May Auto Sales: Toyota

TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday that its U.S. sales rose 2.5 percent in May on strong numbers for new cars from its Lexus luxury brand.

BY THE NUMBERS: Lexus car sales were up 29 percent to 12,422, led by the ES midsize sedan, which doubled to 5,890. But Lexus utility sales were down 17 percent. Toyota brand car sales were up 4 percent but truck sales were flat.

TOP SELLER: Sales of the Toyota Camry midsize sedan fell less than 1 percent to 39,216.

HOT MODELS: Sales of the newly redesigned Toyota Avalon nearly quadrupled to 7,099, while sales of the Scion FR-S jumped to 1,937 from just 86 last year when it first went on sale. The Toyota Tacoma small pickup rose 20 percent to 14,727. Sales of the Lexus ES and LS both doubled.