Here’s how strong new vehicle sales were in 2025 – Auto Service World
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It was a year of turbulence, tariffs and uncertainty but Canada’s new-vehicle market closed 2025 with its strongest numbers since 2019, though underlying data may not help see the numbers as being all that rosy.
DesRosiers estimated 1.9 million units sold last year, up 2 per cent year-over-year and the strongest result since before the pandemic. A softer December helped bring the year to that mark, even as the month showed signs of weakness.
DAC estimated December sales at 126,000 units, down 7.3 per cent from December 2024 despite one extra selling day. The firm noted that last December was an unusually strong comparator, fuelled by Quebec buyers rushing to purchase zero-emission vehicles before incentives were cut. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate sat at 1.92 million in December, which DesRosiers described as middling compared with the rest of the year.
On an annual basis, the 2025 tally surprised to the upside after a year defined by tariffs, counter‑tariffs, sourcing changes and cancelled emissions targets from the U.S. The 1.9 million total was the sixth-best year on record and the best since 2019’s 1.93 million units.
That all said, while the numbers may seem good, when looking at a key point of data, DesRosiers’ enthusiasm is a bit muted.
“We will never complain at a market that grows from the previous year; however, this year our celebrations are decidedly muted,” said Andrew King, Managing Partner at DAC. “The market remains 7.1 per cent below the previous peak of 2017 — and it should be noted that since that time the Canadian population has grown by 4.9 million people, making what we term at DAC the real ‘gap to growth’ much worse.”
Automaker results were mixed. General Motors finished the year as market leader with just under 300,000 units, almost 6,000 ahead of Ford, which held the lead earlier in the year.
Among volume brands, Mazda posted the largest percentage gain at 13.2 per cent. In the luxury segment, Mini led with a 22.2 per cent climb on limited volume.
Tesla saw volumes decline by more than 60 per cent, though sales have started to recover in recent months with “counter‑tariff free” German‑built Model Y shipments, four arrivals into Halifax and one into Vancouver.
Several brands recorded annual sales records despite the economic and political backdrop, including Audi, Cadillac, Genesis, GMC, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.
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