Best Selling Cars Around The Globe: What The Canadians Bought In 2012

Matt Gasnier
by Matt Gasnier

We continue on our ‘what the XXX bought in 2012′ series. After going to China, Europe, Russia, India, Israel, Italia, Indonesia and France, today we cross the border to Canada.

Had enough already? Thought so, and it’s ok because you can check the best-selling models and brands in 172 additional countries and territories on my blog. Enjoy!

Back to Canada. And in 2012 a very important record was broken… Jump in to know more!

You can check the Top 35 best-selling brands in Canada in 2012 here

The Canadian new vehicle market is up a solid 6% year-on-year in 2012 to 1,677,000 registrations ( compared with +14% in the US). Brand-wise, Ford is in the lead like in the US with a slightly higher market share at 16.1% thanks to 269,813 sales, albeit down from 16.9% in 2011. Toyota climbs into second place with sales up 19% to 171,174 and 10.2% share, passing Chevrolet down 8% to #3 and 138,990 units and now threatened by both Hyundai at 136,283 sales (+5%) and Honda at 131,558 units (+22%).

Check out the Top 260 All-models ranking in Canada in 2012 here

In the models ranking, 2012 is a historical year in Canada: for the first time since the automobile was created, one vehicle manages to sell over 100,000 units in the country in a single year. The Ford F-Series is up 10% on 2011 to reach 106,358 sales and beating its previous record of 97,913 units it set back in 2010 after only 11 months this year. This is a truly outstanding performance at a time when pick-up trucks are not the default choice anymore in North America. For a bit of perspective, we have to go back 8 years to 2004 to find the F-Series record year in the USA… Note it is the 18th consecutive year the Ford F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in Canada.

Check out the Top 260 All-models ranking in Canada in 2012 here

The entire Top 4 most popular models in the country in 2012 are unchanged vs. last year, with the Dodge RAM at #2 with 69,255 sales (+8%), the Honda Civic at #3 and 64,962 units (+18%) and the best-selling Passenger Car in Canada for the 15th year in a row! The Dodge Grand Caravan is down 3% to 51,552 sales but stays 4th. Other good performers atop the ranking include the Hyundai Elantra up 13% to Honda CR-V up 33% to Toyota Camry up 49% to Chrysler 200 up 89% to #27 and Kia Rio up 104% to The Mazda CX-5 is the best-performing all-new model at

Check out the Top 260 All-models ranking in Canada in 2012 here

And here. You know now everything to know about what the Canadians bought in 2012.

You’re welcome.

Matt Gasnier, based in Sydney, Australia, runs a blog named Best Selling Cars, dedicated to counting cars all over the world.

Matt Gasnier
Matt Gasnier

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  • Numbers_Matching Numbers_Matching on Mar 13, 2013

    Having just returned from a business trip to Montreal, I'm surprised 'clapped-out but newish Hyundai with no hubcaps driven by a smoke'in hot babe' wasn't included on the list - as that seemed to account for about half of the traffic. Talking cars with our French-Canadian host gave us a real perspective of a have-less society as he referred to his brand new civic as 'going all out' over his previous elantra. This guy is a engineering manager for a very successful manufacturing operation.

    • Adango Adango on Mar 13, 2013

      No hubcaps in Montreal = winter tires. They happen to be mandatory during the winter months for all of Quebec. Trying to get them installed around November is a nightmare! (People in downtown MTL don't have places to work on their cars, and garages are incredibly busy.)

  • Athos Nobile Athos Nobile on Mar 13, 2013

    I wonder why Canucks prefer full size PU over the "superior" global midsizers. Canada must be a closed market, or lacking options... or or... Canadians just like the bloody things.

    • See 12 previous
    • RobertRyan RobertRyan on Mar 14, 2013

      @Neb I would suspect by the new Global Diesels being introduced and new diesel commercial vehicles that could change again. Canada had a diesel smart car I believe that was not sold in the US?

  • Tassos Jong-iL Communist America Rises!
  • Merc190 A CB7 Accord with the 5 cylinder
  • MRF 95 T-Bird Daihatsu Copen- A fun Kei sized roadster. Equipped with a 660cc three, a five speed manual and a retractable roof it’s all you need. Subaru Levorg wagon-because not everyone needs a lifted Outback.
  • Merc190 I test drive one of these back in the day with an automatic, just to drive an Alfa, with a Busso no less. Didn't care for the dash design, would be a fun adventure to find some scrapped Lancia Themas or Saab 900's and do some swapping to make car even sweeter. But definitely lose the ground effects.
  • MRF 95 T-Bird These 164s, as documented by its owner have to be constantly sorted, as they say. They are nice drivers. I’d rather find a, under the 25 year rule nice and easier to deal with Type 916 Alfa Romeo GTV/Spyder.
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