The Washington Post - U.S. auto sales hit the skids in May, dropping 3.7 percent from a year earlier — a serious setback for the industry as supply shortages and gas prices took their toll.
The steepest declines were at Toyota (off 33 percent), Honda (23 percent) and Nissan (9.1 percent), all of which ran short of models because of parts shortages caused by the March earthquake in Japan.
U.S. auto sales hit the skids in May, dropping 3.7 percent from a year earlier — a serious setback for the industry as supply shortages and gas prices took their toll.
The steepest declines were at Toyota (off 33 percent), Honda (23 percent) and Nissan (9.1 percent), all of which ran short of models because of parts shortages caused by the March earthquake in Japan.
Chrysler was the one bright spot, posting a 10.1 percent gain in sales.
South Korea's Hyundai sped ahead of the pack — posting a 21 percent increase in sales — with fuel-efficient cars at attractive prices, and deliveries jumped 53 percent for its affiliate Kia Motors.
