New vehicle registrations rose 4.4 percent in 2011, the second annual gain in six years, according to the Hawaii Auto Outlook, a report prepared for the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association and released today.

Hawaii’s increase pales in comparison to a 14 percent national gain. The report attributes Hawaii’s smaller increase to production cutbacks by Toyota and Honda after the Japanese earthquake and floods in Thailand, as well as high fuel prices in the beginning of the year.

Registrations were up 11 percent in December over the year-ago period. HADA projects that 2012 sales will increase by 6.9 percent.