National Post

CANADA’S BEST- SELLING VEHICLES,

MORE THAN 1M NEW VEHICLES BOUGHT HERE

- DEREK MCNAUGHTON

Halfway through 2017, auto sales in Canada continue their blistering pace. For the first time, more than a million new vehicles were purchased in the first half of the year, reaching 1.04 million units to the end of June. For the first half of 2017, these are Canada’s top bestsellin­g models and their sales numbers.

Unchanged from 2016, the Ford Edge bridges the compact and mid- size SUV divide. Sales in 2017 are down 4.2 per cent so far. Built in Oakville, Ont., the Edge gains a Sport appearance package with updated fabric seats for 2018.

19. JEEP CHEROKEE 11,196

Annual sales of the Cherokee have fallen 33.2 per cent and 42 per cent monthover- month, but remain just ahead of the Ford Edge. Blame the significan­t decline on the introducti­on of the far better looking Compass.

18. HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT – 11,935

Santa Fe Sport sales continue to slide with a decline of 2.1 per cent so far this year, as the aging model competes in a field of fresher alternativ­es. Some spy shots suggest a new Santa Fe will arrive in 2018 as a 2019 model.

17. MAZDA CX- 5 12,067

Expect the sales trajectory to keep climbing for Mazda’s CX- 5, now that the redesigned model is out. While an increase of only 2.8 per cent over 2016 sales to date looks small, buyers have been waiting for the new model, one of which will be offered as a diesel for 2018.

16. CHEVROLET EQUINOX – 13,432

A massive clear- out of second- generation models and the introducti­on of the third- gen Equinox fuelled growth of GM’s compact SUV by a whopping 41.7 per cent to date this year, with 13,432 units sold. The Equinox is on track for its best year ever.

15. MAZDA3 – 14,122

Mazda’s bread- and- butter compact car received a welcome refresh for 2017, including the company’s G-Vectoring control. However, sales have yet to catch the same fire seen a few years ago, and they remain down 0.2 per cent so far this year.

14. HYUNDAI TUCSON 15,205

Hyundai’s handsome Tucson, all new for 2016, continues to pull strong sales numbers with a 14.3- percent increase over this time last year. Technology updates, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, are new this year.

13. CHEVY CRUZE 15,464

A new hatchback model helped the redesigned Cruze cruise to a 36- per- cent increase in sales for the first half of 2017 over 2016. One of the few compact cars to offer diesel, the Cruze is Canada’s fourth- most popular compact car behind the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

12. NISSAN ROGUE 22,618

Continuing its streak, the Rogue grew in sales by 22.7 per cent this year. New trim levels, styling tweaks and better sound deadening are new for 2017. Rogue sales will face headwinds now that the slightly smaller Nissan Qashqai has landed.

11. FORD ESCAPE 22,618

Ford’s popular compact utility gains a new, higherleve­l SEL trim for 2018 after receiving revised exterior styling and minor interior improvemen­ts for the 2017 model year. Strong incentives have pushed sales up 14.1 per cent this year.

10. HYUNDAI ELANTRA – 23,722

Once in c ompetition with the Civic for the title of most popular small car, the Elantra continues to lack momentum despite a completely new design and engine choices for 2017. Sales, down seven per cent this year, should see an uptick with the new, competitiv­ely priced Elantra GT hatchback.

9. HONDA CR- V 23,833

The CR-V gained a new optional turbocharg­ed engine, a much- improved interior and aggressive styling with an all- new model in 2017, pushing it the CUV to a 19.7- per- cent gain in 2017. Those numbers put it within range of overtaking the perennial best Toyota RAV4.

8. TOYOTA RAV4 25,295

Last year’s No. 1 selling CUV, the Toyota RAV4 continues to hold pole position — however tenuously — a little more than halfway through the year. A host of driver- assistance features as standard equipment have helped sales grow 3.4 cent in 2017, but Honda’s CR-V reveals stronger growth so far in 2017.

7. DODGE GRAND CARAVAN – 26,394

The rush to CUVs and SUVs is finally starting to impact the humble Dodge Grand Caravan, yet sales continue to score strong results. Sales are down 4.2 per cent this year (as opposed to a 9.4-per-cent rise in 2016) in part because the Caravan is old and the Chrysler Pacifica is new. The Grand Caravan will carry on until at least 2019, likely with few changes.

6. CHEVY SILVERADO 27,887

Aggressive i ncentives and some new tech features across various trim levels in 2017 helped Chevy’s Silver- ado achieve an impressive 23.1-per-cent gain in the first six months of 2017. That’s in sharp contrast to the 3.2-percent decline seen over the full 2016 year.

5. TOYOTA COROLLA 28,354

With help from the iM hatchback, the Toyota Corolla is returning strong results for 2017. Sales are up 16.3 per cent over the first half of 2016. New LED headlamps for 2017, upgraded upholstery and new safety equipment have all helped pull the compact car well ahead of the Elantra, which outsold the Corolla in 2016.

4. GMC SIERRA 31,178

Combined with the Silverado, its sibling, sales of the GMC Sierra helped make GM’s trucks the No. 2 most popular vehicles in the country to date. They’d also be Canada’s second-best selling truck, with just over 59,000 units, if both were combined. Nonetheles­s, Sierra sales, like the Silverado, are up an impressive 20.7 per cent so far in 2017.

3. HONDA CIVIC 37,180

Closing in on the most popular-selling car for 20-years running, the Honda Civic is enjoying a good year, with sales up 12 per cent so far. The higher- performing Si and Type R joined the lineup this year. In all of 2016, 64,552 units were sold.

2. RAM PICKUP 57,923

Ram sales finished 2016 with 89,048 units sold, but at the six- month mark in 2017 are showing signs of reaching 100,000 for the year with an 18- per- cent gain at the halfway mark. Strong incentives ahead of an all- new Ram expected to be seen at the 2018 North American Internatio­nal Auto Show in Detroit are driving the numbers behind the full-size truck.

1. FORD F- SERIES 78,427

No stranger to the top spot, Ford’s F- Series trucks once again lead all truck sales, as well as outranking every other vehicle type. While growth of 8.6 per cent is less than gains for Ram and GM trucks, a refresh to the F-150 is coming later this year, which should cement the F-Series’ lead for 2017.

 ?? FORD / HONDA / TOYOTA ?? So far in 2017, the Ford F-150, top, Honda Civic, bottom left, and Toyota RAV4 are the sales leaders in their respective segments.
FORD / HONDA / TOYOTA So far in 2017, the Ford F-150, top, Honda Civic, bottom left, and Toyota RAV4 are the sales leaders in their respective segments.

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