Auto sales dip again in October

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says new light vehicle sales were down by 1.9 per cent in October compared with the same month last year.

Sales were down by about 3,000 units to 161,125 as a 0.2 per cent climb in light truck sales was offset by a 6.9 per cent decline in passenger cars.

Year-to-date sales are down 1.6 per cent compared with last year’s record high, but still up 3.9 per cent from the 2016 figures.

Several major auto companies saw pronounced dips in October, including a 14.8 per cent decline from last year for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, an 8.7 per cent drop for Honda, and a 12.9 per cent drop for General Motors, though GM kept its top spot despite the drop.

Ford Motor Co. recorded a 1.6 per cent gain, while a combined 10.2 per cent increase from Toyota and its Lexus brand pushed it into the second-place slot behind GM.

Land Rover and Porsche both boosted sales by about 20 per cent, while Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, recorded a 175 per cent gain from last year to 132 vehicles sold.