Canada March/Q1 2025: General Motors (+17.3%) posts biggest growth among main OEMs, best March volume in 7 years

Chevrolet Silverado sales are up 13.1% over Q1.

According to local consultancy Desrosiers Automotive, the Canadian new car market sports a very decent +11.4% year-on-year lift in March to 185,000 units, the best March result since 2018. The SAAR comes it an 2.02 million vs. 1.74 million in March 2025. Light trucks amounted to 88.1% of the market and passenger cars at 11.9%. Q1 volumes are up 3.7% to 431,000 sales. April will bring more disruption, with US tariffs coming into place and the carbon tax gone. 

In the OEM ranking over Q1, General Motors sails away with over 74,000 units, up a fantastic 17.3% as it is also the case in the neighbouring USA. Ford edges up 1.8% on revised Q1 2024 figures to a little less than 62,000 units, followed by Hyundai-Kia (+4.4%) overtaking Toyota Motor (-11.2%) in trouble. Nissan/Mitsubishi (+0.2%) is stable, while Honda Canada is strong at +8.9%) and Stellantis freefalls at -18.2%.

Brand-wise, Ford (+1.9%) posts a measured gain over revised 2024 sales data, distancing Toyota (-15%), skidding. Chevrolet (+14.8%), Hyundai (+11.4%) and Honda (+9.9%) are all very dynamic and round out the Top 5. Nissan (+3.8%) matches the overall growth rate, with GMC (+8.2%) the only additional carmaker to beat the market. There’s a few further down though, including Chrysler (+68.5%), Cadillac (+63.5%), Tesla (+49.3%, a remarkable score), Mazda (+21.5%) and Lexus (+17.6%). Note Ram down -29.1% and Jeep at -24.1%.

Looking at the models charts, the Ford F-Series (+8.1%) is solid at the top, unlike the Toyota RAV4 (-15.1%) properly imploding but staying at #2. The GMC Sierra (+10.5%) repeats at #3 ahead of a soaring Chevrolet Silverado (+13.1%) gaining two spots on its Full Year 2024 ranking to #4. The Honda CR-V (+9.5%) continues at #5 while the Nissan Rogue (-11%) is in difficulty but ascends to #6, benefiting from the collapse of the Ram Pickup (-38%). The Nissan Kicks/Kicks Play (+169.3%) burst into the Top 10 at #8, with the Hyundai Tucson (+32%) doing the same at #9.

Previous month: Canada February 2025: Hyundai, Mazda, Lexus defy market down -8.2%

One year ago: Canada March/Q1 2024: Toyota overtakes Ford to #1 brand, Subaru, Honda stand out

Full Q1 2025 Top 15 OEM, Top 46 All brands and Top 310 All models below.