Sales of new light vehicles in Mexico continued to advance during September 2026, and the year-to-date figures have shown the best growth of its period in a decade, according to the Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL) .

In the ninth month of the year, 129,288 units were sold , an increase of 8% compared to the 119,766 placed in the domestic market in the same month of 2025, according to data released this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

With this result, the Mexican automotive sector accumulated 1,144,002 light vehicles sold between January and September 2026 , a figure that represented a growth of 5% compared to the first nine months of last year, when 1,089,151 units were sold.

The recorded volume is the highest for a January-September period since 2016, when 1,122,142 cars were sold.

According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA)  and the  Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA) , among the brands with the highest sales volumes in the January-September period are Nissan , which led the market with 17.2%, followed by  General Motors  with 12.8%, Volkswagen  with 11%, Toyota with 8.2%, KIA with 7.2% and Mazda  with 6.9 percent.

The registry also included sales of Chinese brands , which continue to gain ground in the Mexican market and which showed variable behavior during September 2026.

Geely  increased its sales by 91.1% in September 2026 compared to September 2025, with 4,306 units sold. JAC grew by 6.5%, selling 1,884 units; and Changan declined by 13.9% year-on-year, with 1,766 vehicles sold during the period.

Other brands in the sector also performed well year-on-year . Stellantis  grew 43.3%,  Hyundai  advanced 3.3%, Toyota rose 3.2%, and Nissan accelerated 15.7%.

The September 2025 results for vehicle sales in Mexico show a more dynamic domestic demand and, at the same time, reflect greater activity for the distribution network, logistics of finished cars and services associated with marketing.

Within this expansion, there is also greater diversity in the offering, particularly due to the advance of some Chinese brands, although with different behaviors among them.

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Ford of Mexico has appointed Michelle Pérez as the new manager of the Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant (HSAP) . Pérez, who previously served as assistant manager at the same facility and has 12 years of experience, will lead one of the automaker’s key manufacturing operations in the country.

The Hermosillo plant plays a key role in Ford’s production in Mexico . Currently, it produces the Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Maverick, models that, according to the company, are destined for markets such as the United States and Latin America.

Experience within Ford

Michelle Pérez is an electromechanical engineer with a master’s degree in Manufacturing Systems from Tecnológico de Monterrey. Before becoming assistant manager in Hermosillo , she worked for the company in Cuautitlán, State of Mexico , where she led the Final Assembly area and other production lines.

According to Ford ‘s statement , Pérez, during his time as assistant manager, contributed to the plant’s operational efficiency. Now, in his new position at the Sonora facility, his missions will include strengthening quality and operational performance , with a focus on assembly processes and improving efficiency.

Ford stated that the appointment is part of its strategy to develop internal talent and provide continuity in leadership positions within its manufacturing operations.

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Holman , a firm based in New Jersey, USA, with a history of more than 100 years in the automotive services market, announced the acquisition of all of ARIZA.

ARIZA was a joint venture in equal parts between Holman and Corporación Zapata, with which Holman will now strengthen its presence in the fleet management business with multinationals in North America.

As part of this transition, the ARIZA brand will be discontinued and the company will operate under the name Holman.

“At Holman, we are honored and grateful to have collaborated with the Zapata family for more than 30 years on this successful joint venture,” said Chris Conroy, CEO of Holman. “The integration of ARIZA into Holman reflects our confidence in the Mexican market, our commitment to supporting our customers throughout North America, and our appreciation for the talented team that has helped build this business.”

ARIZA was founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Holman and Corporación Zapata , with the goal of helping its customers respond to the increasingly complex demands involved in operating a multinational fleet.

For over 30 years, ARIZA has accumulated extensive experience in fleet management, innovative technology, and local market knowledge to optimize performance and transform fleet vehicles into strategic business assets. This acquisition will integrate ARIZA’s team, operations, and customer service into Holman.

Holman customers will now have a single point of contact, standardized processes, and a broader service offering across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This integration will enable Holman to provide the comprehensive and coordinated fleet management experience across countries that its multinational customers require. ARIZA’s offices, website, digital platforms, and customer materials will gradually adopt the Holman name and brand identity.

