A year after the "Cash for Clunkers" program brought otherwise gun-shy buyers into showrooms across the country, it's hard to argue that the program provided a much-needed surge to a flailing auto industry -- and that surge, for some manufacturers, has continued well after the program ended last August. As reported on the Consumer Reports blog, in terms of year-over-year sales, GM, Ford, Hyundai, Nissan and Subaru have all reported increases this July compared with July 2009. And while Honda's and Toyota's July sales were down slightly from the heady days of the government-funded sales push during the same month last year -- a July-to-July drop of 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively -- their 2010 sales thus far are still up over the same time period in 2009.
A host of well-received new or redesigned vehicles from several automakers has no doubt helped the cause, with a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Taurus and Fiesta, and Buick LaCrosse helping domestic manufacturers, and the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Sienna, Infiniti QX56 and Subaru Legacy helping the foreign carmakers.
Hyundai, Nissan and Subaru have the most momentum from last year with July increases of 19 percent, 12 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
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