While sales of passenger cars in Canada grew by 15% year-on-year in September, the light truck segment (SUVs and pick-ups) remained nearly flat. Overall, light vehicle sales in Canada improved by 6.4%, from 134,544 units in September 2011 to 143,143 last month.
Of this total, the passenger car segment accounted for 65,702 units (57,136 in September 2011), while light truck sales rose marginally, from 77,408 units to 77,441, according to data compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC), the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC), and the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA).
September’s light vehicle sales figures were, however, lower than the 149,301 units recorded in August this year. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group LLC together accounted for 61,741 cars and light trucks last month, up marginally by 0.3% compared with 61,582 units in September 2011. Imported brands saw their sales improve by 11.6%, from 72,962 units to 81,402.
Ford led the Canadian light vehicle market last month, but was also the only one among the Detroit Three to post a year-on-year sales decline. The OEM posted sales of 23,591 vehicles last month, down 8% from 25,648 a year earlier.
Sales of Chrysler/Fiat vehicles totalled 19,394 units in September, 1.4% more than the 19,135 recorded in the same month a year earlier. The group has now posted 34 consecutive months of year-on-year growth. This was also the best September for the OEM since 2000.
Dave Buckingham, Chief Operating Officer at Chrysler Canada, attributed the sales growth in the passenger car segment to fuel-efficient vehicles. The company also managed to post record sales of the Chrysler 200, he said.
GM came third overall, posting sales of 18,756 units, ahead of Toyota’s 15,278. GM’s sales were an improvement of 11.6%, compared with the 16,799 units it managed in September last year. The OEM attributed the increase to positive sales recorded by its mini, small and compact cars, compact minivans and crossovers.
Toyota’s sales last month rose by 21.6%, from 12,567 units a year ago to 15,278 units. Other high-volume OEMs who managed sales growth include Honda, with 11,457 units (+21%) and Hyundai with 11,403 units (+2.6%).
For the year to the end of September 2012, the Canadian light vehicle market stood at 1,305,538 units. This compared with sales of 1,224,149 vehicles sold during the January-September 2011 period, translating into year-on-year growth of 6.6%. Both passenger car and light truck segments have reported improved figures for this nine-month period.
