The Honda Civic is once again the best-selling passenger car in Canada, according to statistics compiled by Dennis DesRosiers and Associates.
“It took a massive sales push in March with sales up 38.8 per cent, but the Civic has regained its decade-long position of being the best selling passenger car,” Dennis DesRosiers, Toronto-based auto analyst, said Thursday.
The Hyundai Elantra had displaced the Civic in January and February. The Ford F-series pickup truck remains the best-selling light truck and the best-selling vehicle overall.
With few exceptions, light trucks are selling very well this year thanks to “huge incentives as well a growing lack of supply of cars due to the impact of the Japanese earthquake,”
As well, the Detroit Three — whose strength lies with light trucks — are getting better at competing with import brands, said DesRosiers.
Despite rising gas prices, light trucks continue to outsell passenger cars, he added.
“Normally, sales of ‘B’ and ‘C’ vehicles go up with higher gas prices and vice versa.” said DesRosiers. “Year-to-date, we haven’t seen much evidence of this. Entry-level vehicle sales are up only 0.4 per cent in a market that is up by 2.1 per cent, so they are underperforming the market.”
The strongest segment all year so far have been those with vehicles dedicated to commercial use, like large pickup trucks and panel vans, he said. “Gas prices ultimately will change the types of vehicles bought by Canadians, but we are not seeing much evidence of it so far.”
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