Orange County auto dealers sold 12,085 new vehicles in October, a 3.2% increase from a year earlier.
The figures, provided by Newport Beach-based Orange County Automobile Dealers Association, are based on 7,796 new car and 4,289 light truck registrations reported in the county.
Japan-based brands accounted for nearly half of October sales, at 6,144, up 5.8% from a year earlier.
Toyota Motor Corp. led all automakers locally despite a 6.2% drop to 2,121 vehicles.
Mazda Motor Corp., which has its North American operations in Irvine, had a 23.3% increase in number of vehicles sold here in October, for a total of 386.
Cypress-based Mitsubishi Motors North American Inc. had 58 sales locally, down 29.3% from a same period year earlier.
The locally based U.S. operations of two South Korean brands also saw their sales dip in October.
Costa Mesa-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. sold 774 vehicles, down 10.5% year-over-year.
Kia Motors America Inc. in Irvine sold 443 vehicles through OC dealers, a 9% drop from a year ago.
OC’s auto dealers collectively have sold 137,942 vehicles during the first 10 months of 2013, up 11% from the same period last year.
