Canada February 2021: Kia (+3.2%), Hyundai (+1.2%) resist in market down -9.9%

Hyundai Kona sales are up 27.6% in Canada this month.

Local consultancy DesRosiers estimates a Canadian new vehicle market down -9.9% year-on-year to 112.654 units, leading to a year-to-date tally down -13.6% to 203.544. The Seasonally Adjusted Annualised Rate of sales (SAAR) stands at a strong 1.84 million units, a measure that will be interesting to follow in the coming months as year-on-year comparison will lose their value due to the market imploding last year because of Covid-19. Also to note in February is light trucks accounting for a record 83.5% of total light vehicle sales vs. 78.9% in February 2020, meaning cars only account for a tiny 16.5% of the Canadian market this month.

Only one of the three main automotive groups still reporting sales monthly is in positive: Hyundai-Kia advances 2.7% whereas Toyota Motor slides -10.4% and Honda Motor dives -17.6%. Brand-wise, both Toyota (-9.5%) and Honda (-19.6%) suffer while Hyundai (+1.2%) and Kia (+3.2%) manage to post upticks for the month. Mazda (-2.8%) and Subaru (-8%) contain their fall to below the market rate unlike Lexus (-17.7%). Smaller brands Genesis (+87%), Volvo (+10.1%) and Acura (+2.4%) all shoot up.

Among the models with available monthly sales data, both the Toyota RAV4 (+13%) and Honda CR-V (+4.3%) are in positive as is the Hyundai Kona (+27.6%) but the Toyota Corolla (-38.5%) and Honda Civic (-32.8%) take hard hits. Other solid performances are delivered by the Acura MDX (+98.5%), Toyota Sienna (+90.5%), Kia Rio (+78.5%), Kia Telluride (+49.4%), Toyota 4Runner (+38%), Hyundai Palisade (+37.8%), Subaru Crosstrek (+32.1%), Toyota Highlander (+24.5%) and Mazda CX-9 (+22.5%). The Kia Seltos leads recent launches with just over 1.000 sales.

Previous month: Canada January 2021: Lockdowns pull market down -17.6%, Mazda (+7.6%) survives

One year ago: Canada February 2020: Only 13 brands report in stable market, Toyota Motor, Mitsubishi, Subaru stand out

Full February 2021 data for selected 6 groups, 10 brands and 86 models below.