Ford sees bump in sales of fuel efficient cars, vehicles with smaller engines

Ford customers are showing continued preference for new fuel-efficient models and powertrains with less muscle.

Combined sales in May for the new Fiesta and Focus totaled 29,423--a 32 percent increase from a year ago. Ford sold 7,120 copies of the Fiesta and 22,303 of the Focus.

It was the automaker's biggest sales month for small cars since May 2008.

Ford's May sales were about equal to those last year--at 192,102--while year-to-date sales were up 12 percent, at 878,600.

Since gasoline is about a dollar more expensive per gallon than it was at this point last year, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the V6-powered F-150 pickup is outselling the V8 model.

The 3.7-liter V6 engine made up 55 percent of all F-150 sales. It comprised 14 percent of total Ford sales for the month.

Meanwhile, demand for four-cylinder Fusions and Escapes stayed strong through May, and Explorer sales were the highest they've been in almost four years--up 135 percent.

By Michelle Koueiter