Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America and Irvine’s Kia Motors America Inc. again led local automakers with big gains in March sales as part of a larger industry rebound.

Hyundai, part of South Korea’s Hyundai Kia Automotive Group., saw a 15.4% gain from a year earlier to 47,002 vehicle sold in March.

For the 12 months through March, Hyundai, the largest automaker with operations here, sold 111,509 vehicles, up 16%.

Sister company Kia sold 30,522 vehicles last month, up 23.5% from a year earlier.

For the 12 months through March, Kia sold 76,700 vehicles, up 11.3%.

Hyundai and Kia have been stars of the auto industry’s recent downturn, the worst since the 1970s.

The two brands have seen sales and market share gains in the past year as their affordable vehicles have proved a good fit with the downturn.

In March, Hyundai and Kia took part in a larger auto sales rally that market watchers call the best since the “cash for clunkers” program spurred sales in August.

Automakers across the boards saw big gains last month: troubled Toyota Motor Corp., up 41% thanks to incentives, Ford Motor Co., up 40%, General Motors Co., up 21%, and Honda Motor Co., up 22%.

Irvine-based Mazda North American Operations, part of Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp., saw a more modest 5.5% gain to 23,193 in March vehicle sales.

For the 12 months through March, sales were up 4% to 53,795 autos.

Cypress-based Mitsubishi Motors North America, part of Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors Corp., was up 18% to 5,434 autos sold in March.

Brea-based American Suzuki Motor Corp. continued its slump with a 78% drop to March sales of 1,849 vehicles.

The automaker, part of Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp., is pinning hopes for a turnaround on its Kizashi sedan released in January.