Canadian auto sales down 3.5 per cent in April, continuing downward trend

AUTOS

Canadian auto sales down 3.5 per cent in April, continuing downward trend

The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, May 1, 2019 3:26PM EDT

A row of 2015 Ford Fusions on the sales lot at Butler County Ford in Butler, Pa. on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015. (AP/ Keith Srakocic)

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TORONTO - DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says light vehicle sales fell an estimated 3.5 per cent in April from a year earlier as a downward trend in Canadian auto sales continued.

light vehicle sales totalled about 185,158 for the month, down from 191,856 last year.

The total is an estimate, since General Motors Canada switched from monthly to quarterly sales reporting starting in April.

The dip in April marked the 14th consecutive month of sales declines when compared with the previous year.

A consumer shift away from passenger cars towards generally higher-emission SUVs and pickup truck options continued in April, with car sales down 15.9 per cent for the month while light truck sales rose 1.8 per cent.

DesRosiers said U.S. automakers Ford, Chrysler and General Motors saw sales declines in the single digits, while Toyota, Volkswagen and Hyundai saw sales rise.