The third quarter of 2025, year-to-date, revealed notable shifts in Canadian light vehicle segment-level sales — with the small pickup, small van, and compact luxury car segments staying strong, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
DAC said these were the top three performing segments, YTD and from a percentage perspective: small pickups (up 38.9%), small vans (up 38.6%), and compact luxury car segments (up 31.8%).
“The small pickup segment saw significant growth across most models, as was the case in the small van segment where widespread growth was led by the Chrysler Pacifica,” said DAC in its update. “On the other end of the spectrum, the weakest performances were noted for the luxury car segment, down 46.9%, as well as the sports car segment, down 18.8%.”
Subcompact cars, a very small and volatile segment, experienced significant growth in the first half. However, sales pulled back 33.7% in the third quarter of the year. The result was a falling out of the top three gainers from a percentage perspective. The intermediate car segment did better thanks to a remarkable 43.3% sales increase in Q3 due in part to strong performances of the Toyota Prius and the Camry.
“The trade conflict and regulatory changes both continue to impact certain segments and disrupt the market,” said Andrew King, Managing Partner at DAC, in a statement.“These forces came together in the luxury car segment, where the majority of the decline is due to the collapse in sales of the Tesla Model 3, which has distorted the overall segment’s performance significantly.”
