Kelley Blue Book (KBB) recently looked over some of the trends and statistics that played a major role in auto sales over the past year, putting the more relevant events into a timeline that showed how the industry fared over 2011, reports Autoblog.
The infographic shows a positive start to the year, with fuel prices low and consumer confidence high. The industry started with strong sales before the Japanese earthquake and tsunami derailed much of the momentum. This event hamstrung Toyota and Honda for much of the year, and also affected production at nearly every automaker for at least a few weeks.
While Toyota and Honda eventually recovered, the landscape changed in their absence. Chrysler and Hyundai picked up significant market share, while the Chevrolet Cruze became the fuel-efficient vehicle of choice for many drivers, outselling the Civic and Corolla.
There's no telling what 2012 will bring in terms of fuel prices and other economic factors, but drivers can be prepared by keeping up with their auto maintenance. Regular oil changes and tune-ups can help nip major issues in the bud before they start and also increase the performance fuel efficiency of a vehicle.