Car sales in 2012 off to a good start

2012 is already looking like a winner for automakers -- just one month into the year.

U.S. sales of new cars and trucks rose 11 percent to 913,287 in January.

New models, low interest rates and better loan availability helped buyers overcome lingering worries about the economy and pushed the sales pace to its highest level since the Cash for Clunkers recycling program in August 2009.

Chrysler had its best January in four years. Toyota and Honda were back in the game, getting boosts from important new vehicles. Volkswagen, which wants to aggressively expand in the United States, reported big increases.

The only loser among the major automakers was General Motors Co., whose sales fell 6 percent from a strong January last year.

"For the first time in several years, we are starting the year off with a warm and fuzzy feeling," said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends for TrueCar.com.

January's sales pace was even faster than December's, a relief for the industry after a bumpy 2011. Sales started at a healthy pace last year but plummeted after the Japanese earthquake in March caused car shortages and didn't recover until the final four months of 2011.

If sales stay at the same pace as this January, they would reach 14.2 million, up from 12.8 million in 2011, according to Autodata Corp. While that's below the 2000 peak of 17.3 million, it's better than the 10.4 million trough in 2009.

One reason car sales are improving is that buyers need to replace aging vehicles. The average age of a vehicle in the United States is a record 10.8 years, nearly two years older than a decade ago.

Chrysler's January sales jumped 44 percent, led by a surge in demand for its revamped 200 and 300 sedans. Chrysler sold 7,007 of the 200s last month, more than eight times the number a year earlier. Sales of the 300 almost quadrupled. Chrysler also reported its first full-year net income since 1997, helped by its revamped lineup.

Toyota Motor Corp.'s sales rose 7.5 percent on strong demand for the new Camry, which went on sale in October. Camry sales rose 56 percent in January and the sedan remained America's best-selling car, a distinction it has held for nearly 15 years. Sales of the Prius hybrid rose 9 percent.

Ford Motor Co.'s sales rose 7 percent.

Honda sales were up 9 percent on the strength of the new Civic small car.

GM car sales rose 13 percent thanks to the new Chevrolet Sonic subcompact. But demand for its trucks and crossovers fell. GM also compared unfavorably to last January because its 2011 sales were inflated by rebates and other deals.