Canada February LV Sales Second-Best

Despite frigid weather and heavy snow in major parts for the country, Canadian new light-vehicle sales rose to 108,943 in February from 105,779 units a year ago.

February’s selling pace rose 3.3% to 4,539 daily from 4,396 in like-2014. Compared with January’s 3,799-a-day rate, on volume of 98,779 vehicles, February was up 19.5%  

February LV sales were second-best for the month, trailing only the record 110,805 units delivered in like-2010 at 4,617 daily.

Even the declining value of the Canadian dollar failed to dampen the enthusiasm of consumers for light trucks in February, deliveries of which rose to a record for the month of 68,290 units. That was a 4.8% gain on the prior benchmark of 65,170 set in February 2014.

Fueled by strong sales of pickups and SUVs, light trucks accounted for 62.1% of February LV sales, up from 61.8% a year earlier and just 49.1% in the benchmark month of 2010.  

LV sales in the first two months of the year rose 6.3%, to 207,722 units, compared with prior-year’s 200,954, with light trucks accounting for 63.7% of the market this year as against 61.7% in 2014.

Cars, on the other hand, ranked no better than fourth for the month since 1985, although they edged past those of the prior year by 0.8%, to 40,653 units from 40,327. Still, last month’s volume posed no threat to the record of 80,061 cars sold in February1986.   

Holding on to first place, FCA Canada (formerly Chrysler Canada) widened its lead over rival Ford to 26.1% in February from 24.6% the prior month and 14.6% year-ago, despite record-February sales of Ford’s F-Series pickups.

Third–place General Motors also widened the gap over fourth-place Toyota/Lexus to 6.2% from 0.5% in January, but that was still less than half the 18.6% lead GM enjoyed a year ago.

Hot on GM’s heels, the Japanese automaker posted an 18.8% sales increase over February 2014, a much larger boost then GM’s 6.4% gain.

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