New motor vehicle sales

View the most recent version.

The number of new motor vehicles sold edged up 0.2% to 126,475 units in May. Higher truck sales were mostly offset by lower passenger car sales.

Preliminary industry data indicate that the number of new motor vehicles sold increased by 2% in June.

Increased truck sales offset by lower passenger car sales

Sales of trucks (which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) increased 1.8% to 69,820 units in May. Truck sales have exceeded passenger car sales for the past six months. This is the longest period in which sales of trucks have exceeded sales of passenger cars since the beginning of this series in 1946.

Sales of passenger cars decreased 1.6% to 56,655 units in May, a third consecutive decline. A 3.9% drop in the sales of North American-built passenger cars was responsible for the decline. This was partially offset by a 1.3% sales increase in overseas-built passenger cars.

Sales up in six provinces

Sales of new motor vehicles increased in six provinces in May.

Sales in Ontario rose 2.4% in May after declining the previous two months.

New motor vehicle sales in the region formed by British Columbia and the territories increased 1.0%. This rise in sales marks the first increase in seven months.

Sales decreased 2.9% in Quebec in May, a third consecutive monthly drop.

Available on CANSIM: table 079-0003.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2402.

The May 2010 issue of New Motor Vehicle Sales (63-007-X, free) will be available soon.

Data on new motor vehicle sales for June will be released on August 13.

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 John De Luca (613-951-8719), Distributive Trades Division.