DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co.’s U.S. sales rose 13 percent last year as the company recovered from its financial disaster in 2009.

GM sold just over 2.5 million new cars and trucks in the U.S. Its December sales rose nearly 5 percent from a year earlier.

The Chevrolet Cruze compact and the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks led sales.

Other carmakers reported strong sales for 2011. Chrysler sales jumped 26 percent, Ford sales rose 11 percent and Nissan’s climbed nearly 15 percent.

Industry analysts say people are starting to buy cars and trucks because they feel more confident about the economy. They expect total U.S. sales in 2011 to be around 12.7 million. That’s up nearly 10 percent from 2010.