DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says auto sales in September were “reasonable,” given ongoing economic uncertainty and trade tensions.
The firm estimates 163,000 vehicles were sold in September, up 3.7% from last year. However, it notes September 2024 was a weak comparable.
DesRosiers says auto sales last month were still well below September 2020 levels, when 172,000 units were sold, and even lower than September 2017, which saw 187,000 units sold.
The firm’s managing partner, Andrew King, says the auto sector is struggling to maintain momentum, with squeezed margins and pricing pressures, as the industry awaits a resolution to ongoing trade tensions.
Some automakers have raised their estimates for tariff costs as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement — which has shielded many automakers from worse tariff impacts — comes up for review next year.
DesRosiers says year-to-date sales are up 4.5% year-over-year, with 1.47 million units sold.