Data released by AutoTrader.ca indicates that luxury and mainstream car brands remained the top vehicle choices for Canadians in 2021, even as price increases and inventory shortages continue to impact the market.
The company’s Top Searched vehicle list shows the Ford F-150, Ford Mustang, and BMW 3 Series were Canada’s top three vehicles for the second year in a row. There were some shifts in rankings, but the same 10 cars Canadians sought in 2020 appear again on the 2021 list.
“When it comes to vehicles, Canadians like what they like and we found this consistency to be a reassuring sign for the industry, demonstrating consumers were willing to weather the storm,” said Jodi Lai, Editor-in-Chief at AutoTrader.ca.
The full top 10 list includes the Ford F-150 as number one, followed by the Ford Mustang, BMW 3 Series, Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Honda Civic, Toyota RAV4, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Chevrolet Corvette, and BMW M.
“While cars continued to dominate 80 per cent of the Top Searched list, the truck is still king with the Ford F-150 claiming the top spot nationally for the seventh year in a row, and the Toyota RAV4 remaining a fan favourite in the SUV category,” said Lai.
The global shortage of microchips paired with pent-up consumer demand led to record high new and used vehicle pricing in Canada this year. But despite these market shifts, AutoTrader.ca said consumers remained loyal to their favourite cars.
An overview from the company shows that half of the vehicle searches in Ontario, based on the AutoTrader.ca platform, consisted of luxury nameplates. In Ontario the Ford Mustang ranked first, whereas the rest of Canada had the popular Ford F-150 truck in the top spot (with the exception of Quebec).
This is because in Quebec, a luxury vehicle ranked number one in the province for the first time ever. That vehicle is the Porsche 911, which jumped from seventh place in 2020 to first place, dethroning the Honda Civic, which had the top position for the past four years. Car interest also rose among Quebecers, accounting for 60 per cent of the region’s top 10 vehicles.
In the Maritimes it was to go big or go home due to vehicle upsizing trends, according to AutoTrader.ca. The Toyota Highlander replaced the BMW 3 Series on the list, “reflecting a growing interest in larger vehicles like SUVs and trucks for the region.” The company said “Atlantic Canada also prioritized practicality over luxury, as the loss of the BMW 3 Series marked an absence of luxury on the Maritimes list.”
In Manitoba, consumer habits remained similar. The Ford F-150 was number one on the list, followed by the Ford Mustang. In comparison, Saskatchewan consumers selected function or utility over style. Saskatchewan had the most trucks on its 2021 top 10 list compared to any other province—and the Ford F-150 was right up there as number one.
In Alberta, trucks gained traction with more added to the list, so the Ford F-150 was not alone—but still in first place. And British Columbians balanced luxury with utility, with the more economical Toyota RAV4 replacing the BMW X5 as the sole SUV on the list.
“While 2021 saw volatility in market conditions, it also demonstrated how well equipped consumers and the industry are to adapt,” said Ian MacDonald, Chief Marketing Officer of AutoTrader.ca. “Canadians looked for ways to make the best of the situation, leveraging tools like the marketplace and travelling the extra distance needed to bridge the gap.”
He said the stability seen in this year’s search insights, along with what they observed about shopper activity, indicates that the market is set to bounce back in 2022, “and as microchip production ramps up, gradually return to normality.”
