New vehicle sales in Canada decreased by 1.8 percent in October 2025 compared to the same month last year, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. The firm’s figures show that 159,000 vehicles were sold last month.
Even with this slight decline, DesRosiers describes the market as “healthy”, despite the sector's volatility and a more fragile economic context.
It should be noted that only 10 brands still publish their results on a monthly basis. The majority, including Ford Canada, now limit themselves to quarterly or annual reports.
October a difficult month to size up
To be sure, sales in the fall of 2024 were artificially inflated by the rush for electric vehicles in Quebec, as many consumers sought to take advantage of provincial incentives one last time before their reduction. That made October 2024 the best sales month in Quebec's history, making the comparison less favourable this year.
Headwinds for the industry
According to Andrew King, Managing Partner at DesRosiers, the auto industry remains vulnerable to a set of external factors. The trade conflict between China and the Netherlands over chip manufacturer Nexperia continues to sow uncertainty. Although production is mainly done in Europe, 70 percent of the chips are packaged in China before being distributed. The Dutch government's control of Nexperia and the export restrictions imposed by Beijing risk causing new chip shortages, which could interrupt automotive assembly lines worldwide.
A market to watch until the end of the year
Andrew King believes that November looks “interesting”, as automakers seek to adjust their strategies before 2026. Meanwhile, AutoForecast Solutions, an American firm, predicts that 1.98 million new vehicles will be sold in Canada in 2025, a relatively stable level.
Brands rising and dropping
Among the 10 brands still publishing their monthly sales, Toyota recorded the strongest growth, up 17.4 percent with 20,284 units sold in October. Conversely, Honda experienced the most significant drop, falling 13.7 percent to 10,313 units.