Domestic sales of new cars, trucks and buses decreased 0.4 percent in April from a year earlier to 268,259 units, down for the second consecutive month, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Monday.

By category, passenger cars with engine displacements greater than 2,000cc rose 18 percent to 53,605 units, up for the seventh consecutive month, due to increased sales of high-priced vehicles, association officials said.

But sales of smaller passenger cars with engine displacements between 661cc and 2,000cc dropped 3.1 percent to 146,304 units, down for the 15th consecutive month, according to the association.

Sales of trucks with a carrying capacity of more than 3.4 tons decreased 7.9 percent to 3,854 units, down for the fifth consecutive month, while sales of smaller trucks, including multipurpose autos and sport utility vehicles, dropped 6.8 percent to 62,999 units, they said.

Sales of both types of trucks hit record-low levels for April, the association said, noting that the sluggish economy discouraged companies from purchasing new trucks and that some companies were waiting for the enforcement of a revised law that will ease the automobile inspection system this month.

However, bus sales rose 21.5 percent to 1,497 units, up for the sixth consecutive month, the association said.

By maker, Suzuki Motor Corp. increased sales by 49.6 percent to 3,035 units due to increased sales of its new car Swift. Honda Motor Co. also saw sales increase by 17.9 percent to 33,008 units.

On the other hand, Daihatsu Motor Co. saw its sales drop by 31.1 percent to 896 units and sales at Isuzu Motors Ltd. fell by 26.6 percent to 3,354.

The two makers are shifting their business focuses from passenger cars and trucks to minivehicles.

The association officials also said that new car sales may continue to decline as consumers are still keeping their purse strings tight.