Auto sales continue downward trajectory, fall 2.5 per cent in March

Light vehicle sales in Canada continued a downward trajectory in March, falling 2.5 per cent compared to a year earlier, says DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc.

The automotive consultant says light vehicle sales totalled 181,800 units in March, down from 186,447 in the same month last year.

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The dip in March marked the 13th month in a row of monthly sales declines when compared to the previous year.

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The consumer shift away from passenger cars towards various SUVs and pickup truck options continued in March, with car sales down 10 per cent for the month while light truck sales climbed by a slight 0.6 per cent.

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DesRosiers says Ford was the top seller for March at 27,915 after a 7.2 per cent year-over-year gain, while General Motors lost its top spot after sales fell 18.4 per cent from last year to 24,610.

GM recently announced plans to move from monthly to quarterly sales reporting to match its U.S. reporting schedule.