Canada Full Year 2015: First FCA win in third consecutive record year

The Ram Pickup breaks sales records and helps push FCA to #1. Picture caranddriver.com

* See the Top 15 groups, Top 35 brands and Top 275 models by clicking on the title *

At +2.5% in 2015, the Canadian year-on-year gain is more subdued than last year (+6%) but still pushes the market to a third consecutive annual record at 1.900.072 registrations. Passenger cars see their market share drop below 39% whereas SUV/crossover sales shoot up from 32.9% in 2014 to 36.1% this year and pickup trucks go up slightly to 18.4%. For the first time in the company’s 90-year history, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is the top carmaker in Canada thanks to sales up 2% to 293.061, also an all-time record annual volume. FCA distances Ford Motor Company (-5%) and General Motors (+5%), while Toyota Motor (+4%) overtakes Hyundai-Kia (-2%) for 4th place overall.

Lexus is the fastest-growing brand in the Top 30 this year in Canada. 

Brand-wise, Ford remains comfortable leader despite sales down 5% to 270.498 above Toyota at 182.365 and Honda at 156.500, both up 2%. Chevrolet (+3%), Hyundai (-2%) and Nissan (+13%) are the only other brands positing 6-digit sales figures for 2015. GMC (+12%), Jeep (+13%), Subaru (+11%), Mercedes (+15%) and Lexus (+25%) lodge double-digit year-on-year gains inside the Top 20, while further down Porsche (+30%), Mini (+31%) and Tesla (+84%) shine.

The GMC leaps to 4th position overall in the 2015 Canadian models charts. 

The Ford F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in Canada for the 7th year in a row and the 12th time in the past 13 years but sees its sales drop 6% to under 119.000 units after posting three consecutive record annual volumes. The F-Series remains the only nameplate to ever sell 6-digit annual figures in Canada. Like in 2014 it is followed by the Ram Pickup, up 3% to sign a new sales record over 91.000 units. The Honda Civic is the most popular passenger car in the country for the 18th straight year thanks to just under 65.000 sales. The GMC Sierra gains the most ground among the best-sellers, shooting up four spots and 12% to 4th overall, followed closely by its mass market twin the Chevrolet Silverado (+11%).

The Chrysler Pacifica will replaces the Town&Country and the Dodge Grand Caravan in 2016.

Despite sales down 7%, the Ford Escape is once again Canada’s best-selling SUV but the Toyota RAV4 (+15%) and Nissan Rogue (+24%) are catching up fast. Even though it continues to flatly outsell its twin the Chrysler Town & Country in Canada (46.927 sales vs. 9.001), the Dodge Grand Caravan (-9%) will not survive 2016: at the same time next year we will be in a position to establish whether replacing the hugely successful pair of minivans with the lone Chrysler Pacifica will have been a smart move from FCA.

The Honda HR-V is the most successful all-new nameplate for 2015. Picture motortrend.com

Other notable moves in the Canadian sales charts include the Jeep Cherokee up 41% to #16 and a record 31.833 sales, the VW Golf up 68% to #22 and 20.515 deliveries, the Nissan Micra up 52% to #37 and the Nissan Murano boosted up 115% to #48 by its facelift. The most successful all-new nameplates for 2015 are the Honda HR-V landing directly at #59, the Mazda CX-3 (#70), Jeep Renegade (#150) and Ram ProMaster City (#154).

Previous month: Canada November 2015: Third consecutive annual record imminent

Previous year: Canada Full Year 2014: Ford F-Series and Ram Pickup break records

Two years ago: Canada Full Year 2013: Ford F-Series breaks all-time record

Full Year 2015 Top 15 groups, Top 35 brands & Top 275 models vs. FY 2014 figures below.

Full December Top 15 groups, Top 35 brands and Top 254 models below.