Canadian Car Sales Slowed Down In July

Compared to the same period last year, light vehicle sales in Canada have barely increased. By a scant 0.4%, to be precise.

The big winners during the month of July 2015 were Volvo (+54%), Acura (+39%), Lexus (+30%) and Porsche (+28%). Meanwhile, Audi, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Subaru also celebrated double-digit sales increases.

On the flip side, July was not a happy month for the smart brand, with a whopping sales drop of 74%. However, this isn’t unusual when a redesigned model is about to hit dealerships, and the all-new 2016 smart fortwo is about to go on sale. Jaguar and Volkswagen sales were down by 11% and 14%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2014.

Through the first seven months of 2015, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) has increased its lead in the Canadian light-vehicle sales market, followed by Ford and General Motors. Compared to the same January-to-July stretch last year, MINI sales are up by 37% in 2015, Porsche sales are up by 31%, and Lexus is enjoying a 23% increase.

Passenger-car sales are still on the downswing, with a 10% drop compared to July of last year, while light-truck sales have risen by 8%. Out of every ten vehicles sold in Canada right now, four are cars and six are trucks.