According to the automotive consultant Desrosiers (Desrosiers Automotive Consultants), the share of vehicles made in the United States increased from 41 % to 39 % of Canadian sales between April and June. A modest drop, but which could accelerate.
Price increases deemed untenable
With Canadian surcharges of 25 % imposed since April 9, the manufacturers have evaluated if the import of certain American models is still worth it. “The only other option is to increase prices, and an increase of 25 % is difficult to envisage for the majority of segments,” said Andrew King, director partner at Desrosiers.
Mazda (CX-50) and Nissan (Pathfinder, Murano, Frontier) temporarily suspended their exports to Canada. Several await a possible commercial agreement, but if nothing moves, more American models could disappear from Canadian exhibition halls.
Foreign models gain ground
The vehicles assembled in Canada have gained a little land, but it is above all the products imported from Europe and Asia that take advantage of the situation. The downward trend of vehicles manufactured in the United States in Canada is not new: they represented 66 % of the value of imports in 2004, but only 48.9 % in 2024, according to Innovation, Sciences and Economic Development Canada (ISDE).
Exemptions for local manufacturers
Ottawa, however, set up a discreet pricing program for the five manufacturers with local production: Ford, GM, Honda, Stellantis and Toyota. This measure limits the impacts on their ranges. On the other hand, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Nissan, who have no factory in the country, are the most vulnerable.
Original contents of Auto123.
