Ford Motor Co.'s (F) U.S. new-vehicle sales rose 5.7% in March from a year earlier as the Fusion and Escape models set all-time monthly sales records.

Results were ahead of expectations from car-shopping website Edmunds.com.

Edmunds had projected Ford's March sales would increase 3.8% on the year. Broadly, U.S. new auto sales for March are expected to rise 5.3% from a year earlier and jump 24% from the prior month, according to Edmunds.

Ford said it sold 236,160 vehicles during March in the U.S., up from 223,418 a year ago and 21% above February's total of 195,822.

The Ford brand, the company's largest, saw sales jump 6.9%, while Lincoln sales decreased 22%.

Company-wide, March car sales declined 0.2% as truck sales rose 6%. Utility-vehicle sales were up 14%.

Ford's Escape sales increased 28% to 28,934, its best sales month ever. Meanwhile, Ford Fusion sales climbed 6% in March, crossing the 30,000 monthly vehicle sales threshold for the first time in its sales history.

March had 27 sales days, while the year-ago month had 28 sales days.

Ford in January reported a fourth-quarter profit of $1.6 billion as revenue rose 1.9% to $36.5 billion, driven by jumps in Asia and North America that outweighed falling sales in Europe.

Earlier Tuesday, Chrysler Group LLC reported its U.S. auto sales rose 5% in March as strong car sales helped mitigate weaker truck sales. Other major auto makers are expected to report their March U.S. sales results later Tuesday.

Ford shares were recently trading 1% higher at $13.03.

Write to Melodie Warner at melodie.warner@dowjones.com

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04-02-13 1003ET