The Covid-19 pandemic has caused much of the world we were used to, to change. Once upon a time, you had to physically shop for used cars and visit dealerships, but at FFUN Cars, you can still weigh your options and strike a good bargain online. We have lined up a host of options for you at our FFUN Cars dealerships in Saskatchewan. One of the major advantages of buying used vehicles, specifically through our online process, is you can take your pick right off the shelf – there is no waiting period at all. Moreover, the price is much less than the new vehicles. So why not consider some of the best makes and models on the market to find the right vehicle for you?
Here are some makes to consider:
Kia
In Canada, the market share of Kia shot up by nearly half a percentage point, year-over-year, in early 2019. Due to the brand’s consistent rate of growth, 2019 ended as Kia’s highest-volume year in the company’s 20-year history. Improvements from the brand’s top-selling utility vehicle, the Sorento, and the top-selling car, the Forte, have been integral to the company’s success this year. The combination has yielded more than 1,000 sales to date.
Jeep
In early 2018, Jeep started selling its new Wrangler at unheard-of levels, which set a new standard that was simply not going to be repeatable a year later. Wrangler volumes came down 39% in 2019, but the iconic off-roader along with Patriot models are still the brand’s top seller, by far, and accounts for nearly four out of every ten Jeep sales. The sales figures of Cherokee, Compass, and Renegade are decent but have fallen sharply too.
The Canada-exclusive North Edition of the Jeep Patriot comes standard with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission. It can be optioned to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with a five-speed manual, CVT, or six-speed automatic transmission. The North Edition adds air conditioning, power heated mirrors, fog lights, tinted glass, power locks, a 115-volt power outlet, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a 60/40 split-folding and reclining second-row seat, and power windows with driver’s auto-down. The nine-speaker Boston Acoustics stereo is worth a mention, which includes flip-down speakers in the cargo area – a neat feature for camping or tailgating. The Patriot can handle muddy trails and deep snow when paired with the Freedom Drive II package, but it isn’t really cut out for serious off-road driving. This package adds all-terrain tires, skid plates, a low-range crawl ratio, and an extra inch of ground clearance (for a total of 9.1 inches).
GMC
As a truck-focused brand, GMC was boosted by a post-recession market that saw a huge demand for trucks. But since pickup truck sales go down, so does GMC. Even with a new Sierra, sales of GMC pickup trucks plummeted 9% in 2019. What made matters even worse is the declines faced by other GMC models. The Acadia, Savana, Yukon, and Yukon XL join the Canyon and Sierra on the negative side of the ledger.
GMC Sierra saw sales fall by the same 3.3 percent as the Silverado and managed to just barely stay ahead of its sales sibling. Despite that, it fell two places down the list, from fourth last year. Put the two together, since they are largely the same truck, and the GM twins would take second place on the list. Surprisingly, they would still be eclipsed by the best-sellers in the country.
Ram
An all-new 1500 version as well as the HD versions, combined with continuing to sell the old truck with a host of special-edition trims and attractive pricing, seems to have done the Ram line well, so its sales figures are on the up and up.
Hyundai
Hyundai’s passenger car volume has continued to decline at a sharp rate – Accent, Elantra, and Sonata combined lost a fifth of their volume in quarter one. Although it isn’t all bad news, as the brand’s crossover lineup is flourishing The Tucson has picked up steam, the new Santa Fe has provided a big boost, and the small Kona is likely to soon become the brand’s seller. The Kona was launched back in 2018 and now accounts for almost a quarter of Hyundai’s Canadian volume.
After coming shockingly close to eclipsing some of its best-selling rivals, just a few years back, Elantra, Hyundai’s compact sedan has slowly been left by the sales wayside as the third best-selling car in Canada. Holding the same place as last year, Hyundai offers a great deal of value and features, but its latest facelift, plus the automaker’s new Kona and Venue crossovers, are likely putting a strain on sales of this sedan.
Nissan
Nissan’s increasingly popular small crossovers simply don’t generate the kind of appeal necessary to cancel out such sharp declines elsewhere in the lineup, which is why sales have plunged down 30% so far this year. Qashqai and Kick's volume is rising; the duo accounted for 27% of Nissan sales in March 2019. Micra has done well too!
The Nissan Micra accommodates 4 adults in a spacious cabin with soft and comfy seats. Storage spots are sufficient with door bins and cupholders. If you are looking for an automatic transmission (4-speeder), the price goes up a bit. The auto box includes A/C and cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls. On the other hand, the 5-speed manual SV comes with power windows, door locks, two extra speakers, a driver’s seat armrest, and air conditioning. If you want to take it up a notch, opt for a fancy SR with its flashy 16-inch wheels, fog lights, and rear spoiler.
Chevrolet
Compared with 2018’s first three months, sales of seven Chevrolet passenger cars are lower now than they were a year ago, including a 39% Camaro drop, a 48% Malibu decrease, and predictable plunges from disappearing models such as the Cruze and Sonic. But Chevrolet pickup truck sales are falling, as well, and even utility vehicles such as the Equinox, Suburban, Tahoe, and Trax are in decline.
