Industry Report Part 1: Canada's Compact Class Critical for Driving New Car Sales

Ford sells a lot of Focus 3- and 5-door hatchbacks, sedans and wagons, being one of the most segment-competitive models the

The new Jetta, first shown in North America at the Detroit auto show, has experienced a lukewarm reception due to rather bland styling. (Photo: Volkswagen Canada)

Dearborn-based brand purveys. It will be another year until North American markets get the Mazda3-based Focus; a decision Ford's domestic division opted for in order to make sure all the bugs get worked out prior to going on sale.

And what about Volkswagen? The Golf and Jetta used to be segment leaders, but despite tempting buyers with some of the nicest interiors in their respective segments, quality issues have slowed repeat business. While the two models led VW sales for the first part of this quarter, and are strong compared to last year, it'll take new models to make significant strides forward. The new Golf, introduced already in Europe, has once again been suffering from reliability problems, and the Jetta, first shown in North America at the Detroit auto show, has experienced a lukewarm reception due to rather bland styling.

Note: come back tomorrow to see what's coming in the subcompact segment.