America's Top-Selling Cars

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Washington DC April 13, 2009; The AIADA newsletter reported that Americans bought 37 percent fewer cars in March versus last year. That seems awful, until you compare it to February's 41 percent decline.

Amidst the gloom, several automakers saw bright spots. Hyundai, Audi, BMW, Volvo, Kia, Subaru, and Smart all reported overall or segment-specific sales gains.

And a surprise came in the luxury category: At a time when high-end consumers are reportedly reluctant to make ostentatious purchases, Rolls-Royce sales held steady.

James Bell, the editor of automotive data provider Intellichoice.com, has an upbeat take on the March numbers, even though sales are still falling. He says Rolls' numbers, and the upticks by Hyundai et al., show that car buyers can hold back only so long. "Eventually you'll have to have this better result," says Bell.

Forbes has analyzed March's numbers to see what vehicles Americans are buying.

The models that showed positive sales last month ranged from the $40,700 Audi A5/S5 sports car (up 41.6 percent) to the tiny $23,800 Volvo C30 (up 24.9 percent) and $27,045 Hyundai Veracruz mid-size crossover (up 25 percent). Despite their disparity, each of these models found a way to forge ahead in sales.

For a slideshow of all of America's top selling cars, click here.