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.