Canadian new-vehicle gross sales fell 12 per cent within the first quarter of 2022 when in comparison with the identical quarter a 12 months in the past, due primarily to a scarcity of stock.

Automakers bought 337,039 cars throughout the first three months this 12 months, in keeping with the Automotive Information Analysis & Knowledge Heart in Detroit.

Quarterly gross sales figures are thought-about complete numbers as almost each automaker — save a couple of luxurious and electrical manufacturers — studies each three months.

March 2022 gross sales totaled an estimated 140,460, down 19.8 per cent in contrast with March 2021, in keeping with DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC), which makes use of proprietary modelling methods to estimate month-to-month gross sales. Month-to-month gross sales stay estimates.

DAC Managing Accomplice Andrew King was fast to make a key level about month-to-month comparisons, 12 months over 12 months.

“It must be remembered that March 2021 was a red-hot month,” he mentioned in a press release, “and the decline of 19.8 per cent seen in March this 12 months was not sudden.”

March 2021 was nonetheless close to the start of the worldwide microchip disaster, stock was increased and it marked the primary month of post-lockdown exercise in a lot of Canada’s provinces.

A lot has modified in a 12 months.

AutoForecast Options on March 31, mentioned it now forecasts automakers to promote 1.78 million new automobiles in Canada in 2022.

“Simply as the remainder of the area continues to cope with low stock ranges and excessive gasoline prices, a turnaround of the Canadian market just isn’t anticipated earlier than the latter half of 2022, if not subsequent 12 months,” the agency mentioned in its AutoForecastMonthly publication.

HOW SOME AUTOMAKERS FARED

Hyundai and its luxurious Genesis line had been among the many few manufacturers to put up first-quarter beneficial properties in 2022, up 7.5 and 38 per cent, respectively.

Mini gross sales rose six per cent. Lincoln gross sales had been up 18.5 per cent.

Stellantis gross sales fell eight per cent to 42,587 within the first quarter. Nonetheless, Jeep, Chrysler and Maserati manufacturers posted will increase for the automaker. Jeep gross sales had been up 11 per cent within the quarter to 16,659, accounting for almost 40 per cent of all of the automobiles Stellantis bought throughout the first three months of 2022.

“The previous few months have included important new product launches and updates for the corporate, most notably for a number of fashions from the Jeep model,” FCA Canada CEO David Buckingham mentioned in a press release. “What’s extra, in simply its first 12 months within the market, Jeep Wrangler 4xe has shortly change into one of many best-selling plug-in hybrid automobiles in Canada. At present, 1-in-5 Wrangler fashions bought is a plug-in hybrid 4xe, because the model strikes in direction of its purpose of being the primary inexperienced SUV model on this planet.” 

FCA Canada stays its personal entity beneath Stellantis, which was shaped greater than a 12 months in the past when FCA merged with PSA Group.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L can be off to a scorching begin, with 2,173 items bought January by March.

Chrysler gross sales surged 54 per cent to three,267 items with Pacifica gross sales up 50 per cent and Grand Caravan gross sales up 79 per cent.

Normal Motors Canada noticed its first-quarter gross sales plunge by almost 1 / 4 in comparison with the identical three months a 12 months in the past, down 24 per cent to 47,699 this 12 months.

Nonetheless, gross sales had been up 21 per cent over the fourth quarter of final 12 months.

“Our outcomes this quarter reveal each the challenges the crew has confronted, and the successes they’ve delivered regardless of the headwinds,” Sandor Piszar, vice-president, gross sales, service and advertising and marketing, GM Canada, mentioned in a press release. “The primary quarter of 2021 was distinctive as buyer demand in Canada was extraordinarily robust on the identical time that we had important stock on seller tons. Since then, the industry-wide scarcity of semiconductors required us to prioritize manufacturing of our most in-demand fashions. In comparison with the fourth quarter of 2021, you’ll be able to see the success GM Canada and our sellers have had getting these fashions to Canadian prospects.”

Solely seven fashions posted first-quarter beneficial properties for GM Canada. The GMC Yukon, Yukon XL and Terrain had been all up, as had been gross sales of the Chevrolet Malibu and Equinox. The Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV additionally posted beneficial properties. 

Toyota gross sales fell 13 per cent however it’s luxurious Lexus line noticed a gross sales enhance of 5.7 per cent to five,095.

Different luxurious manufacturers to see their gross sales spike had been mass-market Audi (up 5 per cent) and low-volume Bentley (up 75 per cent) Rolls-Royce (up 11 per cent), Porsche (up 28 per cent) and Lamborghini (up 11 per cent).