By AP
DETROIT –
General Motors Co. says its January sales rose 14% due to higher fleet and crossover vehicle sales.
Crossovers are SUV-like in size but sit on a car instead of a truck frame.
The automaker says it was helped by a stronger economy and Toyota's decision to halt U.S. sales of eight models due to a gas pedal system problem.
Toyota reported a 16% sales drop, while Ford Motor Co. was up 25%. Honda Motor Co. sales fell 5%, and Nissan Motor Co.'s rose 16%. Chrysler was down 8%.
Toyota stopped selling the models on Jan. 26.
Automakers were expecting January numbers to be up over the same month last year, when sales dipped to a 26-year low because of the tough economy.