Auto sales slow down again

It appears the anticipated slow down in vehicle sales has finally arrived. Canadian auto sales hit the brakes for a second straight month.

While not an all-out halt — it was the third strongest April on record — sales declined 2.7 per cent compared to April 2017, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.

Light truck sales once again led the way with more than 2 per cent growth, but passenger car sales dropped 12.4 per cent, pulling down overall sales.

For the year, however, sales are still up ever so slightly by less than half a per cent. As has been the trend for some time now, the light truck market — up more than 5 per cent — is buoying the numbers despite the 9.6 per cent drop in passenger car sales.

“It remains to be seen whether this lead will hold out in the following months,” DesRosiers commented in its April sales update.

The three American brands all saw dips in sales. Fiat Chrysler fell almost 16 per cent, General Motors was down 4.6 per cent and Ford dipped just over 1 per cent. On the flip side, German brands were strong, with Audi up 14 per cent, BMW up 11 per cent and Mercedes boosting sales by 8.3 per cent.

Sales growth was led by Genesis, which was up 291 per cent, Smart, up 50 per cent, and Volvo, up 42 per cent — though at lower volumes.