Average price on used cars overall topped $34,000, another record for the year

Demand for pre-owned electric vehicles hit a record in October, which has driven the used EV prices to a new 2025 high.

EVs accounted for 4.29 per cent of overall used car sales in Canada in October, 2.5 per cent in Ontario and 7.35 per cent in Quebec, each of which is a new record, according to a Clutch Inc. report.

Used EV prices climbed 2.15 per cent year over year, reaching an average of $42,047, as more high-end offerings entered the used market, the report said.

“The month’s gain came entirely from composition effects — more premium vehicles entering the mix — while most individual EVs transacted for slightly less,” the report said. “The same theme holds year over year: what’s selling has become pricier, even as like-for-like prices have softened.”

New EV sales, however, are waning, falling 39.2 per cent in the third quarter from a year ago, according to Statistics Canada data released in September.

“It speaks to the importance of having incentives if you want to move electric vehicles,” David Adams, chief executive of Global Automakers of Canada, a lobby group for foreign automakers, said in September after the data’s release.
Overall, used car prices in October were up 6.2 per cent year over year, reaching $34,352 on average, which also marks a new high for 2025.

“The increasing average selling prices are entirely driven by more expensive vehicles entering the market as Canadians continue to gravitate toward larger, higher-value and increasingly electrified vehicles,” the report said.

Despite the price hikes, more affordable used cars are becoming available compared to recent months, the report said.

About 24 per cent of used cars are available for less than $15,000, while just under 20 per cent of used SUVs are selling for less than $20,000.

“Among cars, the Hyundai Elantra extended its commanding lead, selling more sub-$15,000 units than the (Honda) Civic and (Chevrolet) Cruze combined,” the report said.

Looking ahead, Clutch expects used vehicle prices to climb even further as consumers typically turn to trucks in the late fall and winter months, while strength in EV sales is expected to climb as well.

“The federal EV mandate review remains a key wildcard,” the report said. “The results, expected in the coming weeks, could reshape how automakers allocate EV supply and influence the pace at which new EVs enter the used market. If the mandate resumes in some form, it could accelerate the current trend of greater EV availability and, by extension, improve affordability within the segment.”

 

Cousins, B. (2025, November 17). Used EV demand hits a record, pre-owned prices hit 2025 high . Financial Post. https://financialpost.com/transportation/autos/pre-owned-ev-prices-hit-2025-high

 

For the first time, DAC has been able to obtain data that not only details the number of used vehicles that flowed into the US in 2024 but also what those vehicles were by brand and vehicle age. The full data profile and brand totals are available in the DesRosiers Used Vehicle Report. Given that the great majority of these vehicles originate in Canada the implications of this flow for both the new and used vehicle markets in Canada are significant. A change in the scale and ratio of vehicles flowing between the two countries impacts the supply of used vehicles within Canada, in turn influencing pricing and sales volumes.

From a model year perspective, the flow of used vehicle imports into the USA for 2024 was heavily weighted toward younger vehicles, with 40.1% landing at 0-2 years old. A further 34.7% were 3-5 years old, dropping significantly for subsequent age groups. The used vehicle imports were also heavily biased towards specific vehicle brands and particular segments – off-lease product, luxury vehicles, and pick-ups were all overweighted in the distribution.

Andrew King, Managing Partner at DAC commented “In recent years, hundreds of thousands of young Canadian used vehicles have been flowing to the US each year.” He continued “The unclear nature and application of the tariffs introduced by the US administration has thoroughly muddied the waters on what future patterns will be and on the consequences for the Canadian market.” In this light, the brand level data that is now available is critical for vehicle companies to understand the implications on their Canadian new and used operations.

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. (2024). [Email newsletter on U.S. used-vehicle imports]. DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.

Canada’s used wholesale vehicle market posted another week of modest declines, with prices dropping -0.26 per cent for the week ending October 25 — similar to the prior week, according to Canadian Black Book. Cars fell -0.21 per cent, also similar to the previous report. And trucks and SUVs were down -0.30 per cent, which is slightly steeper than the prior week’s -0.26%.

 

At auction, sales rates fluctuated between 10% and 72.8%, averaging 29%, as buyers remained selective and sellers held firm on floor prices. Supply has normalized, but upstream channels continue to absorb much of the available inventory.

Retail listings showed mild softening, with the average used vehicle price sitting at $37,360, based on roughly 220,000 listings nationwide.

CBB also provided an economic snapshot, showing employment rose by 60,400 jobs (+0.3%), reversing the previous month’s losses. Retail sales are projected to dip 0.7% month-over-month. 

 

 

vehicle segment saw price gains. The largest declines came from full-size cars (-0.91%) and full-size crossovers/SUVs (-0.69%). Despite the decline, the rate of depreciation remains below the historical 2017-2019 average. (When comparing figures to the U.S. market, depreciation in the states accelerated: wholesale values for 2-8-year-old vehicles dropped 0.84%. CBB said it’s the sharpest decline since late 2023.)

At auction, sales rates fluctuated between 10% and 72.8%, averaging 29%, as buyers remained selective and sellers held firm on floor prices. Supply has normalized, but upstream channels continue to absorb much of the available inventory.

Retail listings showed mild softening, with the average used vehicle price sitting at $37,360, based on roughly 220,000 listings nationwide.

CBB also provided an economic snapshot, showing employment rose by 60,400 jobs (+0.3%), reversing the previous month’s losses. Retail sales are projected to dip 0.7% month-over-month. 

In other news, Trump said he would end trade negotiations with Canada over a disputed Ontario ad on tariffs. Stellantis and GM’s plans to shift some vehicle production from Canada to the U.S. is being met with signals from Ottawa to reduce tariff-free import limits.

Trevor Longley, formerly of Nissan Canada, was appointed president of Stellantis Canada as Jeff Hines transitions to a new U.S. fleet role. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced Canada now views China as a “strategic partner” amid tariff reviews on Chinese EVs.

 

Canadian Auto Dealer, Phillips, T., Phillips, T., dealer, C. auto, & Canadian Auto Dealer. (2025, November 5). Wholesale prices slide again as used market softens. Canadian Auto Dealer. https://canadianautodealer.ca/2025/11/wholesale-prices-slide-again-as-used-market-softens/