By Michael Calia 

General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC on Tuesday posted their best November U.S. sales figures in several years, driven by a favorable environment for consumers, although Ford Motor Co. reported a decline.

Auto makers, which offered deals and discounts during the weeks leading up to Black Friday, are expected to turn in one of their best November sales performances in years.

The preholiday promotions, along with an improving economic picture, had been expected to drive customers to dealer lots last month, even if average transaction prices rose and incentive spending slipped year-over-year, as researcher TrueCar said Tuesday. Both auto researcher Kelley Blue Book and information website Edmunds.com, likewise, had projected overall sales growth for the industry of about 2%.

"The buzz around Black Friday helped drive strong showroom traffic, but there was a lot more at work in the market," GM sales executive Kurt McNeil said in a news release. "More people have jobs and job security, their wages are starting to increase, household wealth is growing and low pump prices look like they're here to stay through 2015."

GM said U.S. sales rose 6.5% to 225,818 vehicles last month, making it the best November for the company in seven years. Retail sales rose 5%, GM said, while fleet deliveries jumped 11%.

The company's results were driven in large part by double-digit increases in sales for its Silverado pickup, at 24%, and its Cruze car model, which saw a 26% improvement. The GMC brand posted sales growth of 23%.

Ford, meanwhile, had expected to post an overall decline as it manages inventory and increases availability for its new F-150 and Mustang models. The company sold 187,000 vehicles in the U.S. during November, a 1.8% year-over-year decline.

Utilities were a bright spot for Ford, however, as sales grew 15% to 60,911 units. Escape sales rose 22%, the model's best November yet, according to the company, while the Explorer model posted 13% sales growth, its best figure for the month in 10 years.

Chrysler, which is the third-biggest U.S. auto maker, relied on big promotions leading into the holiday-shopping season, offering a variety of deals that included thousands in cash back and discounts, and it appears to have paid off.

Chrysler said it sold 170,839 vehicles last month, an increase from 142,275 in the same month a year ago. It was the company's best November since 2001.

Truck sales rose 18% to 129,320 vehicles. Car sales, which had recently been posting weaker results than those for trucks, jumped 26% to 41,519 units.

The Ram and Jeep brands again delivered for Chrysler, registering sales gains of 31% and 27%, respectively, while each enjoyed their best November ever, the company said. Chrysler's namesake car brand posted a 30% gain, driven by its 200 model sedan, whose sales more than doubled.

Honda Motor Co.'s U.S. sales arm said that November sales for its Honda and Acura brands totaled 121,814 vehicles, a new record for the month and an increase of 4.6% from a year ago.

Meanwhile, Nissan Motor Co. reported a 3.1% decline in U.S. auto sales, with 103,188 units in November. Its Nissan division sold 91,790 vehicles, a 1.7% decline, and its luxury Infiniti unit recorded 11,398 sales, a 13% drop.

The Nissan division's truck sales were a silver lining, with a 6.3% increase in sales, as its Rogue SUV delivered the strongest performance with a 44% jump.

Chrysler projected November's total industry sales in the U.S. to be a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17.5 million units, while GM estimated 17.1 million. Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds had projected 16.8 million and 16.7 million, respectively.

Joseph B. White

contributed to this article.

Write to Michael Calia at michael.calia@wsj.com

Access Investor Kit for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=JP3672400003

Access Investor Kit for Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=JP3854600008

Access Investor Kit for Ford Motor Co.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US3453708600

Access Investor Kit for General Motors Co.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US37045V1008

Access Investor Kit for Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US4381283088

Access Investor Kit for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US6547444082

Ford Motor (NYSE:F)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Ford Motor Charts.
Ford Motor (NYSE:F)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Ford Motor Charts.