What was the first car ever made?

There's no single definitive answer to the question of the very first car, as it depends on how you define "car." There's no single invention; rather, the automobile evolved over time.

However, Karl Benz's Benz Patent-Motorwagen, built in 1886, is widely considered the first practical automobile. It was the first self-propelled vehicle designed for personal transport to receive a patent. While other vehicles existed before, the Patent-Motorwagen was the first to combine the elements necessary for widespread adoption: an internal combustion engine, a chassis, wheels, and steering.