DETROIT >> U.S. auto sales put in their strongest performance of the year in October as buyers grew more confident in the economy and new models lured them into dealerships.

Every major automaker but Toyota chalked up better results last month. Overall industry sales climbed 13.4 percent to 950,165.

October’s seasonally adjusted annual sales rate — which shows what sales would be if they stayed at the same rate all year — was 12.26 million vehicles. That’s the best monthly rate since August 2009, when Cash for Clunkers spurred Americans to buy more cars and trucks.