Despite one of the coldest winters much of Canada has witnessed in recent years, the deep freeze didn’t impact last month’s new vehicle sales, which according to data compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants were actually up on February 2013’s totals.
With 105,693 new vehicle deliveries last month, volume was up 2.4 per cent on February 2013. Light trucks continued to be the big focus for many Canadians, with sales of 64,579 units representing a sizeable 9.7 per cent gain on last year’s total.
Passenger car demand meanwhile, continued to fall, dropping 7.3 per cent, despite relatively high pump prices and a marketing push by many automakers that continues to emphasize fuel economy.
In terms of the automakers themselves, the overall winners in terms of volume were once again the Domestic brands, with Chrysler leading the way at 18,350 units, followed by Ford Motor Company (16,277) and General Motors (12,981). Interestingly, Chrysler was the only one out of the Detroit three to post gains over last February, seeing an increase of 9.5 per cent. By contrast, Ford and GM saw declines of 0.4 and 7.2 per cent respectively.
In terms of actual percentage gains, the big winners in February continued to be among the Import brands. Smart, even though it sold only 95 vehicles for the month, saw a whooping 58.3 per cent gain over February 2013. Other big gainers from a percentage standpoint included Land Rover (31.3 per cent), sister brand Jaguar (29.5 per cent), Subaru (26.5 per cent) and Honda (13.9 per cent).
As we enter spring (traditionally a buoyant time for new car sales), there are strong indicators that demand will continue to rise, fueled by continuing low interest rates and a consumer willingness to spend money on goods and services, including new cars and trucks.
For more information visit: Desrosiers.ca
