DETROIT — Automakers on Tuesday reported strong sales across the board in March, pushing the industry to its best quarter since before the recession, even though gasoline prices climbed to more than $4 a gallon in many states.

Nissan, Hyundai and Kia each posted record sales last month, while Chrysler and Volkswagen reported gains of more than 30 percent compared with a year earlier. The Ford Motor Company had its best month in five years.   Read more