DETROIT – Toyota and Honda's U.S. sales fell more than their U.S. competitors' in December, with Toyota's 37 percent decline and Honda's 35 percent drop showing the Japanese company's popular fuel-efficient models were little help as consumers steered clear of showrooms due to the dismal economy.
Toyota's 2008 sales fell 16 percent to 2.22 million, compared with Ford's 1.98 million. Detroit-based GM's 2008 sales totaled 2.95 million, down 23 percent from the year before. Honda Motor Co.'s 2008 sales fell 8.2 percent.
Analysts expected auto sales industrywide to drop up to 40 percent in December as consumers remain uncertain about the economy and their jobs.
The auto Web site Edmunds.com predicted sales for the full year will total just over 13 million, down 18 percent from 2007 and the lowest level since 1992.
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