DETROIT — General Motors’ U.S. car and truck sales rose 11 percent in March, a smaller increase than the prior two months as it offered fewer rebates and other incentives.

The largest U.S. car company says it sold 206,621 vehicles last month. Sales were led by small cars and crossovers as people bought higher mileage vehicles in response to rising gasoline prices. GM says the Chevrolet Cruze small car led its sales increase.

GM is the first major car company to report U.S. sales today.

Analysts expect overall industry sales in the U.S. to increase 17 percent from March 2010.

GM raised discounts by about $400 per vehicle in January and extended them in February. But Vice President of U.S. Sales Don Johnson says the company cut incentives by $600 to $800 in March.