Mitsubishi's Canadian Sales Up Dramatically over Last Year

Mitsubishi Forecasts a Two Percent Gain in U.S. Sales

If you've been seeing more Mitsubishis on Canadian roads, it hasn't been an illusion. Sales are up due to an aggressive

If you've been seeing more Mitsubishis on Canadian roads, it hasn't been an illusion. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

marketing campaign that has included significant price reductions on core models.

"We've made some changes, focusing advertising on specialty TV and radio, and increased retail advertising," commented Tony Laframbroise, National Sales Manager for Mitsubishi Canada.

Whether or not profits are being made is not known, but at the very least Mitsubishi dealers are starting to turn over their stock and increase cash flow. Difficult is an understatement for the Japanese brand, having entered the Canadian market in the most competitive era the automotive industry has ever experienced, looking to attract Honda, Mazda and Nissan buyers who traditionally go for sportier brands, with cars that often perform better and

Mitsubishi entered the Canadian market at an incredibly difficult time, when their challenges seemed, and still seem almost insurmountable. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

offer a unique design statement and value proposition.

But Honda has remained strong despite a lack of inspirational styling, Mazda and Nissan are on the rolls of their respective lives, both rising from near death experiences, and that in mind, Chrysler Group is overwhelming every critic that reported its demise two years ago, with stellar sales. Add to that the high respect Canadians give to the Hyundai brand, well deserved, and are starting to attribute to Kia, now owned by its South Korean rival, plus the improvements made by Ford and General Motors combined with the most aggressive incentive programs in history, have made Mitsubishi's challenges almost insurmountable.