OTTAWA — New motor vehicle sales fell seven per cent in November to 129,044, the largest monthly decline since August 2005.

Statistics Canada attributes most of the decrease to lower sales of passenger cars.

The agency reports preliminary industry data indicate the number of new motor vehicles sold fell by about 15 per cent in December.

Sales of passenger cars declined 9.6 per cent to 64,887 units in November.

The largest contribution to this drop was a 13.2 per cent decline in the sales of North American-built passenger cars, which reached their lowest level since September 1993.

Overseas-built passenger car sales dropped 3.2 per cent, continuing the downward trend started in March 2008.

Sales of new trucks (minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses) decreased 4.3 per cent to 64,157 units in November.

New motor vehicle sales were down in nine provinces in November. Quebec and Ontario were the largest contributors to the decline in sales at the national level.

Prince Edward Island recorded a small increase in the number of new motor vehicles sold.