Demand for light trucks helps September auto sales grow 2.7 per cent: DesRosiers

TORONTO – DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says demand for light trucks boosted auto sales 3.7 per cent last month compared with a year ago, making it the best September on record.

Canadians snatched up a total of 174,337 light vehicles in September, up from 168,041 in the same period last year.

Light truck sales rose 10.4 per cent to 111,357, while passenger car sales slipped 6.2 per cent to 62,980.

Ford Canada came out on top, selling 28,214 light vehicles — an increase of 3.9 per cent from September 2014.

General Motors was in second place, with 24,960 vehicle sales, followed by Fiat Chrysler, which sold 24,007 light trucks and cars.

DesRosiers says automakers are possibly on track for a record-setting year in Canada. Year-to-date, they havesold 1.5 million vehicles — 2.5 per cent more than during the same period last year.

“That being said, sales in the final quarter last year were extremely strong . . . so there are some tough comparables to beat,” DesRosiers said in a news release.

“We remain cautiously optimistic.”

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