TORONTO -- DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says Canadian auto sales returned to declines in September after a brief reprieve in August.
The consultancy says new light vehicle sales were down 3.7 per cent to 166,488 vehicles sold in the month, compared with 172,974 sold for the same month last year.
Year-over-year auto sales had declined for 17 months straight before marking a modest 0.6 per cent climb in August.
DesRosiers says September's numbers are mainly in line with the general trend for the year, which shows sales down 4.1 per cent at the end of September.
Ford, which had a 4.2 per cent decline in the month from last year, was the highest-selling brand, while General Motors was second despite an 8.7 per cent decline. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was third in sales after a 1.2 per cent decline.
Some higher-end brands recorded gains despite the overall declines, including a 21 per cent climb for Lexus, a 12 per cent gain for Volvo, and a 10.7 per cent climb for Acura.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2019.
