was the favourite, with a 14.3 per cent market share – a ratio that would be almost impossible to reach today. The Ford Cortina trumped its Mini rival in 1965 to rank in second place in the overall chart for the year.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Below it was the Ford Anglia, production of which would end two years later. Vauxhall was also present in the table, but with a name that went on to be discontinued in 1976: the Victor.

Unlike today, there were no foreign models in the top 10, as imports accounted for only five per cent of sales.

Best-selling cars 1965

Pos.ModelSales
1Austin/Morris 1100157,679
2Ford Cortina116,637
3Austin/Morris Mini104,477
4Ford Anglia84,589
5Vauxhall Victor69,854
6Vauxhall Viva58,884
7BMC 1.6 Farina52,503
8Ford Corsair44,943
9Morris Minor44,905
10Ford Mark IV43,204

Click below for the best-selling cars of that year...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Jeep Renegade to target Dacia Duster with cheap 'n' tough design
Jeep Renegade exclusive image

New Jeep Renegade to target Dacia Duster with cheap 'n' tough design

Keen to offer a spacious and rugged offering at an attractive price, the new Renegade will have established rivals looking over their shoulders
News
16 Jul 2026
New Volkswagen ID. Cross: 278-mile electric SUV is gunning for Renault 4
Phil McNamara with the Volkswagen ID. Cross

New Volkswagen ID. Cross: 278-mile electric SUV is gunning for Renault 4

The new all-electric Volkswagen ID. Cross is here to take on the small SUV elite, and it's set to cost from £28k
News
16 Jul 2026
Two new Volvo models on the way this year, and an estate car could follow
Volvo XC40 - front cornering

Two new Volvo models on the way this year, and an estate car could follow

Significantly upgraded SUVs are likely for 2026, but Swedish firm is also leaving the door open for new estate cars in future
News
17 Jul 2026

Find a car with the experts