DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says Canadian vehicles sales remained down in June, but are starting to show signs of a rebound from COVID-19.

The consultancy company says new light vehicle sales were down by about 16 per cent in June from a year earlier with an estimated 155,439 units sold.

DesRosiers says such numbers would usually indicate paltry performance under normal circumstances, but during the pandemic are considered a significant improvement compared to the 74.6 per cent decrease experienced in April and 44 per cent drop in May.

DesRosiers says June saw the first release of some of the pent-up demand for vehicles because many consumers headed back to workplaces and social spaces that put them on the road again.

Total first half sales reached 643,604 units sold during June, down 34.3 per cent from the previous year.

Passenger car sales hit 135,679, but light truck sales totalled 507,925 units, about 79 per cent of total sales.