Sales fall for GM and Ford, rise for Toyota and Honda
GAS PRICES STILL A KEY FOR BUYERS
WASHINGTON — Gas prices have fallen in recent weeks, but U.S. consumers are still avoiding big sport- utility vehicles in favor of passenger cars, forcing domestic automakers to slow truck production.
Sales of all new vehicles in the United States were off 2.8 percent in November, compared with November 2004, with Detroit automakers bearing the brunt of the industry slowdown, according to Autodata. Meanwhile, U.S. sales by Toyota Motor and Honda Motor continued to surge.
At General Motors, the world’s largest automaker, sales were down 7.6 percent. The slump coincided with the company’s announcement last month that it would cut 30,000 jobs by 2008 and close several plants. GM sales have lagged since it ended ‘‘ employee pricing’’ discounts in September.
Ford Motor, the No. 2 automaker, said sales fell 15 percent. In response, GM and Ford announced Thursday that they will make fewer trucks in coming months while boosting car output. Ford said it will increase first- quarter car production by 21 percent from a year earlier.
U.S. sales of DaimlerChrysler products were down 2.7 percent last month.
Industrywide, passenger cars gained market share from light trucks in November. Toyota’s U.S. sales rose 13 percent, and Honda reported an 8 percent increase. Nissan Motor trailed its larger Japanese rivals in the United States; sales fell 4 percent.
The sales spiral of the Ford Explorer demonstrates consumers’ shifting tastes. Once one of the nation’s most popular vehicle of any type, Ford sold fewer than 12,000 Explorers last month, 52 percent less than in November 2004.
At the height of the SUV boom in 2002, Ford routinely sold 25,000 to 40,000 Explorers a month.
Ford is looking to offset the weakness in trucks with more sales of passenger cars, including the Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr.
GM also felt the SUV crunch. In November, sales of the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade dropped 46 percent and 48 percent, respectively, from November 2004.
Analysts have blamed slumping SUV demand in part for the automakers’ deteriorating financial condition. The automakers blame high labor costs, including health care costs and payments for pensions, and inflexible union rules.
U.S. consumers remain skittish about buying SUVs after the fuel-price volatility during this year’s hurricane season, said Robert Schnorbus, chief economist at J. D. Power and Associates. ‘‘ Even though prices are down from their peaks, I think there is still a big concern or big issue in buyers’ minds,’’ he said.