TORONTO, Ont. — Canadians may be geographically closer to the United States than anywhere else, but when it comes to preference in automobiles, their taste is more aligned with their commonwealth cousins in the United Kingdom, new data from autoTRADER.ca has found.
According to lists spanning Canada, the US and the UK, in categories such as the Most Popular Vehicles and the Highest Owner-Rated Vehicles, Canadian and UK drivers’ preferences sway more towards smaller to mid-sized, while Americans prefer trucks and full-sized autos.
“Canada is often referred to as the most European country in North America,” says Ian MacDonald, Director of Marketing at autoTRADER.ca. “And the data shows this is true, at least in relation to auto preference.”
Small- and mid-sized vehicles such as the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla crack the Top 5 in Canadian new vehicle sales. In the UK, similar-sized popular models include the Ford Focus and Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf and both the BMW 3- and 1-Series. Although the cars are similar in size, there is a definite preference for Asian brands in Canada versus German and European brands in the UK. In the US, meanwhile, big trucks rule the roost, with the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado taking the top two spots. Toyota’s Camry rounds out the US top three.
Canadians and Americans do have a common bond in Ford trucks, which lead the list of the Most Popular in both countries (specifically the F-150 in Canada and the F-Series generally in the US). Additionally, Ford models such as the Fusion (Canada), Escape (US) and Focus hatchback (UK) rank #1 in each country’s respective list of the Highest Owner-Rated Vehicles. In both Canada and the UK, the Volkswagen and BMW badges were also cited in each’s Top 5, as rated by owners.
“When it comes to Owner Reviews, outside of Ford, European-based makes tend to have better ratings in Canada versus the US, which is perhaps reflective of the population and its sensibilities,” MacDonald says. “Canadians also seems to prefer Japanese makes, while the British lean more towards European ones.”
In a comparison of what makes the list of each country’s Most Expensive cars for resale, Italian supercar-maker Ferrari dominates, with models such as the 458 Spider, Enzo, 599 GTO, and Daytona Spider all cited in lists from each of the three countries.
Canada, however, is the best market in which to get a deal on an exotic set of wheels. According to the data, the least expensive resale luxury car on autoTRADER.ca was priced to sell at C$390,000 (a Bentley Mulsanne), while in the US and UK, buyers will likely have to pay substantially more: US$490,000 for a Lamborghini Aventador and £775,000 for a Bugatti Veyron.
For classic car and older model enthusiasts, a cluster of pre-1930s automobiles are available for resale in both Canada and the US, with models such as the 1919 Ford Model T and 1913 Alco Custom for sale, among others.
Top 5 Highest Rated Cars (by Owners)
Canadian Drivers, via autoTRADER.ca
- Ford Fusion
- Audi A4
- BMW 3-Series
- Acura TL
- Volkswagen Jetta
American Drivers, via AutoTrader.com
- Ford Escape
- Porsche Cayenne
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- GMC Yukon
- Ford Fusion
British Drivers, via AutoTrader.co.uk
- Ford Focus (5-door)
- Volkswagen Golf (5-door)
- Renault Clio (5-door)
- Ford Mondeo (5-door)
- BMW 3-Series
*Data snapshot for new vehicle sales as at June 17th and 18th, 2013 on autoTRADER.ca, AutoTrader.com and AutoTrader.co.uk, based on searches for both new and used vehicles. Data from BestSellingCarsBlog.com also considered.
About TRADER Corporation
TRADER Corporation is a trusted Canadian leader in print and online media, managing automotive consumer marketplaces and publications. The company’s primary online destinations include: autoTRADER.ca™, autoHEBDO.net™, Autos.ca and BuySell.com. autoTRADER.ca offers the largest inventory of new cars and used cars in Canada, available via our website and mobile applications. 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. Autos.ca is the online destination for auto enthusiasts, featuring car news and car reviews from well-known automotive journalists. Follow autoTRADER.ca on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and on YouTube.
