03.31.2026

Market Insights – 3/31/26

Wholesale Prices, Week Ending March 28th,2026

The Canadian used wholesale market saw a decline of -0.11% in pricing for the week. Car segments prices decreased by –0.24% while the Truck/SUV segments stayed flat by +0.00% overall. Full-Size Pickup segment saw the biggest increase of +0.30%. The largest declines in the Car segments were seen in Sub-Compact Car at -1.61% and Prestige Sporty Car with -0.78%. The largest declines in the Truck/SUV segments were Compact Luxury Crossover/SUV with -0.36% followed by Sub-Compact Luxury Crossover/SUV at -0.24%.

Car Segments

• There was an overall depreciation of -0.24% seen in car segment last week.
• The most significant declines were recorded in the Sub-Compact Car segment (-1.61%), followed by Prestige Luxury Cars (-0.78%) and Compact Cars (-0.55%).
• One segment moved in the opposite direction, with Sporty Cars posting an increase of 0.18%.

Truck / SUV Segments

• Last week, truck values remained essentially unchanged overall, holding steady at 0.00%.
• The strongest depreciations were noted in Compact Luxury Crossover/SUV (-0.36%), followed by Compact Van (-0.27%) and Sub-Compact Luxury Crossover (-0.24%).
• Five categories posted gains, led by Full-Size Pickup (+0.30%) and Full-Size Crossover/SUV (+0.27%) as the strongest performers.

Wholesale

The downward trend in the Canadian market continues, with a steeper decline compared to last week. Truck segment values experienced a minor 0.02% shift, resulting in a net change of 0.00%. Car segment values declined by 0.05%, resulting in a cumulative decrease of –0.24%. Just over 18% of market segments saw average value movements greater than ±$100. Auction sale rates across watched lanes ranged from 19.3% to 42.7%, resulting in a 31.1% average. Sales rates across auction lanes continue to fluctuate, driven by political factors and sellers supporting firm floor prices. Auction inventory has returned to normal levels, experiencing a small uptick, however upstream channels continue to hold priority sale access to inventory. Buyer demand for high-quality vehicles at auctions on both sides of the border persists.

Used Retail Prices & Listing Volume

The average listing price for used vehicles is slightly decreasing, as the 14-day moving average was at $37,300. This analysis is based on approximately 193,000 used vehicles listed for sale on Canadian dealer lots.

Market Insights

Economics & Government

• In an effort to boost the housing market, the Ontario government announced that
  it will exempt the purchase of new homes from paying the HST for one year
  beginning April 1.
• Canada is expected to finalize a Free Trade agreement with the Mercosur block
  of South American countries later this year. Mercosur countries include Brazil,
  Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
• The yield on Canadian 10-year government bonds have increased slightly to
  3.32%.
• The Canadian dollar is around $0.725 this Monday morning, a decrease from
  $0.729 a week prior.

U.S. Market

• Auction markets remained stable last week, with conversion holding at 65% and price gains moderating to +0.34% from +0.60% the week prior. Buyer demand was steady but selective, with strength concentrated in trucks, SUVs, and value-oriented segments, while newer inventory faced increased scrutiny. Overall, the market continues to show resilience, though buyers remain disciplined and price sensitive.

Industry News

• The 2026 New York Auto Show is coming up, and many brands will be releasing brand new models for the first time internationally. Kia will show the next generation Seltos, Stellantis brings its refreshed Pacifica minivan, and Subaru will bring its largest EV crossover to the show, similar in size to the new Toyota Highlander EV. Also, VW will bring its next generation Atlas and Nissan will show a manual version of its Nismo Z sportscar.
• Hyundai has announced it will launch 36 new vehicles by 2030, with 80% of its supply of U.S. sold vehicles built there domestically. It looks to become a full-line manufacturer that improves on its estimated 60% U.S. domestic assembly today.
• Many questions surround the viability of the Chrysler brand in today’s market. Scott Krugger, Head of North American design for the brand has said there are big plans for Chrysler that are still behind the scenes. Positioning the brand behind a central theme for its next generation of models to be a take on “modern simplicity” and “beautiful design”. Currently Chrysler sells one model in North America, the Pacifica minivan.
• Concerns are building in the industry for Captive Finance arms of OEM’s, who fund thousands of auto loans. With many EV leases maturing from 2022, these organizations look to mitigate losses from these models and resell them through dealer partners and wholesale auctions. Efforts to certify EV batteries are front and centre in ensuring higher retained value in the open market and differentiating the offering to consumers looking for the best deal on a used vehicle.
• U.S. new car sales are expected to fall against last year. With elevated prices, tariffs pulling ahead many consumers to buy in early 2025, and the Iran conflict concerning most shoppers, many are staying home. Sales are forecast to fall 6.5% in Q1 with March deliveries to decrease 15%.
• Chevrolet has brought back the Grand Sport monicker for the C8 Corvette, offering a new 6.7L V8 engine making 535hp which will also add hybrid, all-wheel-drive power taking over from the current E-Ray.