Corporación Zapata was founded in 1956 and operates in the land transportation and mobility sector. It maintains a presence in the markets for the distribution of automobiles, commercial vehicles, trailers, buses, used vehicles, and auctions.

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The Mexican automotive industry registered a mixed performance in August 2026, with a decline in car production and mixed results in exports, according to the Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL), published by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

During the eighth month of the year, the automakers installed in the country produced 344,940 cars , 1.4% less than the 349,951 units manufactured in the same month of 2025.

Meanwhile, the cumulative production between January and August stood at 2,645,140 vehicles , a decrease of 0.72% compared to the 2,664,417 vehicles registered in the same period last year.

Production remained concentrated on light trucks, which accounted for 79.3% of total manufacturing during the January-August period, with 2,097,224 units. The remaining 20.7% consisted of passenger cars, totaling 547,916 units.

In the first eight months of 2026, General Motors accumulated 600,912 units manufactured, a growth of 4.2% compared to January-August 2025. Stellantis totaled 309,688 vehicles, 20.8% more than in the same period last year; while Volkswagen manufactured 259,193 units, which meant an annual increase of 17.3%.

In contrast, Nissan’s production fell 25.1% to 340,683 units in January-August of this year. Ford Motor saw a 4.4% decrease with 267,557 vehicles manufactured, and Toyota’s production declined 1% year-on-year to 208,585 units.

Exports, with mixed results

In contrast, exports totaled 300,475 vehicles in August 2026 , an increase of 1.3% compared to the 296,734 units sent abroad during the same month of 2025.

In the period January-August, 2,251,254 light vehicles were placed in international markets , a drop of 0.06% compared to the 2,252,516 units of the same period last year.

In total, the United States remained the primary destination for vehicles manufactured in Mexico, accounting for 76.3% of exports , with 1,716,610 units. Canada followed with 281,502 vehicles, representing 12.5%. Germany received 59,422 units, equivalent to 2.6% of the total.

By brand, Stellantis stood out in total exports with 284,743 vehicles shipped abroad, representing a 40.2% year-over-year increase. Volkswagen followed with 211,306 cars, 19.4% more than in 2015. KIA advanced 10.5% year-over-year with 156,944 cars. Conversely, Nissan reduced its exports by 29% in the first eight months of 2016; Ford Motor fell by 10.5%, and Toyota registered a 4.4% year-over-year decrease.

With these results, the Mexican automotive sector closed August with production continuing its slight contraction, while export volume showed contrasting results. The evolution of both indicators will be key to gauging the pace of production lines and the performance of vehicles assembled in Mexico in international markets.

Furthermore, with the review process of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , the Mexican automotive industry faces challenges, such as the tariff policy of the United States and a possible tightening of the rules of origin.

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In August 2026, the Mexican automotive sector continued the positive trend of the previous month, totaling 129,479 new units sold in the domestic market, which meant a growth of 2.3% compared to the same month of 2025.

According to data from the  Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL) , this result represents the highest level for the same month since 2016.

In the period January-August 2026, light vehicle sales reached 1,014,832 units , 4.7% more than in the first eight months of 2025.

The recorded volume is the highest for a January-August period since 2017, when 993,667 vehicles were sold, according to data from the  National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA)  and the  Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA) , Nissan  led the market with 17% of sales between January and August 2026, followed by General Motors  with 12.8%, Volkswagen  with 11%,  Toyota  with 8.3%,  KIA  with 7.2%, and  Mazda with 6.9%.

According to the report, Chinese brands showed mixed performance .

Geely increased its sales by 106.7% in August 2026 compared to the same month in 2025, with 4,282 units sold. JAC fell 6.1%, selling 1,901 units in the eighth month of the year; Changan declined 23.4% year-on-year, with 1,563 vehicles sold during the period.

Other brands in the sector performed well year-on-year last August. Stellantis grew 5.2%, Hyundai advanced 11.8%, and Volkswagen accelerated 4.5%.

