TORONTO and STAMFORD, Conn. -

The ADESA Canada Used Vehicle Price Index was recently updated through February, reflecting a 0.1-percent month-over-month rise in wholesale prices.

ADESA's data — powered by ALG Canada — indicates the index climbed  “slightly after being adjusted for seasonality.”

And price movements were “mixed” across the segments this past month.

Interestingly, minivans, one of the most popular segments in Canada, declined in price by 7.2 percent ($689), “reversing approximately half of the increase from January,” officials said.

For midsize cars and midsize SUV’s, prices were “essentially unchanged” this past month, with price declines of $25 and $5, respectively, the report accompanying the index indicated. Mid-compact cars rose 2.1 percent ($158) while compact SUV’s increased 2.7 percent ($349).

Fullsize pickups were up considerably, rising by 5.5 percent ($995), not surprisingly, due to seasonality and winter weather

Offering a little forward looking commentary, RVI analysts provided a few predictions for where used prices may be headed in their latest RVI Risk Outlook newsletter.

The company explained that use-car prices (seasonally adjusted; two to five-year-old vehicles) are expected to soften starting in 2015.

This downward pressure is expected to come with loosening used supply.

“Our used vehicle stock index will remain somewhat flat through 2014 on a year-over-year basis, but then show stronger increases through 2018,” RVI analysts said.

Not surprisingly, though expected to remain flat in 2013,  “used-car prices will begin to soften in 2015 due to increasing new car competition and higher used vehicle supply, along with higher gas prices,” RVI concluded.

Sarah Rubenoff can be reached at srubenoff@autoremarketing.com. Continue the conversation with Auto Remarketing Canada on LinkedIn and Twitter.