Many car makers announced record or higher-than-average sales in Canada last month. Toyota had its best month ever in March for truck sales, selling 3,635 RAV4 and 8,551 trucks, an increase of 22.9 per cent over last year, Despite the strong performance in the trucks segment, with sales of the Tacoma 4×4 and Highlander up as well, overall sales were down 6.1 per cent compared to last March, Toyota reported.
In the luxury market, Lexus car and SUV sales were up.
Nissan also reported its best month ever for irs Infiniti luxury brand, with a 16.1 per cent increase over last March. For the first quarter of 2013, the Infiniti is so far up 24.9 per cent over Q1 2012. The brand’s luxury crossover JX7 and sport utitlity EX were Nissan’s best selling vehicles. The Nissan LEAF had its best month ever, with a total of 82 deliveries, while the 2013 Sentra sedan and the Pathfinder had increases of 48.9 per cent and 262.6 per cent respectively. However, once again total sales for Nissan models were down 10.2 per cent compared to March 2012.
Mercedes-Benz Canada reported sales of 3,820 vehicles in March, an increase of 12.3 per cent over last year. This was the best month ever for Mercedes-Benz Canada, which sold 1,903 passenger cars and 1,509 luxury light trucks. The Mercedes group sold 111 of its smart vehicles in March, an increase of 42.3 per cent over last year.
Honda and Acura had combined sales of 14,497 in March, 6 per cent more than last year. While the Honda division’s sales were “virtually flat” compared to last year, Acura sales jumped by 92 per cent. The Acura RDX and MDX both had best March monthly sales. Honda Accord sales were up 161 per cent.
Calling its sales results for March “soaring,” Subaru Canada announced 3,117 units sold, making March the company’s best month ever. With sales up 11.7 percent over the same month last year, Subaru’s record March also propelled first-quarter results into record-breaking territory with an increase of 3.8 percent.
The 2014 Subaru Forester arrived in dealerships earlier this month and catapulted sales to new heights with 1,003 units retailed, up 64.2 percent over last March. The BRZ, Subaru’s rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, also continued to perform well with March results up 63.1 percent above target.
For Mazda Canada, March brought sales that were higher than last year, particularly for the compact Mazda3 which had its second-best March ever, with 4,848 sold. Total sales for Mazda were 8,153, 5 per cent above last March.
Kia Canada was alone in reporting reduced sales in March. The company sold 5,877 new vehicles in the month of March, down 11.3 per cent versus March 2012.
Three vehicle lines achieved over 1,000 sales. The Rio sub-compact, reporting 1,820 sales, yielding a 72 per cent increase year-over-year. First quarter sales of the Rio sedan and hatchback account for 3,565 units, a 52 per cent increase compared to first quarter 2012. The Sorento Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) reported a total of 1,212 new vehicle sales, yielding a 6 per cent gain when compared to the same month last year, and the Optima mid-size sedan achieved 1,046 units sold respectively.
Kia Canada’s director of sales said that its “unprecedented” seven new vehicles unveiled in the last 90 days for 2014 are expected to drive sales in the coming months.