Auto sales fall 3.7 per cent in February as downward trend continues

TORONTO – DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says light vehicle sales fell 3.7 per cent in February from a year earlier as a downward Canadian auto sales trend continued.

The automotive consultant says light vehicle sales totalled 120,891 for the month, down from 125,530 last year, to make it the third-highest sales for the month on record.

The dip in February marked the 12th month of sales declines when compared to the previous year.

The consumer shift away from passenger cars towards various SUVs and pickup truck options continued in February, with car sales down 16 per cent for the month while light truck sales rose 1.2 per cent.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles took the top spot in sales with 18,461 vehicles sold after only a two per cent dip from a year earlier. Ford came second after a 1.4 per cent dip, while General Motors was third with a 9.1 per cent drop from last year.

Hyundai saw a 14.6 per cent increase and Kia a 10.5 per cent climb. European luxury car brands Audi, Jaguar, Maserati, and Mercedes-Benz all saw drops of more than 20 per cent.