DETROIT (AP) — GM and Ford have been losing ground to Japanese automakers -- which are making a strong comeback from last year's earthquake.
GM says its July sales are down 6 percent from a year earlier, while Ford's sales slipped 4 percent.
By contrast, Honda saw a 45-percent jump, while Toyota posted a 26-percent gain.
Chrysler fared better than its American rivals, notching its best July in five years. The 13-percent increase in sales was led by strong demand for the Ram pickup and the Chrysler 200 sedan.
In the first half of this year, sales of new cars and trucks ran at an annual pace of just over 14 million -- the industry's best performance in five years -- as buyers snapped up everything from small cars to pickups. The only setback came in May, when sales slowed as the stock market dropped.
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APPHOTO NY118: FILE - This Feb. 16, 2012 photo shows Chrysler logo on the Chrysler exhibit at the 2012 Pittsburgh Auto Show. Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose 13 percent in July on strong demand for the Chrysler 200 sedan and other models. Chrysler says it sold more than 126,000 new cars and trucks last month, the company's best July in five years. Sales of its best-selling Ram pickup rose 17 percent as home building increased. Sales of the 200 rose 43 percent. The company's sales increase was slightly above expectations for overall industry growth of about 11 percent. Car companies report U.S. sales throughout the day on Wednesday.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (16 Feb 2012)
<<APPHOTO NY118 (02/16/12)>>
APPHOTO NYBZ252: This June 25, 2012 photo shows cars parked at the Toyota auto terminal at the Port of Portland, in Portland, Ore. Chrysler, Volkswagen and Nissan all reported double-digit growth for July, and analysts predicted strong sales from Honda and Toyota would lead to overall industry growth of 11 percent. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (25 Jun 2012)
<<APPHOTO NYBZ252 (06/25/12)>>
