CARY, N.C. -

In addition to string of record sales at Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. reported here previously, more automakers shared signs of an improving certified pre-owned market in Canada.

At Subaru Canada, sales are down slightly year-to-date, but the program saw a major boost in July.

With 560 sales last month, certified was up 47.4% year-over-year for Subaru.

Year-to-date, it has sold 2,277 CPO units, down 1.6% from the first seven months of 2019.

Conditions have improved for the certified programs at Nissan and Infiniti following steep drops in the spring.

In July, Nissan sold 1,314 CPO units, which is even with year-ago figures. Year-to-date, sales are down 30% with 6,259 vehicles sold.

Infiniti moved 181 certified vehicles last month, down from 191 in July 2019. Year-to-date sales are at 898, a 22% decline.

“CPO (sales) are definitely on a recovery trend for both brands,” said Joel Gregory, who heads up CPO for Nissan and Infiniti in Canada, via email.

“Compared to last year, Nissan CPO sales were down 90% in April, 60% in May, 20% June and now July sales have finally caught up to the level last year,” he said. “For our Infiniti brand, CPO sales caught up to last year’s pace faster. By June 2020 Infiniti monthly sales had surpassed last June by 10%.” 

Auto Remarketing Canada reported Tuesday that Hyundai has now had two straight months of record-high CPO sales.

Its dealers moved 1,366 CPO vehicles during July, said CPO and remarketing manager Charles Plewes via email, kicking off a strong start to the second half of the year.

“July was another great month for Hyundai’s H-Promise CPO program. For the second month in a row we achieved our best sales month ever in the history of the program, even surpassing June,” Plewes said via email. “More dealers than ever are embracing the value in the H-Promise program.”

Hyundai closed the first half by moving 1,246 certified vehicles in June, which was an all-time high.

It was a 26% year-over-year hike and it put the first-half total at 4,964 units. The year-to-date tally for the first half was down 3% from 2019.