Ford F-150 is Canada's Top Searched vehicle, while luxury cars hold steady according to 2020 Canadian car shopper data Français
autoTRADER.ca releases Canada's Top Searched Vehicles of 2020 – findings indicate mainstays in utility and luxury endure pandemic impact
TORONTO, Dec. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - Despite the impact of the global pandemic, searches for luxury vehicles show little signs of slowing down in Canada, according to 2020 data released today from autoTRADER.ca, Canada's largest automotive marketplace. The company's annual Top Searched vehicles list noted favourites from 2019, including the beloved Ford F-150, Honda Civic and Toyota RAV4 remained in the top 10, while half (50 per cent) of this year's list consisted of premium nameplates, pointing to a range in Canadian vehicle preference. Additionally, BMW and Mercedes-Benz were the first and second most searched vehicle brands on autoTRADER.ca this year.
2020 Top Searched Vehicles in Canada
- Ford F-150
- Ford Mustang
- BMW 3 Series
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- Porsche 911
- Honda Civic
- BMW M
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- Toyota RAV4
2020 marked a unique year for automotive shopping behaviours. In addition to tracking search data, autoTRADER.ca conducted ongoing consumer studies to measure the effects of the pandemic on Canadians. Following the initial impact of COVID-19 across the automotive sector in the spring, the pandemic ushered a surge of car shopping activity and first-time buyers into the market. With more Canadians at home this year, marketplace data revealed a significant increase in Canadians shopping for cars, as autoTRADER.ca experienced a record high of 25 million visits in a single month, and an increase of over 21 per cent in visits year-over-year. The studies also revealed that the pandemic prompted contributing factors such as decreased comfort regarding the use of public transportation and ride-sharing, an increased desire for car ownership, and more time spent shopping online.
"For the sixth year running the Ford F-150 retains the number one spot as Canada's top searched vehicle on autoTRADER.ca, despite being the only truck on the car-dominant 2020 Top Searched list," says Jodi Lai, editor-in-chief, autoTRADER.ca. "The Toyota RAV4 stood as the solitary SUV, which is a bit of a surprise considering how popular SUVs are, while Canadian shoppers are still seeking luxury options like the Porsche 911, BMW's M Models, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class."
Provincial Search Breakout
2020 provincial search data revealed key regional preferences for car shoppers across the country.
BC leads with luxury. BC leads the country when it comes to interest in luxury vehicles, with the Porsche 911 rising three spots from #5 to #2 on the province's Top Searched list. The BMW M (#4), BMW X5 (#8), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (#5), and Mercedes-Benz E-Class (#7) were new entrants in 2020. The rest of Canada shares the west coast love for premium vehicles with at least one luxury model appearing on every regional top searched list with the exception of Saskatchewan.
Alberta lusts after larger vehicles. In a province where trucks have always led the way, it's no surprise that the Ford F-150 is Alberta's top searched vehicle for another year running. Surprisingly, the Ram 1500, a truck that has traditionally held a lot of popularity in the region dropped from this year's Top Searched list as Albertans welcomed new luxury entrants like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (#6), BMW M (#7) and BMW X5 (#10). Unsurprisingly, the region has a long-term affinity for larger vehicles with the Toyota RAV4 (#4), Jeep Grand Cherokee (#8) and BMW X5 (#10) also making the top 10.
Saskatchewan flexes muscle. While Saskatchewan may be the only region in Canada without a luxury vehicle on their top 10 list, they do like to get behind the wheel of some North American muscle. The Ford Mustang (#2), Chevrolet Corvette (#3) and Chevrolet Camaro (#5) all made the top 10 list this year. The province also stands out as having the lowest number of cars on the list, instead favouring utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (#4), Jeep Wrangler (#6), GMC Sierra 1500 (#7) and Jeep Grand Cherokee (#8).
Ontario is captivated by cars. Cars reign supreme in Ontario making up 80 per cent of the province's top searched list, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. This year, half of Ontario's top 10 list consisted of premium vehicles. True to Ontarian preferences, the province was only one of two regions across the nation where the Ford F-150 did not rank #1 – instead Ontarians favour the sportier Ford Mustang. Practical vehicles, such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry, were just shy of making this year's regional top 10 list.
Québec keeps it practical. The perennial Honda Civic continues to dominate Québec's Top Searched list for the fourth consecutive year, reinforcing the prioritization of function over flash in la belle province. The arrival of the Jeep Wrangler (#9) and Jeep Grand Cherokee (#10) hints at an increased interest in recreational vehicles, and the Porsche 911 (#7) shows that while Québecers prefer practicality, they are not averse to the finer things.
Manitoba goes off-road. Manitoba saw a spike in searches for off-road vehicles with the Jeep Wrangler (#8) and Jeep Grand Cherokee (#10) debuting on the region's Top Searched list. The province witnessed a slight increase in luxury vehicle interest, adding two premium models to its Top Searched list. The Ford F-150 remained Manitoba's #1 searched vehicle, while the Ram 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Ford Escape and Toyota Corolla slipped below the top 10.
Atlantic Canada finds balance. The east coast saw the most even representation of vehicle types across their top 10 list. The classic Ford Mustang (#2), functional Toyota Tacoma (#3), practical Honda Civic (#4), and recreational Jeep Wrangler (#6) all made an appearance, a reflection of well-rounded vehicle preferences in the Maritimes.
