The Canadian used truck market was different in several interesting ways compared to the United States in 2023, based on data compiled by Price Digests, sister company of Trucks, Parts, Service.
On a pure sales basis, the Freightliner Cascadia was the highest volume truck in Canada last year just like it was in the U.S. But while Freightliner’s market coverage was unchallenged in the states, Freightliner as a brand actually finished second in total sales in Canada in 2023.
International, thanks to the continued strength of its LT625 and an impressive number of sales of ProStar and 7600 tractors, actually outpaced Freightliner by 197 total sales in Canada last year, based on Price Digests' sales data. The Cascadia was the highest volume single truck model, moving 189 more units than the second-place Volvo VNL, but International’s strong showing across the county with multiple models earned it the country’s overall top spot.
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Regionally, International’s success was most pronounced in Canada’s Great Plains, while Freightliner was dominant in Ontario and topped other provinces in the eastern half of the country.
International’s LT625 was 2023’s most sold Class 8 used truck in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and was second in Quebec. Conversely, more than half of the Cascadia’s sold in Canada in 2023, per Price Digests, were sold in Ontario, where Freightliner finished well ahead of Volvo’s VNL and the LT625.
The VNL’s second place finish nationwide was earned by steady performances across the country. The VNL was the top-selling unit in just one province (British Columbia) but finished in the top three in five of 10 provinces where Price Digests recorded sales.
The VNL also was third in Quebec, the most competitive province by volume. The Cascadia won the province by three units over the LT625 and was just six ahead of the VNL.
Another notable discrepancy between Canadian and U.S. used truck sales was Kenworth’s T680. Kenworth’s flagship on-highway tractor was third in total sales volume in the U.S. last year but finished just ninth in Canada. Kenworth’s T800, however, was stronger on a national level in Canada, finishing fifth in total sales and first in Alberta.
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Other trucks with provincial wins were the International 7600 (Prince Edward Island) and Freightliner M2 106 (Newfoundland and Labrador).
Shifting to price, Paccar’s brands again remained supreme.
Though more than half of the sales recorded by Price Digests were units exported into the U.S., for sales that remained within Canada, the Kenworth T800 led the market. Among the five best-selling truck models by volume, the T800 averaged $76,026 CAD, more than $10,000 more than the LT625.
Additionally, while Peterbilt did not place a truck model into the top ten by volume, its 369 averaged $94,126 CAD, the best average in among the top 15.
This article is Part III in our three-part Price Digests used truck insights series regarding 2023 sales. Part I is available here. Part II is available here.
