Despite the changing tastes of the car-buying public, a Windsor-built vehicle is one of Canada's top sellers so far this year.
Driving magazine published its list Thursday of Canada's top-ten selling vehicles for the first quarter of 2019. The Dodge Grand Caravan, built at FCA's Windsor Assembly Plant, placed tenth on the list. It sold 8,209 units in the first three months of 2019, down nine per cent from the same period in 2018.
Even with minivan sales falling in Canada, the Grand Caravan holds its own despite its practicality and the majority of its sales dependant on daily rentals and fleet sales. Nevertheless, minivan sales continue to drop in North America, with the Chrysler Pacifica taking a 59 per cent dip so far this year, according to Driving. This tumble in demand has contributed to FCA cutting the third shift at WAP effective September 30.
Industry analysts have predicted that the Dodge Grand Caravan could be phased out within the next year or two. FCA's late CEO Sergio Marchionne had hinted at the 2018 North American International Auto Show that the Caravan would be out of production by 2021, though the automaker has not provided a confirmed timetable.
The current trend in auto sales is reflected in the top-ten list, with eight out of the ten vehicles being pickup trucks, minivans, or crossovers. Only two sedans, the perennial best-sellers Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, round out the top-ten.
The top-ten for first-quarter 2019, according to Driving, is as follows in order:
- Ford F-Series, up six per cent to 30,107 units sold
- Dodge Ram pickup, down seven per cent to 19,120
- Honda Civic, down two per cent to 14,136
- Honda CR-V, up eight per cent to 13,021
- Toyota RAV-4, up 13 per cent to 12,386
- GMC Sierra, down eight per cent to 11,308
- Chevrolet Silverado, down 15 per cent to 10,837
- Toyota Corolla, down two per cent to 9,255
- Nissan Rogue, down 18 per cent to 8,249
- Dodge Grand Caravan, down nine per cent to 8,209