Sales of Yaris up 85% in Canada in Sept., up 0.1% in the US?

[MetroMPG]

Canadians still picking small cars - Globe and Mail



Up 85% compared to a year ago? Good morning! That's a massive jump. And there's really nothing new in the Yaris range compared to last year.

Corolla sales were also way up (58%), but this is a completely new car, so you'd expect some bounce in the numbers.

Marc Comeau, GM Canada's vice-president of sales, observed that “consumers continued the trend of purchasing more fuel-efficient small cars and crossovers in September.”

Duh! I wonder how the bottom-of-the-small-car-food-chain Aveo is doing for GM right now...

Oh...

- GMs small car line-up is performing well with combined sales for the Chevrolet Aveo and Pontiac Wave up a combined 5.5% calendar year to date

Source: GM Canada September 2008 Sales Results

And the lovable, redesigned, and badly geared Honda Fit?

Honda Fit set a September sales record of 1,536 units, up 72% over the previous September sales record of 895 units in 2007

Source: CNW Group | HONDA CANADA INC. | Honda Canada reports September sales results

Same story in the US of A?

The Fit achieved a September record of 6,515, up 48.7 percent in its first full month available as a completely redesigned 2009 model.

Source: American Honda Reports September 2008 Sales

Aveo? Can't find any numbers...

Yaris?

Yaris posted September sales of 5,721 units, up 0.1 percent over the same period last year.

Point one percent? Interesting.

Source: Toyota Reports September 2008 Sales

[Duffman]

I would be interested in the firm numbers as opposed to the % increases, might indicate why Toyota and Honda are getting a bigger bounce on the % side.

[SVOboy]

Americans won't be forced into small cars! Obviously we've figured out something secret you canadians haven't,

[Bicycle Bob]

Well, 2 cheers for Canada. We've always been a few years ahead on the price of gas, with more miles to drive, on average. There are a lot of big pickup trucks around here, but they often are hauling even bigger work trailers.

Remember: John Wayne only used 1HP to haul his manhood around. Who could need more?

[Blister]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Americans won't be forced into small cars! Obviously we've figured out something secret you canadians haven't,

I don't think most of the upscale crowd is catching on yet to be honest.

On the other hand, the banking issues here are nothing short of ferocious and most lower class and lower middle class aren't to keen on buying new at the moment. Then you got folks like me who depend on a huge fuel drinker to haul different things needed for work coupled with the LACK of work coupled with horrific fuel prices and all that firmly puts them in the "unable to buy" category.

... and I would also like to see numbers rather than percentages, like how many units sold per given state maybe? Then the local population numbers could be worked into a more "accurate" vision of what's actually happening.

With almost 4 million foreclosures this year, it is doubtful that it is even fair to post sales numbers from any given car manufacturer in the U.S. at this time.

Edited to add: The "4 million" number included renter's forced out abruptly by emergency home sales by their landlords.

JMHO.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Blister

On the other hand, the banking issues here are nothing short of ferocious

Good context. Things aren't apples to apples at the moment.

[MetroMPG]

More evidence of the small car mind set:

Tiny smart car a giant in market
'A Masterpiece'; Year-over-year sales growth best of any vehicle

But here's the curious thing about Daimler AG's Smart ForTwo model, introduced in Canada in 2004: Not only is it selling well, it has the highest year-over-year sales growth of any vehicle in the country. (up 46%) - source

Canada YTD sales through September '08 were 3152 units. In the US, 18156 units in the same period. Remember the US market is 10x the size.

Interesting anyway.

[jamesqf]

They seem to have missed an important point: it's easy to show a high percentage growth when your sales last year were close to zero :-)

As to not getting Americans into small cars... well, I suppose that's why Honda's going broke, and BMW only sold two Minis, both to Europeans here on green cards...

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

It may be that Toyota just has not made more Yaris's (Yarii?) available? I know that the Fit, xD, Aveo, Civic, Versa, Cobalt, etc., -- not to mention Prius and Civic hybrids -- are on the roads in much greater numbers, and the proportion of large SUV's has dropped quite a bit.

[homeworkhome53]

A local Toyota dealer told me he's sold all his yaris and had them on back order. The supply was not keeping up with the demand. I am seeing more of them on the road. The recent drop in fuel prices is bring out the mentally unstable. I know one guy just got a "great" deal on a Ford extended cab with a Triton engine. He's also trying to sell his boat, he bought the truck so he could tow the boat. People are so confused. They want to buy big and flashy to show off, like they always have, but they can't afford it. I told him it's a great looking yard ornament, Gas will go back up. Probably November 5th.

homeworkhome53

[MetroMPG]

Are you shopping for a Yaris, hwh?

I also know someone who got a great deal on a Mustang GT (5 liter - or whatever they are now).

Take heart: for all the people buying Triton V8's lately, there are also a bunch of people who have probably come to realize the folly of it, and have permanently downsized. Ford is convinced that shift in the market has already taken place.

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Are you shopping for a Yaris, hwh?

I also know someone who got a great deal on a Mustang GT (5 liter - or whatever they are now).

Take heart: for all the people buying Triton V8's lately, there are also a bunch of people who have probably come to realize the folly of it, and have permanently downsized. Ford is convinced that shift in the market has already taken place.

Well if I didn't commute at all or very far, I'd probably buy a Mustang GT over a Yaris if they were the same price. I mean I like to save gas but spending $60 for gas vs $30 a month is worth owning a V8 rwd car atleast once in my life. I'd also think if they were aggresively hypermiled they would put up 30 mpg atleast. I do some autocross and I'd like to do some track days so it wouldn't be for "show" but relatively cheap entertainment! The Yaris would be fun too but not quite like a Mustang.
For my commute a Yaris is probably in my future which is fine, the more new ones bought, the used ones will be around when I need one!
Ian