November pickup sales remain strong, but car sales drop 10% from 2016

The number of new cars and light trucks sold in Canada last month dipped lower compared with a year ago, according to sales figures compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.

Total light vehicle sales fell 1.2 per cent to 158,653 in November, compared with 160,573 in the same month of 2016.

The move lower came as car sales fell 10 per cent to 44,061 for the month compared with 48,945 in November 2016.

Light truck sales increased to 114,592 from 111,628.

Ford sales fell 2.8 per cent to 23,775 compared with 24,450 a year ago, while General Motors dropped 17.2 per cent to 23,612 compared with 28,523 in the same month last year. FCA sales slipped 7.8 per cent to 19,054 compared with 20,674 a year ago.

Light vehicle sales for the year-to-date totalled 1.91 million compared with 1.82 million in the first 11 months of 2016.

Sales of light vehicles in Canada have been moving higher month by month for the past three years and analysts have predicted a slowdown.

U.S. sales of new cars and trucks rose 1 per cent to nearly 1.4 million, according to Autodata Corp., a market analysis firm.

Some analysts initially predicted that November sales would drop as post-hurricane sales slowed in Texas and Florida. But Black Friday promotions which began in early November helped lure buyers to dealerships.