best-selling – All about car

Canadian auto sales volume remained high by historical standards in the first half of 2019. Yet compared to more recent results, the industry decline that began in March 2018 continued unabated in each of 2019s first six months.Year-over-year, auto sales volume tumbled by nearly 60,000 units in the first half of the year, according to Desrosiers Automotive Reports. That 5-per-cent drop produced a four-year low in combined first and second quarter sales.There are two ways to view the markets 2019 decline. First, passenger cars are, for the most part, the culprit. While SUV/crossover popularity expands, the car sectors loss of market share is staggering; down 3 percentage points to 27 per cent in the span of just the last year, and down by nearly half over the last decade.The second perspective requires, incidentally, a look at the automakers presumed to be least affected by a car decline: Detroits homegrown brands. Combined, the traditional three domestic manufacturers combined for a 9-per-cent drop in first-half sales, a decrease valued at nearly 47,000 sales. The cause? In part, its the pickup trucks that power the Detroit marques. Full-size pickups arent matching the otherworldly pace generated back when the industry exited the last great recession with a boom.Nevertheless, a truck-heavy brand remains Canadas most popular auto brand in 2019, and Japanese brands that dominate whats left of the passenger car market position themselves high in the rankings, as well.These are Canadas 5 best-selling auto brands in the first half of 2019.5. Nissan: 65,959, down 7 per centWith Hyundai hot on Nissans heels thanks to the huge success of the Kona subcompact crossover, its Nissans Kona competitor the Qashqai thats allowing Nissan to maintain its position in the upper echelon. Qashqai volume is up 10 percent in 2019 with 10,294 sales year-to-date, its Nissans No. 2 seller while sales of 14 other Nissan nameplates are in decline. That includes every member of Nissans car lineup, which is collectively down by a third, year-over-year.4. Chevrolet: 74,868, down 18 per centAs the Cruze and Sonic disappear, one would hope that Chevrolets lacklustre car effort would be offset by traditionally strong pickup truck sales and rising utility vehicle volume. Yet compared with the first-half of 2018, Chevrolets pickups even with a new Silverado on the market are down 9 per cent. (Combined, the new Silverado and its corporate GMC Sierra twin have lost more than 5,000 sales already this year.) Meanwhile, Chevrolets SUV/crossover performance has been a let-down this year. The Equinox, Suburban, Traverse, and Trax are all in decline.3. Honda: 87,298, down 4 per centHonda is by no means late to the SUV party, nor does the brand enter the crossover gun fight with a dull knife. The CR-V is hugely popular in fact, its consistently one of Canadas two top-selling utility vehicles. But CR-V sales are slowing of late as a new RAV4 exerts control. Plus the once subcompact-segment-dominating HR-V is now distinctly less popular than rivals from Hyundai and Nissan.Then theres Hondas insistence on a distinctly premium price point for the Passport, which will keep the newest Hondas volume low. These shortcomings become more noticeable when the Civic, Canadas most popular car in 21 consecutive years and Hondas top seller, suffers a 9-per-cent decrease during a period in which the brands utility vehicles cant make up the difference.2. Toyota: 108,047, up 3 per centRare among auto brands in 2019, Toyota volume is on the rise. In fact, Toyotas current pace could result in record calendar year performance for the brand. It helps that Toyotas car sales arent falling, but rather are slightly-better-than-flat so far this year. And it also helps that, while numerous Toyota utilities and both Toyota pickup lines report decreased volume in 2019, an all-new RAV4 is absolutely tearing up the sales charts.After a record sales year in 2018 (which succeeded record years in each of the previous six years) RAV4 volume is up a staggering 20 per cent so far this year. With 31,933 sales already in 2019, its Toyotas top-seller; accounting for three out of every 10 Toyotas sold in Canada.1. Ford: 155,570, down 3 per centLet there be no doubt: with 74,905 sales so far this year, Fords F-Series truck lineup is of paramount importance to the Blue Oval. Virtually half of the buyers who walk into a Ford showroom drive away in an F-150 or Super Duty truck. But the F-Series, on its own, isnt going to instantly cancel out a shrinking car lineup thats down by more than a fifth this year. Nor is the F-Series able to overcome a transitioning SUV/crossover lineup that reported nearly 4,000 fewer sales in the first half of 2019 than in the same period one year
Origin: Canada’s 5 best-selling auto brands in the first half of 2019

