Pickup trucks, more than SUVs, appear to lead the trend in consumer interest across Canada, according to autoTRADER.ca’s annual Top Searched vehicles list.
The Ford F-150 remains the most searched vehicle in Canada, now for five consecutive years, although Dustin Woods, associate editor of autoTRADER.ca said the Ram 1500 also made the list this year, climbing from spot #32 in 2018 to #7 in 2019.
“It’s been five years since more than one pickup made the Top 10, indicating a renewed passion for larger utility vehicles among car shoppers,” said Woods.
Pickup truck listings were up 21 per cent from January to December 2019, while SUV listings decreased 5 per cent during this period, and the Jeep Wrangler did not make the list for the first time since 2014. Of course, there remains key regional taste differences for drivers across the nation.
In Quebec, the Honda Civic was the top searched vehicle in that province, now for the third consecutive year. Nationally, it is in second place. There is also a preference for vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Toyota Corolla. As for luxury, the Chevrolet Corvette pushed aside the Mercedes-Benz C-Class to take its place.
Ontario shifted away from luxury brands in 2019, with Toyota and Ram replacing Porsche and Mercedes-Benz — although the BMW 3-series made the list. The Toyota Camry and Corolla jumped up several places to make the top 10, which may indicate that sedans have retained their popularity in province.
The Maritimes included the most trucks on the list, with the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Toyota Tacoma all appearing in the top 10.
In Western Canada, there was a clear preference for SUVs — including the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The addition of the Ford Escape to the list this year is considered unique to the Western provinces.
Electric vehicles also appear to be on the rise in Canada.
“This year, data indicated a more than 50 per cent increase in search volume for hybrid, electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in-hybrid vehicles (PHEV), when compared to 2018,” said autoTRADER.ca.
Nearly half of those searches were for hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius. The Chevrolet Bolt EV ranked highest in terms of search volume, and the BMW i8 topped the PHEV category.
“2019 search data suggests it’s an interesting time for Canadian auto shoppers,” said Woods. “In many ways, we’re seeing paradoxes: new vehicles with classic designs, compact vehicles with sport-utility features and a growing EV inventory alongside a strong truck market. The newly announced electric Ford F-150 and Tesla Cybertruck are perfect examples of how Canadians will see these trends merge in the coming year.”
