New motor vehicle sales

Sales of new motor vehicles were down 0.9% in October to 140,158 units. The decline was entirely as a result of lower sales of passenger cars.

Chart 1
New motor vehicle sales lower in October

Overseas-built passenger car sales decline

Sales of passenger cars declined 3.4% to 72,623 units in October. While sales of North American-built passenger cars remained relatively unchanged from September, sales of overseas-built passenger cars dropped 9.0% to their lowest level since November 2007. After peaking in March 2008, overseas-built passenger car sales have been on a downward trend.

Sales of new trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) increased 2.0% to 67,535 units. This was the fourth consecutive monthly increase of truck sales following a steady series of declines that began in January 2008.

Preliminary industry data indicate that the number of new motor vehicles sold fell by about 7% in November.

Sales down in eight provinces

New motor vehicle sales were down in eight provinces in October. The 2.5% decrease in Quebec contributed to almost three-quarters of the national decline. Sales in Quebec have trended downward since peaking in February 2008.

The number of new motor vehicles sold declined in all four Atlantic provinces in October. With the exception of New Brunswick, these declines did not offset the gains observed in September.

Sales increased in Saskatchewan and Manitoba in October. Trucks historically account for the majority of new vehicles sold in these provinces.

Available on CANSIM: table 079-0003.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2402.

The October 2008 issue of New Motor Vehicle Sales (63-007-XWE, free) will be available soon.

Data on new motor vehicle sales for November will be released on January 15, 2009.

For general information, or to order data, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-877-421-3067; 613-951-3549; retailinfo@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Ashley Ker (613-951-2252), Distributive Trades Division.

Table 1
New motor vehicle sales