10 Vehicles That Enjoyed More Success in Canada Than in the U.S.
Canadian drivers don’t exactly like the same vehicles as the Americans. Sure, pickups and large SUVs are quite popular in Maple Country, too, but you’ll find a lot more small cars and crossovers north of the border than south—proportionally speaking, of course.
To celebrate Canada Day, we’ve come up with a list of 10 vehicles that enjoyed more success here than in the U.S. Take a look at our photo gallery!
Acura ILX (2013-2022)
Many of Acura’s compact luxury cars in the past were exclusive to Canada, including the 1.6 EL, 1.7 EL and CSX. The ILX, launched in the fall of 2012, proved quite popular here, but not really in the U.S., where just five times more units were sold over the years.
Buick Encore (2013-2022)
The little Encore had nothing in common with your dad’s Buick. It was more popular than the cheaper Chevrolet Trax and a proportionally better seller in Canada than in the U.S.
Dodge Grand Caravan (1984-2020)
The Grand Caravan needs no introduction. Depending on the year, it sold anywhere between 20,000 and 70,000 units in Canada—about half of what Dodge managed to sell in the entire U.S. market, which is nine times larger. Americans bought as many copies of the Chrysler Town & Country despite its higher price.
Hyundai Kona (2018-present)
The Kona is selling like hot cakes in Canada and happens to be Hyundai’s No.1 product. In the U.S., however, its best year was in 2021 with about 90,000 units sold versus 31,000 north of the border. Again, Americans don’t like small crossovers as much as we do.
Kia Rondo (2007-2017, with a break in 2013)
Monospace-type vehicles are big in Europe, not so much in the U.S., as evidenced by the lack of success of the Fiat 500L, Ford C-Max, Mazda5, Toyota Prius v and Kia Rondo. In fact, the second-generation Rondo was exclusive to Canada.
Mazda CX-3 (2016-2022)
Similar to the Hyundai Kona (and the Mazda3, for that matter), the CX-3 didn’t enjoy much success in the U.S. due to its small trunk and tight rear seats. It fared a lot better in Canada. In 2018, for instance, 12,445 units were sold here versus a mere 16,899 south of the border. The CX-3 was axed in the U.S. after 2021 and survived one more year in Canada.
Suzuki Grand Vitara (1989-2013, originally sold as Sidekick)
Suzuki left the U.S. market in November 2012 after years of poor sales. It did the same with Canada a year later. In the late part of its career, the Grand Vitara attracted about as many customers on each side of the border, which is pretty sad for a once revered little SUV.
Toyota Matrix (2003-2014)
The Matrix was developed alongside the Pontiac Vibe. The latter was built at a plant in Fremont, California, which Tesla purchased and converted in 2010. The former came out of Cambridge, Ontario and offered several models across two generations including the sporty XRS as well as AWD-equipped variants. In its final year (2014), the Matrix was sold only in Canada.
Volkswagen Golf (1974-present)
Hatchbacks have a tough time in the U.S., and the base Golf is a good example. The latest generation is only available in sporty GTI and R trim, with Volkswagen choosing to focus on the Taos crossover instead. What a shame. The entry-level Golf’s Canadian sales were about a third of the units sold in the U.S. We particularly miss the family-friendly Alltrack (pictured above) and SportWagen variants.
Volvo C30 (2007-2013)
In the 2000s, Volvo often turned to Canada to introduce new models in the North American market. Such was the case with the C30 hatchback, released in 2007 on this side of the border and a year later in Uncle Sam’s land. More than 5,000 units were sold here versus a mere 22,000 down there. By the way, the car was penned by Quebecois designer Simon Lamarre.