Aug. 1 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. auto sales tumbled 13 percent in July, pushing the industry toward its worst year since 1993, as General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. posted declines on lower demand for fuel-thirsty trucks.

Nissan Motor Co. was the only major automaker with a gain, reporting an 8.5 percent increase from a year earlier. Sales of cars and light trucks fell 29 percent at Chrysler LLC, 26 percent at GM, 15 percent at Ford, 12 percent at Toyota and 1.6 percent at Honda Motor Co., the companies said today.

GM, Ford and Chrysler rely more on trucks than Asia-based competitors such as Honda and Nissan, and have led a nine-month industry sales slide. Automakers have been unable to meet demand for fuel-efficient cars as $4-a-gallon gasoline and a 1.9 percent second-quarter economic growth rate pinched consumers.

``The numbers I've seen look pretty bad,'' George Magliano, an auto analyst for Global Insight Inc. in New York, said in an interview. ``There is something more going on here than just the economy. I think the high gas prices are changing consumers' mindset about buying cars and they are just staying away.''

The U.S. unemployment rate rose to the highest level in four years in July, the Labor Department said today. The second- quarter growth for the economy announced yesterday was less than the 2.3 percent median projection in a Bloomberg survey.

Industry sales in July fell to 1.14 million cars and light trucks, according to Autodata Corp. of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Asian automakers' market share reached a record 49 percent, while the three U.S. companies held 42.7 percent.

Lowest Rate Since 1993

The industry's annualized selling rate for July was 12.6 million vehicles, the lowest since April 1992, according to Autodata. Full-year sales in 2007 were 16.1 million.

Deutsche Bank said July 23 that full-year auto sales may fall to 14 million this year, the lowest in 15 years. First-half U.S. sales tumbled 10 percent to 7.41 million.

``We expect the second half of 2008 will be more challenging than the first half as economic and credit conditions worsen,'' Ford sales chief Jim Farley said in the statement today.

GM, the largest U.S. automaker, said in a statement that July sales of cars and light trucks fell to 233,340 from 315,870 a year earlier. The Detroit-based company's sales of light trucks, which include pickups, sport-utility vehicles and van, plunged 35 percent.

``Obviously, the weakness in the truck market persisted,'' said Mark LaNeve, GM's North American sales chief. The company today also reported a $15.5 billion second-quarter net loss.

GM said it was extending through mid-August an incentive program that lets workers give their discount to friends. It had been set to end yesterday.

Ford

Ford, based in Dearborn, Michigan, said it sold 161,530 cars and trucks in July, down from 189,920 a year earlier. Its sales of light trucks for domestic brands slid 22 percent.

The second-largest U.S. automaker's results included declines of 21 percent for F-Series pickups and 52 percent for Explorer SUVs. The Focus small car gained 16 percent. The company has been operating a Wayne, Michigan, plant on overtime to boost supply of the cars.

Ford is shutting down F-150 plants in Dearborn and in Kansas City, Missouri, for most of the third quarter to pare dealer inventories of the large pickups, company sales analyst George Pipas said on a conference call.

Chrysler said its sales fell to 98,109 from 137,728, as demand for its sport-utility vehicles dwindled. Sales of its Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV plunged 48 percent. The Auburn Hills, Michigan-based company announced new six-year loan and cash rebate incentives today to encourage vehicle sales after it stopped providing leasing through its finance arm.

Toyota

Toyota, second in U.S. auto sales this year behind GM, said it sold 197,424 vehicles, a decline from 224,058. Sales of the Toyota City, Japan-based company's light trucks tumbled 27 percent, including a 42 percent drop for the Tundra large pickup.

The company sold 8 percent fewer of its Prius gasoline- electric sedans, as it strains to meet demand for the fuel- efficient cars. The total decline adjusted for sales days was 19 percent, Toyota said in a statement.

Honda, the only major automaker to increase sales this year, said sales fell to 138,744 from 141,048 a year earlier. It sold 22 percent fewer light trucks, with declines of 43 percent each for the Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup. Sales of the Fit subcompact increased 93 percent.

The Tokyo-based company said its total adjusted for sales days dropped 9.2 percent.

Nissan

Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker and No. 6 in the U.S., sold 95,319 vehicles last month, spokesman Fred Standish said in an interview today. The increase adjusted for sales days was 0.1 percent, he said.

Sales rose 16 percent for Nissan's Sentra small cars and 14 percent for its Versa subcompacts. The automaker increased truck sales 18 percent, helped by the new Rogue crossover SUV and a 24 percent gain for its Frontier small pickup.

This year's 28 percent rise in the average gasoline price left automakers unprepared for the shift in demand to cars, analysts have said. GM's LaNeve said a short supply of Chevrolet Cobalt small cars hurt the automaker's sales.

While unsold trucks pile up on dealer lots, the industry had a 44-day supply of cars on July 1, below the 60 days that analysts consider typical, according to Automotive News magazine.

GM fell 84 cents, or 7.6 percent, at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, while Ford's declined 15 cents to $4.65. Toyota's American depositary receipts dropped 97 cents to $85.08 and Honda's slid 6 cents to $31.93. Nissan's fell 91 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $14.40 after its quarterly income declined 43 percent.

To contact the reporters on this story: Mike Ramsey in Southfield, Michigan at mramsey6@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 1, 2008 17:21 EDT