DETROIT — Toyota’s pain is its rivals’ gain.
All major automakers but Toyota reported higher U.S. sales in February, and most took customers from their powerful Japanese competitor, which has been struggling with a series of massive safety recalls.
Toyota Motor Corp. said its U.S. sales fell 9 percent last month, while Ford, GM, Nissan, Honda and Hyundai all reported double-digit growth compared with February 2009, at the depth of the recession.
The gains might have been even higher if not for the blizzards that paralyzed the East Coast.
Other winners included Kia Motors Corp. and Subaru. Even struggling Chrysler Group LLC saw improvement. Toyota, by contrast, suspended sales of eight popular models in late January. And it spent last week answering questions from Congress about its safety record.
“We feel we’re getting our fair share of the Toyota business,” said Susan Docherty, vice president of marketing at GM, whose sales rose nearly 12 percent.
On Tuesday, Toyota unveiled a host of new deals to lure back buyers and reassure existing customers. Existing Toyota owners who buy another vehicle from the company will receive two years of free maintenance, Toyota said. The automaker will also offer zero-percent financing and low-priced leases to customers who buy or lease several of the recalled vehicles, including Corollas, Camrys and Avalons.
The offers will last through April 5, Toyota said.
