Canada August 2019: Light trucks hit record 76.8% share, Ram (+15.6%), Toyota (+10.4%) lift market to first gain in 18 months (+0.2%)

Ram Pickup Canadian sales are estimated to gain 17.2% in August.

New light vehicle sales in Canada are estimated to edge up 0.2% or 373 units year-on-year in August to 181.996 registrations, ending a painful stretch of 17 consecutive year-on-year declines. Note other market estimates have the August tally ranging from -0.1% to +0.6% in August. As a result the YTD volume is now down -3.9% to 1.345.588. According to Desrosiers Automotive whose totals are slightly different due to the exclusion of small brands such as Tesla and different GM and FCA estimates, passenger cars break down -18.3% year-on-year in August to just 43.147 and 23.7% share vs. 29.2% a year ago and are down an equally devastating -15.7% YTD to 349.948 and 26.2% share vs. 29.8% over the same period in 2018. In contrast, light trucks continue to gallop ahead at an impressive 8.4% rate to 139.893 and a record 76.8% share vs. 70.8% in July 2018, tilting the YTD tally back into positive at +0.8% to 985.732 and 73.8% share vs. 70.2% last year. Since last month, FCA is following General Motors in abandoning monthly sales reporting for Canada but unlike in the US Ford hasn’t dropped the ball just yet. As we have done last month, we have combined industry estimates for overall FCA and GM August sales and are sharing our exclusive estimates for all FCA and GM brands and models.

In the groups ranking, Ford Motor (-8.8%) holds onto the lead despite a steep fall, only 0.3% share above General Motors (-0.3%) almost immobile while FCA (+18.3%) surges to the largest gain in market and the third spot overall, the main responsible for this month’s overall market uptick. Indeed, only Toyota Motor (+9.6%) and Hyundai-Kia (+1.6%) also manage a positive result in the Top 10 whereas Nissan/Mitsubishi (-9.5%), Mazda (-9.2%) and Subaru (-6.1%) all fall heavily and the VW Group (-0.8%) and Honda Motor (-1.4%) are more measured. Brand-wise, the Top 6 best-sellers are unchanged on July and YTD: Ford (-9.2%) easily leads the way despite a paltry performance, Toyota (+10.4%) is the only double-digit gainer in the Top 6, Honda (-1.4%) skids down while Chevrolet (+1.2%) and Hyundai (+1.1%) edge up and Nissan (-7.6%) struggles. Bak up to #7 like YTD, Ram (+15.6%) posts the best improvement in the Top 12, with Jeep (+7.8%) and Kia (+3%) also solid and further down, Chrysler (+113.9%), Dodge (+36%), Cadillac (+22.2%) and Mercedes (+18.4%) shine.

In the models ranking, the Ford F-Series (-5.4%) retains the top spot but drops as opposed to the Ram Pickup (+17.2%), Toyota RAV4 (+16.8%) and Honda CR-V (+14.9%) in the remainder of the Top 5. The Honda Civic (-17.6%) and Hyundai Elantra (-14.7%) are the only Top 10 models to suffer double-digit declines, illustrating the poor form of passenger cars, while the Chevrolet Silverado (+9%), Nissan Rogue (+8.2%) and Toyota Corolla (+5%) are solid. Below, notice the Nissan Kicks (+125%), Jeep Grand Cherokee (+80.4%), Honda HR-V (+75.4%), Toyota Prius (+56.6%), BMW X3 (+46.4%), Hyundai Kona (+42.9%), Kia Forte (+40.8%) and Hyundai Tucson (+25.4%) among the biggest gainers in the Top 50. The Ford Ranger (#61) tops recent launches above the Hyundai Palisade (#64) and Jeep Gladiator (#86).

Previous month: Canada July 2019: Toyota (+17.2%), RAM (+34.1%) can’t prevent 17th consecutive market decline (-1.9%)

One year ago: Canada August 2018: Ford F-Series shines in 6th straight monthly market decline

Full August 2019 Top 15 groups, Top 40 brands and Top 280 models below.