With the December numbers now in, 2013 has gone down as the best year so far in terms of Canadian new vehicle sales. According to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, demand reached a record total of 1,743,112 units (764,382 passenger cars, 978,730 light trucks).
Although December can be tough for many manufacturers and dealers, 113,036 units sold last month inched out 2012’s total of 108,931 by 3.8 per cent, contributing to overall record demand for the year.
In terms of overall brand volume for December, General Motors surpassed Ford Motor Company, delivering 17,036 units for the month, versus 16,153. GM’s redesigned full-size pickups are proving popular with buyers and will likely help the automaker give Ford a good run for its money as we edge further into 2014. Nevertheless, in terms of overall brand sales for the year, Ford finished first (283,451 units), followed by Chrysler Canada (258,560) with GM in third place (234,944).
Among the import brands, Honda edged out Toyota in December, selling 11,542 units versus 11,159, though the latter remained Canada’s top selling import nameplate in 2013 ringing in 179,411 orders, versus 145,231 for Honda.
The big news in 2013 was Jaguar, which has seen significant growth in sales volume. A steady launch of new product offerings and an emphasis on upgrading the dealer network across the country have contributed to the gains witnessed last year. Jaguar finished 2013 with sales of 1,263 units — a whopping 96.1 per cent gain over 2012’s total of 644 units.
Other solid performers during 2013 have been Land Rover, which saw a 20.3 per cent improvement in overall volume from last year, along with Porsche (24.6 per cent) and Subaru (18.6 per cent).
As 2014 unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the market performs — relatively stable fuel prices and consumer confidence in 2013 have continued to drive new vehicle sales (particularly light trucks), despite high debt-to-income ratios (helping fuel longer financing terms) and looming unemployment concerns.
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