Canada Full Year 2011: F-Series stable, Ram Pickup up to record #2, Hyundai Elantra challenges Honda Civic for #1 passenger car

Ford F-Series

Now with a Top 45 All-brands and Top 300 All-models instead of Top 150 models.

Car sales in Canada edge up 1.9% in 2011 to 1.587.487 registrations, making it the 12th biggest car market in the world behind South Korea and above Iran. Ford (+3.3%) remains head and shoulders above the competition at 16.9%, now the only carmaker above 10% share. Chevrolet (+0.8%) reclaims the #2 spot off Toyota (-8.2%) while Hyundai (+9.1%) bypasses Honda (-12.8%) to hit #4 overall, the Korean brand’s highest ranking in Canada in 25 years. Dodge (+2.8%) remains at #6 while Nissan (+3.9%) and GMC (+1.8%) both overtake Mazda (-12%) and Ram (+17.7%) holds at #10.

The Ram Pickup is up to #2 for the first time in Canada.

In the models ranking, after breaking the nameplate annual volume record in 2010, the Ford F-Series keeps the pole position by far this year with sales almost immobile at -1.6%. According to FCA, it is the 46th consecutive year that the Ford F-Series is the best-selling pick-up in Canada – our sources however have the Chevrolet C/K at #1 in 1984. Outstanding performance of the Ram Pickup (+18.5%) whose rebranding is giving it wings, up two spots on 2010 to land at a record 2nd place with a volume record almost stretching to 65.000 units.

The Honda Civic remains the best-selling passenger car in Canada.

The Honda Civic (-4.2%) is knocked down one spot to #3, it has now topped the Canadian passenger car ranking for 14 years in a row. The Dodge Grand Caravan (-3.4%) follows ahead of the GMC Sierra (+2.7%) breaking into the Top 5 for the first time, while at #6 we have the success story of the year: the Hyundai Elantra (+30.1%), spectacularly leading the passenger cars charts over H1 and ending the year 10.000 sales below the Civic at #6 overall. The Ford Escape (+2.8%) and Chevrolet Silverado (-2.9%) follow.

The Hyundai Elantra led passenger cars halfway through the year.

Other great 2011 performers include the Chevrolet Cruze up 964.7% to #11 for its first full year of sales, the VW Jetta up 81.3% to #13, Jeep Wrangler up 41.3% to #23, the Kia Sorento up 47.9% to #25, Ford Fiesta up 195.4% to #32, Ford Explorer up 119.2% to #44 and the Mazda2 up 214.5% to #47. Further down, the Chrysler 200 is the most popular new launch at #56 above the Fiat 500 at #71, the BMW X1 at #111, Hyundai Veloster at #135, Mini Countryman at #149 and Lexus CT at #157.

In December, the Honda Civic is very strong thanks to the new generation, up to #2 with 5,525 sales, the Toyota RAV4 is up 3 spots to land at #10 and the Subaru Impreza is up a huge 69 spots on November to #21 with the new generation now arriving in dealerships.

Previous month: Canada November 2011: Honda Civic best-seller overall!

Previous year: Canada 2010: Ford F-Series (+20.3%) smashes nameplate volume record in recovering market (+6.6%)

Full Year 2011 Top 45 All-brands and Top 300 All-models vs. Full 2010 figures below.

Full December 2011 Top 100 models below.