DETROIT — General Motors’ U.S. sales rose 8 percent in July, led by fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze.

GM, which was among the first automakers to report results today, said its sales rose because buyers went for more efficient vehicles. Analysts say even though gas prices have dropped, most people expect them to rise again in the future.

The Detroit automaker said it sold 214,915 cars and trucks last month, including nearly 25,000 Cruzes. That could make the compact America’s top-selling car for the second month in a row.

Sales of the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain small crossovers, which also get good gas mileage, rose about 80 percent.

Analysts predicted only a slight rise in overall sales of new cars and trucks for July. Economic worries and a lack of discounts probably kept many buyers away, causing sales to sputter for the third straight month.