New Toyota RAV4 crossover SUVs for sale are seen at an auto mall in Ottawa, April 26, 2021. DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says vehicle sales in April were below 2019 levels. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
RICHMOND HILL, Ont. – DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says light vehicle sales in April were still below pre-pandemic levels, at 144,069 units compared with 180,616 in April 2019.
Sales in April were also slightly below March, and up just 2.3 per cent from a year earlier.
DesRosiers managing partner Andrew King says in a statement that the seasonally adjusted annual rate for April was 1.48 million units.
King says that’s easily the weakest reading so far in 2023, and a worrying sign for future market development.
So far, 2023 is mirroring 2022 and 2021, the consulting firm says, with the traditional automotive spring selling season failing to materialize.
That’s despite the auto sales market managing to post six straight months of percentage increases.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2023.
