Canada Full Year 2017: F-Series & Ram break records in first 2m year

The Ford F-Series is the first nameplate to sell over 150.000 units in a single year in Canada.

* See the Top 15 groups, Top 40 All-brands and Top 290 All-models by clicking on the title *

Consult 35 years worth of Canadian Historical Data here

Just as its neighbour the U.S. has finally plateaued and swung into negative territory, 2017 is a historic year for Canadian new light vehicles sales: for the first time in the country’s history, more than two million vehicles found a new home in a single year (2.043.500) thanks to a 4.6% year-on-year uplift. This means the Canadian market has now grown for eight consecutive years (the last recorded drop was in 2009) and has broken its all-time volume record for the past five straight years, lifting it from 1.744.600 in 2013. According to local consultancy Desrosiers whose figures are slightly lower due to the absence of some luxury brands such as Tesla, light truck sales in Canada are up a whopping 8.7% year-on-year to 1.398.975 units or 68.6% share vs. 66% a year ago whereas passenger cars are down 3.4% to 639.823 and 31.4% share vs. 34% in 2016.

The Ram Pickup ends 2017 with a new sales record roughly 1.500 units below the 100.000 mark.

Ford Motor remains the most popular auto group in the country but sees its share thaw to 15.1% due to a meagre 1.3% sales improvement. Reversely, General Motors is catching up fast with a 13.3% sure lifting it from 13.7% and #3 last year to 14.8% and #2 in 2017. FCA, #1 in 2015, is down 3.5% to #3. Honda Motor (+5.7%), Daimler AG (+8.2%), Nissan Motor (+8.3%), Jaguar Land Rover (+13.1%) and the Volkswagen Group (+16.9%) also outpace the market. Brand-wise, Ford (+1.4%) remains comfortably in the lead, however all its immediate followers advance faster: Toyota (+4.7%), Honda (+6.3%), Chevrolet (+12.9%) and Nissan (+10%). GMC (+17.5%) and Ram (+11.2%) also post double-digit gains while Hyundai (-6%) and Dodge (-8%) go backwards. Below, Tesla (+95.7%), Maserati (+83.8%), Jaguar (+52.3%), Audi (+17.9%), Porsche (+16.8%), Volvo (+16.4%), Volkswagen (+16%), Mercedes (+11.8%) and Lexus (+10%) make themselves noticed. Alfa Romeo (from 85 to 1.113 sales) and Genesis (from 93 to 525) shoot up thanks to new models.

The Honda Civic is the best-selling passenger car in Canada for the 20th year in a row.

The Ford F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in Canada for the 9th consecutive year and the 14th time in the past 15 years (only interruption was by the Honda Civic in 2008). Thanks to deliveries up 7%, the F-Series breaks the annual volume record for any nameplate in a single year in Canada for the 6th time in the past eight years (and as early as end-November), lifting it to over 155.000 units, its first time above 150.000. Note the F-Series is the only nameplate in Canadian history to have ever crossed the 100.000 annual unit-milestone, and has done so for the past 6 consecutive years. The Ram Pickup does not end far off this year though: thanks to sales up 11%, it also breaks its own annual volume record to lift it to just under 98.500. In third place overall, the Honda Civic (+7%) is the best-selling passenger car in Canada for the 20th year in a row, comfortably distancing the Toyota Corolla (+10%) at over 69.000 units vs. a little more than 50.000 while the Hyundai Elantra (-6%) is out of the Top 10.

The Chevrolet Silverado (+31%) helps GM up 13.3% in 2017.

With the GMC Sierra surging 21% to #4 and the Chevrolet Silverado soaring 31% to #5, the Canadian sales charts has four full-size pickup trucks in the Top 5 for the first time ever. The Toyota RAV4 (+4%) remains the best-selling SUV but Honda CR-V (+13%) is catching up fast and ends the year only 451 units below. The Hyundai Tucson (+28%), VW Golf (+22%), Chevrolet Equinox (+27%), Kia Forte (+33%), Subaru Impreza (+30%) and VW Tiguan (+34%) also impress in the Top 50. The Nissan Qashqai (#56) is the most popular new launch for 2017, ahead of the VW Atlas (#97), Toyota C-HR (#106) and Chevrolet Bolt (#158).

Previous month: Canada November 2017: Market down 1% but 2m annual result now certain

Previous year: Canada Full Year 2016: Ford F-Series at peak in 4th straight record year

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

Full Year 2017 Top 15 groups, Top 40 All-brands and Top 290 All-models vs. Full Year 2016 data below.

Full December 2017 Top 15 groups, Top 35 All-brands and Top 260 All-models below.