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OTTAWA - New Brunswick consumers put the brakes on new motor vehicle sales in May, according to a Statistics Canada report released Tuesday.

Newly released figures suggest consumers are abandoning gas guzzlers for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles on the showroom floor.

Month-over-month passenger and commercial vehicle sales totalled 3,376 units in May, down 4.5 per cent from a banner month in April in which sales surged to their highest level in more than five years.

Year-over-year sales continue to rise in the region, increasing 3.4 per cent.

After three consecutive months of decline, Canadians drove away in 145,224 new vehicles in May, an increase of 1.1 per cent from April.

Sales of passenger cars rose 4.3 per cent to 78,988 units while sales of new trucks - which include minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses - tumbled 2.3 per cent, suggesting drivers are concerned about higher gas prices when deciding to purchase a new vehicle.

The share of trucks sold was at its lowest point since 2005, said the report.

Dealers in the region have said industry growth can be traced to small-vehicle sales, suggesting consumers are searching for more compact, economical vehicles.

New vehicle sales were up in six provinces, with the largest gains in Nova Scotia.