OTTAWA: Canadian auto sales soared 9.6 per cent in January, with 11 different brands reporting double-digit growth.
Continuing the trend of the past several months, pickup trucks and SUVs drove the sales increase, with light truck sales up 17 per cent and passenger car sales down 3.8 per cent, according to data from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Honda Canada Inc. saw the biggest increase, with sales up 36.8 per cent, while General Motors of Canada Ltd. saw sales jump 24.3 per cent.
Fiat Chrysler Canada took the biggest chunk of the Canadian market, with 16.7 per cent market share, but only saw sales edge up 0.6 per cent.
Volkswagen, on the other hand, saw its sales plunge 17.6 per cent as it continues to deal with the fallout from its diesel emissions scandal.
“As much as sales were extremely positive, we also do not like to read too much into the early months of any particular year,” DesRosiers wrote in a note.
“A lot more water has to flow under this bridge before we can be assured these sales levels will be maintained.”
