Dealers eyeing the Canadian used wholesale market should note vehicle prices continued to ease in the week ending Jan. 24, with the overall market down 0.28 per cent, according to Canadian Black Book’s Market Insights report.
Car segment values declined 0.14 per cent overall. The largest drops were seen in mid-size cars (-0.50 per cent) and compact cars (-0.42 per cent), while full-size cars moved against the broader trend, posting a 0.44 per cent increase. Truck and SUV segments recorded a steeper average decline of 0.39 per cent, led by full-size crossover/SUVs (-1.33 per cent) and compact vans (-1.05 per cent).
The weekly decrease was smaller than the prior week’s 0.55 per cent drop, signalling a modest slowing in wholesale depreciation. Fewer than 28 per cent of segments experienced average value changes greater than ±$100. Auction activity remained mixed, with sale rates ranging from the low-30-per-cent range to the mid-80s, averaging about 48 per cent nationally.
Retail used pricing also edged lower. The 14-day average listed price across Canadian dealer inventory stood at approximately $36,730, based on about 204,000 active listings, reflecting continued but measured price normalization heading deeper into winter.
Overall, gradual wholesale declines point to seasonal softening rather than a sharp market correction. Dealers may need to pay close attention to segment-level performance when sourcing inventory, particularly where values are stabilizing or showing resilience, such as full-size cars. Steadier auction conditions may offer opportunities to buy selectively while keeping retail pricing aligned with local demand and days-supply realities.
In other news, Toyota has begun production of its next-generation RAV4 exclusively in electrified form at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Cambridge, Ontario, now accounting for about three-quarters of the model’s North American output.
Chinese automaker Chery Automobile is laying groundwork to enter the Canadian market with EV offerings, pursuing talent recruitment similar to earlier market entrants, while Ontario’s premier has taken a firm public stance against Chinese EV imports. European brand Lotus, owned by Geely, is also positioning new electrified vehicles for Canadian sales amid tariff shifts.
