General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. posted U.S. sales declines in April as waning consumer confidence and rising gasoline prices curbed demand for new vehicles.

GM sales fell 9.5 percent, and Ford dropped 13 percent from April 2006, dragged down by shrinking sales of big pickup trucks. Toyota fell 4.3 percent, for its first monthly decrease in two years, and Honda was off 9.1 percent.

Among the largest automakers, only DaimlerChrysler AG posted a gain. Industry sales tumbled 7.6 percent for their biggest decline of the year and the third in four months. Analysts had forecast the April slide, citing the cost of gasoline, a weak U.S. housing market, less-confident consumers and a cutback in sales to rental fleets.

''Gas prices are clearly a big issue,'' as is consumer confidence in general, said Alan Baum, director of automotive forecasting at Planning Edge in Birmingham, Michigan. ''So we're seeing people starting to hold back.''

There were 24 selling days in April, two fewer than a year earlier. Bloomberg and some automakers report unadjusted comparisons, which are about 8 percentage points lower than the percentages based on adjusted figures.

DaimlerChrysler, led by Chrysler's Jeep brand, had a surprise 1 percent gain. Asian automakers collectively sold 529,808 U.S. vehicles last month, down 7.9 percent from a year earlier. Every Asian company fell except for Mitsubishi Motors Corp. It had an 11 percent gain.

Down for the Year

A total of 1.34 million vehicles were sold, dragging the industry total for the year 2.9 percent lower than it was through April 2006. The sales slowdown threatens GM's, Ford's and Chrysler's attempts to recover from losses last year. Each is trimming production, and each is attempting to reduce low-profit sales to rental-car companies, which buy in bulk at a discount.

''It's definitely shaping up to be the weakest month of the year,'' said Jim Sourges, a Detroit-based analyst for the Paris consulting firm Cap Gemini SA. ''The question is, will it continue? I think it's too soon to tell.''

Ford, the second-biggest U.S. automaker, today adjusted its incentive program for May and June. Changes include a choice of five-year, no-interest loans or a $3,000 rebate on the F-150 pickup truck.

Chrysler is offering five-year, interest-free loans or rebates of as much as $5,000 on most of its products.

Silverado Slip

GM's sales of light vehicles fell to 307,554 in April, paced by a 14 percent decline in its best-selling vehicle, the Chevrolet Silverado large pickup. Car sales for the biggest U.S. automaker dropped 10 percent.

GM's retail sales, excluding those to fleet customers, fell about 4 percent, without a sales-day adjustment, the automaker's sales analyst, Paul Ballew, said on a conference call today. The average transaction price rose $1,000, and incentives fell about $350 to $2,500 per car and truck, meaning more profit per vehicle, he said.

A strong labor market and other positive economic factors are helping offset housing declines in markets such as California and Boston, he said.

Ballew said he expects GM retail sales to be stable. It's not clear whether GM will be able to boost its retail share for the year, he said.

Ford: Down Again

Ford sold 228,623 vehicles in April for its sixth straight monthly decline. Ford's truck sales slipped 5.8 percent, and its car sales were down 24 percent. Sales of the F-Series large pickup truck, which account for more than a quarter of Ford's U.S. sales, dropped 12 percent in April and are down 14 percent this year.

Only Ford's Lincoln and Land Rover divisions posted sales gains during the month, with increases of 6.9 percent and 13 percent, respectively. All Ford-brand vehicles had sales declines, except for the Expedition sport-utility vehicle and Crown Victoria sedan.

Toyota's two most popular vehicles, the Corolla and Camry, combined for an 8.1 percent sales decline, the Toyota City, Japan-based company said. Honda's car sales fell 14 percent, including an 8.5 percent reduction for the Accord sedan.

Nissan Motor Co.'s 18 percent drop, to 71,124 vehicles, was its sharpest decline since July. Most every Nissan and Infiniti model fell.

''The malaise that we've seen from the trucks seems to have crept over to cars,'' said Brad Bradshaw, North American sales chief for Japan's No. 3 automaker. He said rising fuel prices and a weaker housing market appear to be hurting consumer confidence.

Up With Chrysler

The Chrysler group's 2 percent increase to 193,104 vehicles stemmed from a 29 percent gain for its Jeep brand, including a 75 percent lift in Wrangler SUV sales. The increase comes as parent DaimlerChrysler considers offers to sell the U.S. unit.

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. said it sold 4.6 percent fewer vehicles in April. The Sonata sedan, Hyundai's best-selling vehicle, declined 34 percent.

Car and light-truck sales dropped to an annual rate of 16.3 million, according to Bloomberg data. The rate in April 2006 was 16.7 million.

U.S. shoppers are becoming more reluctant to spend, as consumer confidence fell to a seven-month low in April, according to a Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment from April 27. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline at the pump rose to $2.97 yesterday, the highest since August, according to the American Automobile Association.

Fleet Reduction

Detroit-based GM sold 80,000 fewer vehicles to rental car companies during the first four months, Ballew said today. GM may reduce them by another 30,000 during this quarter.

Ford plans this year to trim its rental-car sales by about 30 percent this year, from its 2006 total.

Ford, based in Dearborn, Michigan, recorded a 17 percent April decline in retail sales, or those to individuals, Ford sales analyst George Pipas said in a conference call today. That drop was the main reason for Ford's overall slide in April, he said.

GM shares rose 2 cents to $31.25 at 4:28 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Ford's shares gained 1 cent to $8.05, and U.S. shares of DaimlerChrysler climbed 40 cents to $80.91. American depositary receipts for Honda fell 30 cents to $34.13 and increased 11 cents to $121.53 for Toyota.

Auto sales in Canada rose 9 percent in April after two months of declines, boosted by an 11 percent gain in light trucks. Sales of passenger cars climbed 7.2 percent, according to a report from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. of Toronto.