If you are looking for a subcompact car, then the Chevrolet Sonic is a remarkable choice. Despite its small size, it can comfortably fit four adults or carry a good amount of cargo. Cool features like an infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a Wi-Fi hotspot further enhance the Sonic’s interior appeal. This year, the car’s front-end styling was refreshed, so the exterior looked sportier. New optional features for this model year include rear parking sensors and a heated steering wheel. The base engine is an 8-litre four-cylinder that puts out 138 horsepower. For typical commutes, the ride is fairly decent, but it is best to opt for the available turbocharged engine for highway driving as it has faster acceleration. The agile handling and quick steering are perfect for a drive on city streets and winding roads. The Sonic models have a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and an armrest, which are both rare standard items for the class.
Chevrolet Cruze is an excellent choice for shoppers in the market for a used compact car as it rides smoothly over rough terrain and is available with fuel-efficient gas and diesel engines. Shoppers tend to gravitate towards the 1LT trim as it has a peppier turbocharged engine, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, and alloy wheels. Apart from that, it has all the features available in the base model such as Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, OnStar telematics, a satellite radio, a CD player, six speakers, power windows and doors, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, and cloth seats. Safety features include a rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Honda
Almost exactly matching 2018’s first-quarter pace, Honda is powering forward on the strength of two hugely popular models: the Civic and CR-V. The CR-V currently ranks as Canada’s top-selling SUV/crossover. In 2018, the sales figures for Honda CR-V shot up by 10%, and it continues to rise steadily this year. Finally, after years of encroaching numbers, the Civic has fallen to a crossover. Still, the best-selling car in the country by a large margin, marking its 22nd year in that position, the Civic fell heavily in 2019, down close to 10,000 units from the year before
Toyota
Like Chevrolet, GMC, and Ram, Toyota’s truck sales have certainly seen better days. Unlike those brands, Toyota’s diversified lineup has resulted in a modest passenger car increase in 2019, bucking the industry-wide trend. The launch of a new RAV4 has helped Toyota’s best-selling model to a 13% uptick.
The Toyota Corolla is a good used compact car with decent fuel economy estimates, lovely interiors, and a myriad of standard advanced safety features. It was this very year that the Corolla was refurbished – it included interior and exterior styling updates, a consistently variable automatic transmission, Toyota’s Safety Sense-P suite of safety features, and a rear view camera. All trims have the Safety Sense package as mentioned above, which comes with pedestrian detection, pre-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. That is why it has received high safety ratings in rollover tests and side & frontal crash tests. You also get Bluetooth, a USB port, six-speaker audio system, 6.1-inch touchscreen display, Siri Eyes Free, and multi-information display, along with automatic climate control. The vehicle comes with a standard front-wheel drive, continuously variable automatic transmission, and a 132-horsepower four-cylinder engine. A six-speed manual transmission is available as well. The power of the Corolla is sufficient for daily commutes. The interiors are comfortable with cozy front seats and rear seats with excellent legroom. Available upgrades include leatherette upholstery, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.
Ford
Ford has reported big increases with certain models: Fiesta, Fusion, and Taurus. Together with an increase from the F-Series Ford F-150 truck lineup, which accounts for half the brand’s volume, and improvements reported by the Ford Escape, EcoSport, Edge, Flex, and Transit vans, Ford sales have risen 2% in 2019. Ford’s share of the Canadian market is now nudging up against the 15% mark.
With a comfortable cabin and great performance, the Ford Focus is definitely worthy of your attention. Ford refreshed the Focus some years back, with a new front grille and updates to the car’s climate and stereo controls. Other updates include a 123-horsepower three-cylinder engine with better fuel economy and a rear-view camera joining the standard features list. It comes with a wide array of features in the lineup that includes a moonroof, automatic climate control, heated seats, and several advanced safety features. It has maintained good crash test scores and comes with a rear-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist. It has a standard 160-horsepower four-cylinder engine, which is paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 123-horsepower turbocharged three-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission is available. The driving experience is amazing, with responsive steering and a strong braking system.
How to Buy a Used Car from the Privacy and Safety of Your Home?
We have developed a special program to help you purchase a used car during the COVID-19 pandemic by following the necessary healthcare guidelines. We have well-known brands at our dealerships such as Ford, Hyundai, Dodge, Chevrolet, Nissan, Volkswagen, Wrangler, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, and many more. For more queries about car specs, VIN numbers, etc. feel free to reach out to us via phone or email – we are happy to help you choose the ideal used car.
All you need to do is select the minivan, SUV, hatchback, or truck of your choice from the inventory. Reach us via phone or email, so we can connect you to our product specialists to begin a virtual walk-around of the vehicle. If everything works out, the vehicle is delivered to your doorstep. You can even do a 24-hour test drive absolutely free of cost. You can opt for a trade-in as well – a product specialist comes to your home for a complimentary appraisal after you send us some photos. Once you give us the green light, we draw up the paperwork, and the car is yours!
FFUN Cars offers a flexible payment plan too. What more could you want? So come visit us today in Saskatoon, Regina, or online anywhere in Canada.
