Canada February 2019: Hyundai-Kia, Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V stay afloat in 12th straight market decline

Hyundai-Kia is the only Top 10 group to manage a double-digit gain in February.

Canadian new light vehicle sales celebrate a sad milestone in February: a full year, or 12 consecutive months, of year-on-year declines at -2.1% to 123.341 units, leading to a year-to-date tally down 3.8% to 234.465. According to local consultancy Desrosiers whose total figures are slightly lower due to the absence of some luxury brands such as Tesla, light truck sales (+1.2%)  are back into positive this month at 90.767 units and 75.1% of the market vs. , equalling the all-time record it set just last month. 75.1% market share vs. 71.4% a year ago in February 2018. Reversely passenger cars implode -16% to 30.124 and 24.9% share vs. 28.6% last year. The year-to-date ratios are identical to February. In the groups ranking, after enduring 4 consecutive months of double-digit declines, FCA (-2.1%) stabilises to reclaim the pole position for the first time in exactly a year – since February 2018. Ford Motor (-1.4%) is nudged down to #2 but remains in the YTD lead (-1.6%), distancing General Motors (-9.1%). Below, Toyota Motor (+1.4%), Honda Motor (+1.3%) and most strikingly Hyundai-Kia (+13.8%) complete the Top 5 in very positive fashion in a depressed context.

Brand-wise, Ford (-1.8%) and Toyota (-1%) top the charts as is the tradition, while Honda (+2%) is the only carmaker in positive in the Top 5, distancing Chevrolet (-17.4%) and Nissan (-13.7%) both in dire straits. Below, Hyundai (+14.6%), Dodge (+23.5%) and Kia (+10.5%) all score fantastic gains near the top, with Volkswagen (+0.5%) also edging into positive and both GMC (-0.6%) and Ram (-1.4%) managing to contain their losses unlike Mercedes (-21.9%), Mazda (-17.1%) and Jeep (-11.1%). Further down, year-on-year gains are a lot more common, with Tesla (+422.2%), Genesis (+283.3%), Cadillac (+28.6%), Smart (+15.4%), Lincoln (+14.5%), Buick (+9.2%), Volvo (+8.9%), Jaguar (+7.1%), Porsche (+6.6%) and Mitsubishi (+4.3%) the most dynamic.

Over in the models aisle, the Ford F-Series (-1.7%) and Ram Pickup (-3.8%) remain in control but it’s the Honda CR-V (+21.8%) and Toyota RAV4 (+28.4%) that by far post the most impressive results at #3 and #4 respectively, dislodging the Honda Civic (+0.3%). The GMC Sierra (+3.4%) is back above its mass market twin the Chevrolet Silverado (-2.3%) while the Dodge Grand Caravan (+12.1%) leaps up 3 spots on January to return inside the Top 10 at #8. The Tesla Model 3 is down two to a still outstanding #12, the Hyundai Kona is up 5 spots to an all-time record #15, with the VW Jetta (+159.8%), Ford Fusion (+148.2%), Dodge Durango (+91.6%), Kia Sorento (+46.6%), Dodge Charger (+42.5%), VW Tiguan (+35.6%), Toyota Camry (+26.4%) and Jeep Cherokee (+26.3%) also excelling below. Among recent launches (<12 months), the Chevrolet Blazer surges 40 spots on its inaugural month to land at a stunning 36th place, distancing the Nissan Kicks (#38), Cadillac XT4 (#95), Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (#109), Subaru Ascent (#111), Lexus UX (#119), BMW X2 (#131) and Ford Ranger (#142) surprisingly down 24 spots on January.

Previous month: Canada January 2019: Hyundai, Toyota strong, Tesla Model 3 in Top 10 in 11th straight market decline

One year ago: Canada February 2018: Jeep, VW and Chevrolet shine in record market

Full February 2019 Top 15 groups, Top 35 brands and Top 275 models below.