2022 auto sales lowest since 2009: DesRosiers

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says light vehicle sales were up 5.5 per cent in December compared with last year but were down for the whole year.

The firm estimates 109,000 new light vehicles were sold in the month of December, compared with 103,000 a year earlier.

For 2022 as a whole, DesRosiers says the 1.49 million vehicles sold marks a 9.1 per cent decline compared with 2021, the lowest annual sales total since 2009.

The firm says sales trends have been uneven among auto manufacturers, with some seeing annual sales rise and others seeing them fall, as each has fared differently amid supply chain-related inventory issues.

It says Ford Motor Co. had the highest sales for the year, followed by General Motors Co. and Toyota Canada Inc.

DesRosiers says the outlook is unclear as rising inventory could be offset by a deteriorating economy.

Feature image by iStock.com/shaunl