Worldwide vehicle production at Honda Motor Co. declined 33.5 percent in January to 226,551 vehicles. It was the third straight month in which global production for Japan's second-biggest automaker fell from a year earlier.

The fall was particularly severe in the U.S., where Honda's production dropped 50.1 percent from a year earlier to 47,246 vehicles.

Honda's production in Europe slid 50.8 percent to 11,514 vehicles, and its production in Japan was down 23 percent to 77,224 vehicles. Tokyo-based Honda makes the Accord sedan and Insight hybrid.

Nissan Motor Co.'s global production in January plunged 54 percent to 145,286 vehicles, it said. Production in the U.S. dived a dramatic 70.7 percent to 18,741 vehicles.

Nissan's production in Japan sank 59 percent while its overall overseas production decreased 51.2 percent. Tokyo-based Nissan, allied with Renault SA of France, is the nation's third-biggest automaker, manufacturing the Altima sedan and March compact.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said its global production totaled 53,339 in January, down 53.9 percent and marking the 11th straight month of year-on-year decrease.

Mazda Motor Corp., based in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, also recorded dismal results in January, as its global production plummeted 62.7 percent to 45,548 vehicles.