Evolution of Car Shopper Sentiment
autoTRADER.ca conducted ongoing consumer studies throughout 2020 to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian car shopper sentiment and inform what may be expected moving forward. Findings include:
Canadians tapping the brakes on public transportation. A study deployed by autoTRADER.ca and Google at the height of the global pandemic in October 2020, revealed that COVID-19 has had a direct and potentially lasting impact on sentiment toward public transportation and ride-sharing. The research revealed that 28 per cent of respondents stated they have purchased or plan to purchase a vehicle since the pandemic, with almost half of that group (13 per cent) attributing their purchase intent to the pandemic. More than half of Canadians (54 per cent) who previously used public transit indicated that they do not plan on using it post-pandemic. Further, sixty-five per cent of Canadians stated they do not plan on using ride-sharing services after COVID-19. The introduction of a vaccine could empower more Canadians to resume pre-pandemic transportation methods, while for others, the impact could linger as the desire for personal modes of transportation remains. Recreational travel and road trips (53 per cent), followed by hygiene concerns around public transit (36 per cent) and changing jobs as a result of COVID-19 and needing to commute (26 per cent) ranked among the highest motivators for Canadians seeking to purchase a vehicle directly due to the pandemic.
Subcompact car segment dwindles. 2020 marked the discontinuation of several models in the economic subcompact category by a number of automotive manufacturers. Specifically, the Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Micra, and the Nissan Versa. More consumers are instead opting for vehicles equipped with all-wheel drive capabilities and raised seating. Subcompact car availability is expected to continue to decline as the subcompact crossovers that are replacing them become less costly and more fuel efficient.
Green, green growth. 2020 was yet another big year for electric vehicles with more hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and full EVs listed across the marketplace. Green vehicles launched this year span all different body styles and prices, giving Canadians more options than ever before including the Toyota RAV4 Prime, Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron Sportback, Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Ford F-150 Hybrid. Further, new developments that may drive greater EV adoption in the coming years include the launch of faster 800V charging rates by Porsche and Hyundai, and Québec's commitment to stop selling new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. autoTRADER.ca data also indicates national searches for electric and hybrid fuel types increased 19 per cent year-over-year. EV adoption is expected to increase through 2021 and beyond as more makes and models are introduced, charging speeds increase, travel range expands, and greater infrastructure is developed.
Car shoppers go digital. While a portion of car shoppers still seek an in-person dealership experience, a survey of autoTRADER.ca users revealed that 71 per cent are interested in buying a car digitally since the start of the pandemic. This year, autoTRADER.ca became the first major marketplace in Canada to launch digital retail on its platform, meaning for the first time, Canadians can buy a vehicle 100 per cent online. Based on the higher consumer engagement experienced by dealers who currently have digital retailing enabled, autoTRADER.ca anticipates this sentiment will hold strong. The added safety and convenience of completing varying portions of the vehicle transaction online is resonating with car shoppers across the country.
Vehicle Pricing Insights
Analysis of pricing data, captured monthly over the course of the year via the autoTRADER.ca Price Index, indicates that 2020 started strong with two months of consecutive pricing growth through January and February. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, demand dropped slightly, while prices remained firm until May when the country began to see more consecutive price decreases. This was likely caused by dealers seeking to increase inventory flow through their lots after re-opening for appointments when various lockdown measures were lifted.
These pricing dips persisted until September, when inventory became increasingly scarce. When it came to new cars, this scarcity was attributed to to factory closures at the onset of the pandemic, while for used cars, it was attributed to reduced capacity at auction houses, US dealer interest in Canadian inventory and lower volumes of trade ins and off lease vehicles. Currently, vehicle demand remains high and increased demand, paired with limited inventory, has contributed to price buoyancy, meaning stability for the foreseeable future.
At the close of the year, pricing has stabilized for the most part, however an ongoing shortage of new trucks, in particular, is driving higher prices in the segment. We will continue to monitor how influence from the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with Canadians' strong interest in car ownership influences pricing patterns in the year to come.
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"Based on the analysis of autoTRADER.ca data, it's clear that the events of 2020 have had an impact on the car shopper journey, although perhaps not the divergence we expected" says Lai, autoTRADER.ca. "While practical staples like the Honda Civic and Toyota RAV4 are still top of mind for Canadians, there was also a sustained interest in luxury vehicles. Ultimately we are encouraged to see that more and more Canadians are shopping for cars across the country."
Methodology: Analysis was performed based on site analytics from autoTRADER.ca using Canadian search data from January 1 to November 30, 2020. Year-over-year analysis was based on data from January 2019 to November 30, 2020. autoTRADER.ca commissions independent third-party research to understand Canadian car shopping habits amongst both car intenders and past purchasers. Throughout the year, autoTRADER.ca also surveyed its users to maintain a pulse of car shopping behaviours over the course of 2020.
About TRADER Corporation
TRADER Corporation is a trusted Canadian leader in online media, managing automotive consumer marketplaces. The company's primary online destinations include: autoTRADER.ca™ and autoHEBDO.net™. autoTRADER.ca offers the largest inventory of new cars and used cars in Canada, receiving 25 million monthly visits to the marketplace and more than 6 million all-time mobile app downloads. Visitors buy or sell cars, trucks or other motorized vehicles quickly, easily and conveniently. Buyers can search based on vehicle model, make, colour and geographic location to find the deal that is right for them. autoTRADER.ca is also an online destination for auto content, featuring news and reviews from award-winning automotive journalists. Follow autoTRADER.ca on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
SOURCE autoTRADER.ca
Jessica Huynh, [email protected], 647-985-5378; Gage Knox, [email protected], 647-537-7017
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