According to a study from Desrosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC), June Canadian new light vehicle sales were down 16.2% for the month with an estimated 155,439 units sold, a paltry performance under normal circumstances but a significant improvement compared to the 74.6% decrease in April and 44.0% decrease in May.

June undoubtedly saw the release of some pent-up demand into the market as blinking consumers took their first tentative steps out of their darkened lock-down basements and back onto the sun-kissed roads and highways.

Of course, plenty of uncertainty remains for the months to come. The extent of pent-up demand that exists in the market is uncertain.

Moreover, with virus case counts climbing once again in the USA, Canada’s economic and public health recovery stands on an unsteady pillar. For the time being, however, the overall trend in new light-vehicle sales is positive.

Total first-half sales settled at 643,604 units sold—down 34.3% from the previous year—with light truck sales at 507,925 units and passenger car sales at 135,679. In terms of share, light trucks accounted for a remarkable 78.9% of total sales while passenger car sales accounted for only 21.1% at the half-year mark.

A few brand-level points of note for the first half of 2020:

• Year-to-date sales at Kia fell 24.6%, the smallest decrease among the reporting brands.
• On the other end of the spectrum, Infiniti noted a 60.6% decrease while smart sold a single unit.
• A relatively strong performance from General Motors (down only 26.1%) pushed the company within a few thousand units of Ford, currently in the position of sales volume leader.