US light vehicle sales dived to their lowest level of the year in September, compounding declines in several European countries and underlining the gloom that has enveloped the global automotive industry.

In the US, most carmakers posted sales declines deep in double-digits, with General Motors down 16 per cent, Toyota 32 per cent and Ford 34 per cent. Even Honda, which posted a relatively strong performance earlier in the year, reported a 23 per cent drop.