Canada September 2021: Market falls -19.6%, Toyota Motor (+2.6%) takes control

Toyota Corolla sales are up 17.6% year-on-year in Canada over Q3 2021.

According to local consultancy DesRosiers Automotive, the Canadian new light vehicle market is down -19.6% year-on-year in September to 136.584 units, with the Seasonally Adjusted Annualised Rate of sales (SAAR) down to 1.55 million units. The Q3 volume is down -12.3% to 439.166 units with a year-to-date tally up 13.2% to 1.296.612. We have adjusted our 2021 Forecast down to 1.65 million units (+5.5%). Over Q3, Passenger Cars are off -11.3% to 90.064 and 20.5% share vs. 20.3% a year ago while Light Trucks drop -12.5% to 349.102 and 79.5% share vs. 79.7% Over Q3 2020. Year-to-date, Passenger Cars edge up 5.5% to 250.386 and 19.3% share vs. 20.7% over the first nine months of 2020 and Light Trucks advance 15.2% to 1.046.226 and 80.7% share vs. 79.3% a year ago.

In the groups ranking over Q3, Toyota Motor (+2.6%) posts the only year-on-year gain among large manufacturers and takes control of the year-to-date charts as it also does in the neighbouring US, with sales up a whopping 30.7% over the first nine months of the year. Ford Motor (-25.4%) struggles as does General Motors (-23.1%), now ranking #2 and #3 respectively YTD. Hyundai-Kia (-3.4%) resists very well and steps up to third place over Q3 below Ford but above GM. Honda Motor (-5.9%) overtakes Stellantis (-34.2%) in dire straits. Nissan/Mitsubishi (-4.4%) and the VW Group (-1.5%) resist well while the BMW Group (+6.9%) is up and Jaguar Land Rover (-9.4%) keeps its fall to the single digits.

Brand-wise, Ford (-25.3%) maintains its leadership despite falling significantly faster than the market, distancing Toyota (+0.2%) edging up. Honda (-6.2%) and Hyundai (-8.7%) complete a Top 4 identical to the year-to-date order. Nissan (-9.1%) and Kia (-0.1%) which lodged its best September ever, both overtake Chevrolet (-22.1%) down to #7 vs. #5 so far this year. Volkswagen (+11.2%) manages the only double-digit gain in the Top 10 while Mazda (-6.2%) holds up well and Subaru (+0.3%) nudges up. Outside the Top 10, Tesla (+41.3%), Mitsubishi (+34.8%), Lexus (+23.2%) and BMW (+14.2%) make themselves noticed while further down Chrysler (+223.2%), Genesis (+370%) and Maserati (+40.8%) impress.

Looking at the models ranking over Q3, the Ford F-Series (-39.9%) takes a tough hit but comfortably remains the overall best-seller and there are a few changes below: the Honda CR-V (+9.5%) leaps to 2nd place ahead of the Toyota RAV4 (-29%) while the Ram Pickup (-45%) endures the largest fall in the Top 50 and is down two ranks to #4. The Toyota Corolla (+17.6%) unusually posts the best gain in the Top 10, advancing to #5 and outselling the perennial Passenger Car leader, the Honda Civic (-14.2%). The Ford Escape (+11.6%) also manages a year-on-year uptick in the remainder of the Top 10 whereas the GMC Sierra (-32.1%), Chevrolet Silverado (-22.7%) and Hyundai Kona (-21.2%) all sink. Other great performers include the Tesla Model 3 (+46.8%), Subaru Crosstrek (+45%), VW Tiguan (+23.4%) and Toyota Highlander (+21.2%). The Kia Carnival (#56) is the best-selling recent launch above the  Ford Bronco Sport (#72) and Ford Bronco (#78). 

Previous month: Canada August 2021: Market off -11.4%, Lexus, Subaru swim upstream

One year ago: Canada September 2020: Subaru, Kia, Volvo trigger market uptick (+2.4%)

Full Q3 2021 Top 15 groups, Top 40 brands and Top 290 models below.