SHANGHAI -- China's vehicle sales jumped 25 percent in April from the year before to a record monthly high of 1.15 million units, according to industry figures released Friday, according to The Associated Press.

Passenger car sales surged 37 percent over a year earlier to 831,000, outpacing U.S. sales in April of 820,000 units, according to figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

After slowing late last year as the impact from the global financial crisis deepened, China's auto sales have risen for five straight months. In March, vehicle sales hit a monthly record high of 1.11 million units.