2018 Honda Civic Si SedanHandout / Hyundai Pickups arent selling at the scarcely believable rate of recent years, but 2019s list of best-selling vehicles continues to be dominated by full-size trucks.Through the first half of 2019, pickup trucks are by no means the only category of vehicle failing to match last years pace. After five consecutive years of record auto sales in Canada, 2018 volume dipped, with a total 10 consecutive months of decline.In 2019, the year began the same way, and after six consecutive months of decreased volume, much of the blame lies at the feet or the tires of passenger cars.Rewind to 2009 and passenger cars accounted for slightly more than half of all new vehicle sales in Canada. The sectors market share has collapsed to barely more than a quarter. In fact, compared with the first half of 2018, passenger car market share is down by three percentage points. The traditionally dominant category now produces roughly one in every four new vehicle sales.Canadas most popular passenger car still holds a firm grip on the No.1 position in the category. A safe bet puts the top car, which is Canadas No.3 vehicle overall, on top of the sales charts for a 22nd consecutive year.Streaks are common among the top sellers. Canadas top-selling line of vehicles will almost certainly end 2019 as the No. 1 vehicle for an 11th consecutive year. Canadas top-selling utility vehicle, meanwhile, appears ever more destined to top that category for a fourth consecutive year.The list of Canadas five best-selling vehicles through the first half of 2019 says a lot about the entire market. For one thing, the quintet accounts for so much of the Canadian markets new vehicle demand 22 percent of it. But it also reflects the popularity of Canadian-made products, a distinct appetite for change, and an obvious predilection for that which is most well-known.With figures from the manufacturers, these are Canadas five most popular vehicles.5. Honda CR-V: 27,581, down 2 percentNot since 2009 has Honda Canada reported anything but CR-V sales improvement. But after a sharp June slowdown in which CR-V volume tumbled 19 percent, CR-V sales are actually down, albeit only slightly, through the first half of 2019.With the fifth-generation CR-V in its third model year and its main rival hot off the press, Honda is under pressure to maintain market share with its No. 2 seller. Its evidently not an easy task, particularly with availability a persistent challenge.4. Toyota RAV4: 31,933, up 20 percentGiven the fact the now-departed fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 probably wasnt Toyotas best effort, that it was rather outdated by the date of departure, and that it still sold progressively more often year after year after year, should we be surprised that a new RAV4 fares even better?Thoroughly revamped and wholeheartedly restyled, the Canadian-built Toyota RAV4 is pulling away from the (also Canadian-built) Honda CR-V in the race to end 2019 as Canadas top-selling utility vehicle. Its a title the RAV4 stole from the Ford Escape in 2016.3. Honda Civic: 32,398, down 9 percentOn track for an eight-year Canadian sales low, the Honda Civics control over the car market nevertheless remains as strong as ever. The Canadian-built Civics 32,398 sales in 2019s first half translates to a staggering 12 percent of all car sales in Canada, on par with a year ago, as the Civics rate of decline matches the overall passenger car sectors slide.The Civics first-half output is greater than what all but a couple of cars will manage by years end. It outsells its nearest rival, the Toyota Corolla, by a 32-percent margin.2. Ram P/U: 46,715, down 4 percentIts not an ideal scenario, the decreased volume produced by Fiat Chryslers top-selling product. Thats particularly true when you consider the newness of the fifth-generation Ram. Moreover, 2019s first-half decline follows a 2018 in which Ram truck sales tumbled 14 percent.Fortunately for FCA, the current pace still puts the Ram on track for an easy No. 2 finish and, quite likely, the lineups sixth-best year on record. It could be much worse. A decade ago, only 31,000 Rams were sold in Canada.1. Ford F-Series: 74,905, up 4 percentThough still some ways off Ford Canadas record 2017 pace, the Ford F-Series ever-present ability for drumming up vast quantities of sales across the country, across a vast price spectrum, and across demographics is a sight to behold.A full eight percent of all vehicles sold in Canada are F-Series pickups. Nearly half of the vehicles sold at Canadas top-selling brand are F-Series pickups, too. Full-size pickup truck demand has slowed somewhat, which serves to shine an even brighter light on 2019s rising F-Series
Origin: Canada’s 5 best-selling vehicles in the first half of 2019