Canadian auto sales up 0.5%

Canadian automakers reported a slight rise in sales overall in August. Data compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants indicated that overall Canadian auto sales were essentially flat in August at 136,069, a gain of 0.5 per cent from a year earlier.

DesRosiers' numbers suggested that consumer incentives helped drive up sales of light trucks — including sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks — to 75,131, a gain of 12.2 per cent, while passenger car sales dropped 10.9 per cent to 60,938.

Oakville, Ontario-based Ford Canada said sales rose eight per cent from the same month a year earlier, to 24,034 cars and light trucks. That made it Ford's best August in 20 years and kept the company in top place in Canada.

Toyota's Canadian sales fell 29.5 per cent to 12,862 as the company continued to feel the impact of a series of problems that have seen more than 10 million vehicles recalled worldwide in the past year.

It's certainly been a turbulent year. For full sales results, hit the jump.

Winners

• Audi: 1,376 units (up 30.1%)
• BMW: 2,342 units (up 2.2%)
• Chrysler: 16,076 units (up 11.7%)
• Ford: 24,029 units (up 8.4%)
• General Motors: 23,536 units (up 2.3%)
• Honda: 11,463 units (up 8.4%)
• Hyundai: 11,403 units (up 9.5%)
• Infiniti: 780 units (up 29.1%)
• Jaguar: 70 units (up 2.9%)
• Kia: 5,430 units (up 16.2%)
• Land Rover: 208 units (up 55.2%)
• Mazda: 7,486 units (up 8.8%)
• Mercedes-Benz: 2,254 units (up 13.2%)
• Porsche: 134 units (up 11.7%)
• Subaru: 2,328 units (up 20.0%)

Losers

• Acura: 1,451 units (down 11.7%)
• Lexus: 1,253 (down 18.2%)
• MINI: 390 units (down 14.7%)
• Mitsubishi: 1,282 (down 31.1%)
• Nissan: 6,102 units (down 13.7%)
• Saab: 0 units (down 100.0%)
• smart: 173 units (down 35.4%)
• Suzuki: 1,004 units (down 23.7%)
• Toyota: 11,609 units (down 30.5%)
• Volkswagen: 3,369 units (down 6.5%)
• Volvo: 521 units (down 1.1%)

[Source: DesRosiers]