Canadian auto sales stay strong in August

New vehicle sales in Canada totalled 175,512 in August, up 2.2 per cent from 171,703 a year ago, extending a run of record sales fuelled mainly by light trucks.

According to industry sales numbers compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, light truck sales totalled 110,890 for August, up 10 per cent from 100,764 in August 2014. The gain in trucks wiped out the fall in car sales, which slipped to 64,622, down eight per cent from 70,939 a year ago.

General Motors Co.'s Canadian sales jumped 12 per cent in August and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's edged up 0.4 per cent, while Ford sales slowed five per cent from the previous year.

The mixed results from the biggest automakers reflected the usual slowdown in sales in the summer, when people are on vacation, albeit in a year when demand for new vehicles is strong.

GM bounces back

GM's truck sales jumped 14.6 per cent and its car sales were up 3.2 per cent for a total of 24,653 vehicles sold in Canada, up from 22,111 a year earlier.

GM appears to have thrown off the taint of its massive recall campaign and won over drivers with a new crop of trucks with the GMC's pickup truck sales up 28 per cent for the month.

Chevrolet sales for the month of August were up 12 per cent driven by sales of the Malibu, Equinox, Traverse and Suburban.

 Fiat Chrysler sold 26,928 cars and trucks in August, up slightly from 26,825 a year earlier.

Jeep sales rose 9.2 per cent, while Dodge brand truck sales were up 10.1 per cent, reflecting the strength of the truck segment.

FCA's Chrysler's total car sales dropped 19 per cent to 2,036 vehicles.

Ford, Toyota sales drop

Ford sold 26,581 cars and trucks in August, a 5 per cent decrease from 27,988 last year.

But it was able to boost sales of the Canadian-built Edge by four per cent to 1,717 and the Ford Explorer by 59 per cent to 1,967.

Its F-Series truck is also a winner, selling 11,206 vehicles.

Toyota Canada Inc. sold 18,292 vehicles in August, a decrease of 1.1 per cent from the same period last year. However, it sold 12 per cent more TCI trucks, or 10,055 vehicles.

The Lexus division set its 11th consecutive month of record sales, with 1,931 units sold, up 25.9 per cent over last year.