Without a doubt, 2025 has turned out to be one of the most tumultuous and unpredictable years for the automotive industry in recent memory. We saw several major trends taking place. The election of Donald Trump and the Republican party in January, has resulted in a U.S. administration that’s set its sights on a number of new priorities, which have impacted the entire North American automotive sector. 

One, has been the implementation of tariffs on everything from raw materials such as steel and aluminum, to auto parts, electronics and complete vehicles. These tariffs have had significant impact on both the Canadian and U.S. economies, raising prices on commodities, components and vehicles, as well as causing several companies to shift priorities and/or move operations from Canada to the U.S. 

Additionally, we’ve seen the industry shift away from a heavy focus on electric vehicles, as government incentives were rolled back, and consumer demand for battery electrics plateaued. In the U.S., the Trump Administration also rolled back EV incentives from the Biden Era and has also been active in rewriting the rules when it comes to vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards, something that is likely to impact the market here in Canada going forward. At the time of writing, Canada still had its federal EV mandate in place, though there is growing pressure from both industry and the public to have this mandate revoked (currently it’s been postponed until 2027). 

Another has been the growing complexity of vehicles, which is impacting the parts supply and repair side, not helped by a shortage of skilled technicians across the country. 

Needless to say, it’s been an interesting year, but through it all, the automotive sector has continued to show resiliency with some significant announcements and breakthroughs. As we wish you a very Happy Holiday season, here are our Editor’s Choice and Reader’s top news stories from 2025. 

Editor’s Choice

 It’s not often that you have an opportunity to recognize someone who has been a pioneer and trailblazer in Canada’s automotive industry, but this year, we had the honour of seeing our Associate Publisher, Shirley Brown inducted into the Aftermarket Guild Hall of Fame. After working in television and radio, Shirley joined the team at Wheelspin news in 1978. In 1981 she started her own magazine, Aftermarket Canada, which made a big impact on the industry. After the publication was sold, Shirley helped establish Canadian Auto Service Provider (CASP) which evolved into CarCare Business and today, Autosphere Mag. Shirley has been an inspiration for many in this industry and a great mentor, including for yours truly. Congratulations Shirley, this award is well deserved and cements your legacy as a true pioneer and thought leader in this business.

https://autosphere.ca/mechanical/2025/10/20/shirley-brown-inducted-into-the-aftermarket-guild-hall-of-fame/

Most Popular News Stories of 2025 

 

Collision

In the collision and auto body repair space, the most popular news story in 2025, was a profile story on Simplicity Car Care Foothills, in Calgary, Alberta. Owned by Arik Hasson and Luis Andre, is a great Canadian success story and the result of tremendous hard work and commitment. 

https://autosphere.ca/collision/2025/04/09/a-higher-level/ 

 

Dealerships

In automotive retailing, our most popular news story in 2025 came back in February. It was an EV related story, in this case, the announcement of Kia’s new EV5 all-electric crossover. The vehicle made its official debut at the 2025 Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto (February 14-23). 

https://autosphere.ca/dealerships/2025/02/13/kia-announces-the-ev5-exclusively-for-the-canadian-market/ 

 

Mechanical   

In the mechanical aftermarket segment, our most popular news story of 2025 was the announcement of UAP acquiring Cornwall, Ontario-based Benson Tire back in March. With 85 locations in Ontario, Benson was a major operator in the province, and UAP’s acquisition further solidifies the brand’s solid growth and reputation both here and across Canada.

https://autosphere.ca/mechanical/2025/03/05/uap-inc-announces-proposed-acquisition-of-benson-group-inc/

 

Tires

There’s been a lot of changes in the tire sector over the last few years, and one of them has been the explosive growth in the on/off-road light truck and SUV segment. Our most popular story of 2025 focused on the Sailun Terramax AT2 and how a combination of state-of-the-art engineering and value-oriented pricing is changing the game in this hot segment of the market 

https://autosphere.ca/tires/2025/02/14/sailun-terramax-versatility-and-value/