Posts by Canadian Auto Dealer

When twin earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, Toronto Hyundai Service Advisor Juan Martinez Gomez knew he had to get home. His 14-year-old half-sister, Andrea, was living with her mother and grandmother in hard-hit La Guaira, and the family could not reach them.  Within hours, Marsim Auto Group President Benny Leung and Executive Vice President…

For an automotive industry focused daily on affordability, monthly payments, inventory and transactions, events such as the Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance offer a very different view of the automobile. They are a reminder that vehicles can also inspire passion, nostalgia, design appreciation and lifelong enthusiasm — qualities that continue to draw people together well beyond…

Canadians have a relatively strong understanding of cybersecurity threats, but significant gaps remain in how they protect their information online, according to NordVPN’s 2026 National Privacy Test. Canada ranked seventh globally with a score of 45 out of 100. The annual open-access test drew 23,181 participants from 167 countries, who answered 24 questions covering online…

Canada’s automotive employment picture remained mixed in June, with gains among dealers and repair businesses helping offset weakness in parts manufacturing, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC). Combined employment across the automotive sector and closely related industries reached 616,700 employees in June 2026, up 0.5 per cent from the same month last year. Two of…

Cox Automotive has raised its U.S. new-vehicle sales forecast for 2026, citing a market that has remained stronger than expected despite persistent affordability pressures. The company now expects 16.1 million new vehicles to be sold this year, up from its previous forecast of 15.8 million. That would still leave sales about 1.2 per cent below…

Canada’s auto theft problem is showing further signs of easing, with thefts falling another 10 per cent in the first half of 2026 after two consecutive years of double-digit declines. The latest figures, from Équité Association and cited in a Sept. 21 update from Public Safety Canada, follow 16 per cent declines in police-reported motor…

All 22 electric vehicles in a new BCAA and CAA road test completed a 230-kilometre Ontario route without stopping to charge, but the results showed significant differences in energy efficiency, charging performance and cost. The 2026 BCAA & CAA EV Circuit Road Test took the vehicles from Blue Mountain to Vaughan across city streets, rural…

Canada’s wholesale used-vehicle market looked relatively steady last week — until you separate cars from trucks and SUVs. Canadian Black Book said overall values declined 0.18 per cent for the week ending Sept. 19, nearly matching the previous week’s 0.19 per cent decrease and coming in below the 0.25 per cent average decline for the…

The U.S. used-vehicle market has erased its earlier 2026 pricing gains, with wholesale values slipping below year-ago levels for the first time this year. Cox Automotive’s mid-September Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index fell 1 per cent from August to 206.2, putting values 0.4 per cent below September 2025. The shift follows stronger-than-normal pricing during the…

Two Eastern Ontario hospitals have received a combined $200,000 for pediatric cancer programs through an initiative supported by Hyundai Canada’s dealer network. Hyundai Hope on Wheels presented $100,000 grants during stops in Kingston and Ottawa as part of its second annual cross-country tour, which is scheduled to visit 16 Canadian communities. The first ceremony, held…

Some of Canada’s most popular used vehicles are moving off dealer lots faster than they were a year ago, while consumers are also seeing lower asking prices across much of the top-selling list. August data from CarGurus shows every vehicle among the 10 fastest-moving used models spent less time on dealer lots than in August…

August’s new-vehicle sales gains were not confined to Canada’s biggest markets. Nine of 10 provinces recorded year-over-year increases, helping push national sales higher for a third consecutive month. DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC) said approximately 168,000 new light vehicles were sold during the month, up 5.4 per cent from 160,000 in August 2025. It was the…

After nearly holding steady a week earlier, Canadian used wholesale prices lost more ground in the week ending Sept. 12, as declines returned across both cars and trucks/SUVs. Canadian Black Book (CBB) reported an overall market decline of 0.19 per cent, compared with a 0.05 per cent decrease the previous week. Even with the faster…

Canadian dealers keeping tabs on the U.S. electric vehicle market will have found signs of rebalancing in August, with used EV sales posting a sharp increase and inventories moving closer to levels seen among other vehicles. That’s according to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor, which also found used EV sales reached 44,350 units —…

DAS Technology has received five 2026 Dealers’ Choice Awards, including first-place finishes in three categories. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company said its Digital Air Strike brand received Diamond Awards from Auto Dealer Today for new vehicle leads, reputation management and data mining. It also received a second-place Platinum Award for digital marketing and a third-place Gold…

Retail sales at Canadian new-vehicle dealers edged higher during the first half of 2026, remaining at record levels in dollar terms despite broader economic and trade pressures. DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC) reported that retail sales at new-vehicle dealers increased 0.8 per cent compared with the first half of 2025. Used-vehicle dealers recorded a somewhat stronger…

The ease of buying a vehicle in the U.S. remained below historical levels in August, despite few signs of deterioration across the individual steps of the purchase process, according to CDK Global’s latest Ease of Purchase Scorecard. For the second consecutive month, 81 per cent of buyers said their vehicle was easy to purchase. That…

The average transaction price (ATP) for a new vehicle in the U.S. returned above US$50,000 in August, with Kelley Blue Book reporting increases across each of the market’s five highest-volume segments. According to the Sept. 10 report, the industry ATP reached US$50,089, up 0.5 per cent from July and 1.9 per cent from August 2025.…

Canadian new car dealer collision repair network Consolidated Collision Services (CCS) has selected ImEX Systems as a preferred technology partner, expanding the technology options available to its network of dealer-owned collision repair facilities across Canada.  ImEX Systems was founded in Vancouver in 1994 and develops management software for collision repair businesses. According to an announcement…

