Canadian auto sales dip but pace remains steady

November auto sales in Canada fell 8.6 per cent year-over-year, marking another month of decline.

The month came in at an estimated 142,000 units, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. The decline follows a strong November 2024, when Quebec’s rush to buy zero-emission vehicles pushed volumes above 150,000 units for the first time since 2017. Sales in October were 159,000 units.

Andrew King, managing partner at DAC, said the drop looks steep but is less concerning when viewed in context.

“Last November was a remarkably tough comparable,” he noted. “Buoyed by Quebecers rushing to buy ZEVs, November 2024 had a buoyant 2.04 million SAAR (seasonally adjusted average rate).”

He also pointed out that November had one less selling day and, despite a drop off of ZEV sales and economic challenges in front of Canadians, the month still pushed forward a “respectable” SAAR of 1.87 million.

The analysis noted that while economic pressures are weighing on the market, November’s pace was the seventh best of the year and similar to pre-pandemic levels in 2018 and 2019, when sales hovered around 144,000 to 145,000 units.