Toyota and Honda, the two best-selling Japanese auto brands in the US, reported weaker sales in the US market in April, in line with overall sluggish market conditions in the country amid rising fuel prices and weakening consumer confidence. In the first four months of the year, the two automakers also reported weaker sales.

Toyota reported a 4.6% decline in US sales to 222,378 vehicles in April, compared with 233,045 units a year earlier, including sales under its upmarket Lexus brand, resulting in a 1.4% decline to 791,798 units in the first four months of the year from 803,314 units in the same period last year. The decline last month was attributed to the new model changeover for the RAV4, with sales in May expected to rebound after production of the new model is ramped up, and also due to weak sales at the company’s upmarket Lexus division.

Honda reported a slight decline in US sales to 137,405 units in April, from 137,656 units in the same month a year earlier.  In the first four months of the year, the company’s US sales declined by 3.1% to 474,236 units, from 489,233 a year earlier, with “truck” sales – comprising mainly SUVs, MPVs, and pickup trucks - declining by almost 8% to 327,569 units, while sedan sales increased by 10% to 146,667 units.

Sales under the Honda brand fell by 3.2% to 430,049 units in the four-month period, while sales under the Acura brand fell by 1.3% to 44,187 units. The CR-V SUV was by far the company’s best-selling model with 142,114 deliveries year-to-date, followed by the Civic sedan with 82,640 units and the Accord sedan with 53,388 units.