Honda Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. defied the downward trend in domestic automobile sales in October, leaving its three domestic rivals with declining sales, the companies said Monday.

The auto industry is suffering a 3 percent drop in overall domestic auto sales, but Honda and Mitsubishi posted solid improvements.

Honda sold 66,921 vehicles, including commercial vehicles and minicars, in Japan in October, up 19.1 percent over the previous year and the 23rd straight year-on-year rise, the company said.

Sales were led by the Fit subcompact, of which it sold 16,203. Mitsubishi improved sales by 15.8 percent to 35,511 vehicles.

Industry leader Toyota Motor Corp. posted domestic sales of 135,862 units in October, down 8.2 percent for its second year-on-year decline in a row.

Nissan Motor Co. reported a 6.1 percent drop in domestic sales to 50,464 units, blaming brisk sales from a year ago of such new models as the Bluebird Sylphy and Elgrand.

Mazda Motor Corp. suffered a 15.5 percent drop in sales to 17,812 vehicles.

Toyota decreased domestic production in October to 315,403 units down 4.2 percent from the same month a year ago.

Nissan increased production 13.6 percent to 115,693 units in Japan, while Honda increased production 8.2 percent to 107,213 vehicles for the second straight month of growth.

Mitsubishi turned out 78,083 units, down 0.7 percent, while Mazda built 55,723, down 4.7 percent.

Toyota's exports grew for the first time in two months to 168,921 vehicles, up 10.2 percent, led by increased exports to North America, Oceania and the Middle East. Nissan followed with exports of 54,091 units, up 11.3 percent.

Exports by Honda grew 7.2 percent to 38,285 units and Mazda by 10.0 percent to 33,895 units.

In contrast, Mitsubishi registered a drop of 18.2 percent in exports to 32,020 units.