January 2026 Canadian vehicle sales reached an estimated 114,000 units, a 2.9% year-over-year decline from the record-setting January 2025, which matched 2018 as the strongest January on record. Despite the decrease and severe winter weather across much of Canada, sales remained healthy with a SAAR of 2.08 million, outperforming every quarter in the second half of last year.

January is typically the smallest and least predictive sales month, and 2026 followed that pattern with significant volatility across manufacturers, ranging from double-digit gains to double-digit declines. Overall, performance exceeded expectations given economic uncertainty and weather challenges, with clearer market direction expected as the industry moves into the higher-volume spring selling season.