Canadian online used-vehicle retailer Clutch has named Toronto-based Courage its creative agency of record, signalling a new investment in brand building as the company looks to expand its presence in the Canadian automotive market. According to a Sept. 11 announcement from Courage, the agency will lead creative strategy and brand communications for Clutch following a…

Lexus and Mercedes-Benz dealerships tied for the highest customer satisfaction score in JD Power’s 2026 Canada Customer Service Index—Long-Term Study, as the research also found Canadian dealerships are generating record service revenue per visit. Both brands scored 841 on a 1,000-point scale, ahead of Toyota dealerships at 829 and Honda dealerships at 821. Mercedes-Benz has…

Dilawri has opened the doors to a new Audi Capilano dealership in North Vancouver, bringing Audi’s latest retail concept to Western Canada for the first time. Located at 828 Automall Drive, the 27,500-square-foot, two-storey facility replaces the dealership’s previous location and represents a significant update for Audi Capilano, which has served B.C.’s Lower Mainland since…

U.S. auto dealers became less confident about market conditions in the third quarter as affordability pressures continued to influence vehicle demand, according to Cox Automotive’s Q3 2026 Dealer Sentiment Index. The survey of 929 franchised and independent U.S. dealers, conducted from July 22 to Aug. 5, put the current market index at 41, below the…

The Canadian Automotive Partnership Council (CAPC) is calling for greater stability in Canada-U.S. trade as the automotive industry contends with tariffs and uncertainty over future investment. CAPC members met in Toronto on Sept. 9 with federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and Ontario Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Minister Victor Fedeli. The meeting brought together…

Hyundai Canada and its dealer network are continuing their support for pediatric cancer programs with $350,000 in funding announced alongside a special event at Murray Hyundai White Rock in British Columbia. The Hyundai Hope on Wheels event brought together patients and families from BC Children’s Hospital for a Handprint Ceremony, with Vancouver native and Chicago…

Go Auto has gone Hollywood, acquiring Toyota of Hollywood, a Los Angeles dealership on Sunset Boulevard with a history dating back nearly seven decades. The Alberta-based dealership group announced this week that it has purchased the store, which opened in 1957 and is recognized as Toyota’s first dealership in North America. The acquisition gives Go…

Amanda Zhang is joining McManes Automotive Partners following a 23-year international career with Mercedes-Benz, marking a return to Alberta for the automotive executive. Zhang most recently served as CEO and board chair of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and head of the company’s Southeast Asia region. During her tenure, she led the introduction of the region’s first direct-to-consumer…

Job satisfaction among U.S. dealership employees remains relatively high in 2026, although CDK Global’s latest workplace study identifies a notable weak spot among employees early in their dealership careers. The 2026 CDK Dealership Workplace Study found overall job satisfaction at 80 per cent, down slightly from 82 per cent in 2025 but above the 74…

Canadian used wholesale vehicle prices were nearly flat last week as depreciation slowed significantly, according to Canadian Black Book’s latest Market Insights report. Overall market values fell 0.05 per cent for the week ending Sept. 5, compared with a 0.20 per cent decline the previous week. The 2017-2019 average for the same week was a…

The U.S. automotive market continues to show resilience despite economic uncertainty, with Cox Automotive pointing to steady sales and growing demand for older used vehicles as signs that consumers continue to adapt. While tariffs, elevated interest rates and affordability concerns remain risks, new-vehicle sales have held relatively steady through much of 2026, according to Cox.…

For months, organizers of the CADA Summit 2024 were urging dealers to register for the event before it sold out. True to form, the jam-packed conference opened this morning at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Ontario as one of the first events to kick off a full week of events connected to the Canadian…

Safe-Guard Canada, a provider of protection products for the automotive, RV, powersports and marine sectors, has launched a redesigned website that speaks not only to the company’s shift towards digital transformation — but also the broader shift occurring in the automotive sector.  The company’s digital transformation mirrors the changes taking place across the automotive industry.…

Vehicles may be equipped with advanced sensor technology and machine learning algorithms that can predict weather disasters in real-time by the time 2030 rolls around.  That is according to the International Drivers Association, which said in a news release that new vehicles are expected to be equipped with this technology within the next six years,…

Three auto enthusiasts are marketing the first-ever Toronto industrial car condominium to store high-end exotic and vintage automobiles. Ming Zee, Christopher Grant, and Todd Yule have retrofitted a former Gilbey’s distillery building in Etobicoke, Ont., into a 183,000 square-foot storage warehouse in Etobicoke. They bought the building, which is zoned in an industrial area, in…

A new survey report from global cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky reveals that 72 per cent of drivers in the United States are uncomfortable with automotive manufacturers sharing their data with third parties — an issue that auto retailers may find is on the mind of more than some of their potential customers, as…

A virtual cockpit platform described as the first-of-its-kind by BlackBerry Limited was recently introduced as part of the Stellantis Virtual Engineering Workbench (VEW) by the OEM. It is of interest because the new platform allows for the delivery of infotainment tech to customers 100 times faster than previous processes. How BlackBerry is involved is also…

Hyundai received the highest ranking among mass market manufacturer websites from J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study thanks in part to its intuitive experience. The study measures customer satisfaction of OEM websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by reviewing four key measures: information/content, visual appeal, navigation, and speed. In its news release, Hyundai…