New automobile sales jumped 36.8 percent to 238,362 units in January, logging the sixth consecutive month of growth, an industry body said Monday.

Compared with a year ago, sales of cars, excluding minivehicles with engines smaller than 660cc, surged 42.8 percent to 219,844 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.

But truck sales dropped 9.0 percent to 17,556 units and bus sales fell 7.6 percent to 962 units.