Auto sales rose 18 percent in April as consumers flocked to smaller cars in response to $4 a gallon gas prices and improved models from U.S. companies, according to The New York Times.

General Motors led Detroit automakers with a 27 percent gain, led by demand for its Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan and smaller, more fuel-efficient SUVs.

Sales for the year are running at an annual rate of more than 13 million vehicles for the third consecutive month.

Ford reported a 16 percent jump in sales, with high demand for its new Fiesta and Focus small cars and its new and lighter version of the Explorer S.U.V. Chrysler said its sales increased 23 percent. The company sold 882 Fiat 500 micro-cars.

South Korea's Hyundai rode the success of its new Elantra sedan to a 40 percent jump in sales.

All three Japanese automakers lagged the market, especially Toyota, where sales increased about 1 percent. A Toyota executive said that the company was running low on inventories of the Prius hybrid and Corolla subcompact because of factory shutdowns after the earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.

Honda's sales increased 10 percent in April, and Nissan reported a 12 percent increase.