(Toronto) Motor vehicle sales fell 4.5% in September from the same month last year as supply shortages persisted, DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC) said Monday.
Posted at 5:58 p.m.
The specialized firm estimates that 130,421 light vehicles were sold during the month, against 136,584 last year. This is the lowest level of sales for September since 2009.
The seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales was 1.48 million, similar to the lower rates seen in the past two quarters, DAC said.
Automakers’ sales levels have fluctuated widely based on supply chain disruptions, including the availability of semiconductors, the firm added.
Sales at Detroit’s Big Three automakers rebounded strongly in the third quarter, including a 27.6% gain for General Motors from a year ago. All three automakers were hit by severe chip shortages last year, while other companies saw sales plummet last quarter, including Honda Canada, where they plunged 37%.
DAC said GM’s year-to-date sales were down 3.3% from a year ago, while Ford’s were up 1.5%. For the first nine months of the year, Honda’s sales were down 31.9% from a year ago, and Toyota’s were down 22.7%.