Canada Big Truck Sales Rise 11.5% in September

Canada’s big-truck sales were up 11.5% in September, the best result since June and the highest September total since 2006, WardsAuto data shows. Combined medium- and heavy-duty deliveries through nine months were up 3.0% on volume of 31,353 units against 30,426 year-ago.

Class 8 deliveries for September rose 8.9% to 2,554 units. Volvo led the group posting an 18.3% increase while volume leader Freightliner sales climbed 13.2%. The only brands to lose ground were Western Star, down 11.7% and Mack, down 3.0%. Year-to-date heavy-truck sales now stand at 21,060 units, 3.4% ahead of year-ago.

In the medium-duty segment, sales increased 16.2% as substantial gains in Classes 4 and 7 were tempered by losses in groups 5 and 6. Overall medium-duty deliveries through nine months are up slightly to 10,293 units, 2.3% above 2013’s total.

Class 7 sales were up 49.0% over 2013, by far the best performing segment in September. Hino led the group, up 71.5% on small volume, while share leader International’s sales spiked 68.6% raising its share to over 75% of the market. Kenworth was the only manufacturer to suffer a loss, dropping 49.4%.

Sales of Class 6 trucks fared the worst among all segments, as deliveries fell 23.3% to 148 units from 185 a year-ago. Triple-digit gains for Ford (+379.2%) and Hino (+153.35) were not enough to offset losses by share leader International which has continued to drag the segment down, falling 54.1% to 69 from 144 last year.

Class 5 deliveries also fell, losing 4.4% to 470 units on mixed results. Freightliner led the group, posting a 139.6% increase, albeit on small volume while Ford was up 14.3%. International‘s sales plunged 72.3%, the largest loss in the segment.

Class 4 sales were up 26.9% on volume of 147 units against 111 a year-ago. A 23.1% increase posted by market leader Ford was enough to overcome a 42.5% loss suffered by Hino.

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