According to AMDA, car inflation registered a decline of 3.26% annually, reflecting stability in the sector’s prices.

The above would partly explain the positive performance of light vehicle sales in August 2026, which closed with a monthly record in car placement in Mexico, driven by moderate annual growth and a historic cumulative total in the first eight months of the year.

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The Mexican automotive industry continued its negative performance in terms of production and export of light vehicles reported in July 2026, registering declines in both indicators, reported the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

According to the Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL),  302,673 units were manufactured in Mexico in the seventh month of the year , representing a decrease of 2.2% compared to the same month of 2025.

Meanwhile, in the first seven months of 2026, 2,298,977 vehicles were manufactured , a drop of 0.65% compared to the same period last year, when 2,314,077 units were produced.

The productive structure of the sector continued to be dominated by light trucks, which accounted for 79.4% of total production in the January-July 2026 cycle, while the remainder corresponded to automobiles.

Among the brands with the best manufacturing performance in the January-July cycle, Stellantis stood out , with an increase of 25.1% compared to the same period in 2025. It was followed by  Volkswagen , with an increase of 19.9%; and KIA, with an annual advance of 9.2%.

Exports slow down

According to figures released by Inegi, exports in July of this year totaled 261,534 units , a decrease of 9.7% compared to the same month in 2025.

In the January-July period, 1,950,779 light vehicles were shipped abroad , a decrease of 0.26% compared to the first seven months of last year.

The United States was the main buyer of vehicles assembled in Mexico, accounting for 75.9% of international shipments.

Stellantis and Volkswagen were the brands with the largest increases in their exports, with increases of 44.8% and 22.5% at an annual rate, respectively, in the January-July 2026 cycle.

The results for July show a slowdown in the Mexican automotive sector, which is occurring amid the imposition of 25% tariffs by the United States on most cars manufactured outside the United States.

The figures also come in the context of a reconfiguration of the automotive industry , where automakers like Toyota announced last July the transfer of production of the Tacoma pickup from its plant in Tijuana, Baja California, to San Antonio, Texas.

Added to this is the review process of the  United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , which has the automotive sector as one of the main topics of negotiation.

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Light vehicle sales in Mexico maintained their positive trend during July 2026, totaling 130,831 units sold, a growth of 3.4% compared to the same month in 2025 , according to the Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL) .

With this result,  the market accumulated 885,349 vehicles sold in the January-July period , a figure that represented an advance of 5% compared to the same period last year.

The recorded volume is the highest for a January-July period since 2017, when 867,682 units were sold, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

Nissan leads sales

Among the brands with the highest sales volumes,  Nissan  led the market with 17% between January and July 2026, followed by  General Motors  with 12.8%, Volkswagen  with 11%, Toyota with 8.3%, KIA with 7.2% and Mazda  with 6.9%, according to the  Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA)  and the  Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA) .

The report highlighted that Chinese brands showed variable performance , although they continue to gain ground in the Mexican market.

Geely  increased its sales by 127.6% in July 2026 compared to the same month in 2025, with 4,203 units sold. JAC  fell 5.4%, selling 2,002 units in the seventh month of the year; Changan  declined 12.6% year-on-year, with 1,530 vehicles sold during the period.

Other brands in the sector performed well year-on-year in July.  Stellantis  grew 33.7%,  Hyundai  advanced 1.9%,  Honda  rose 5.3%, and Volkswagen accelerated 5%.

July’s results for light vehicle sales reflect that the domestic market continues to show dynamism during 2026, driven by established manufacturers and new brands seeking to expand their market share in Mexico.

The above also reflects an improvement in the purchasing power of Mexican consumers, in an economy that is beginning to show slight signs of recovery, since in the second quarter of 2026, the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 1.51% after a contraction of 0.62% in the first quarter of the year.

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The auto parts industry is going through one of its most decisive periods. The renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), trade tensions with the United States, and nearshoring 2.0 are redefining the conditions under which the sector will operate in the coming years.

Gabriel Padilla, general director of the National Auto Parts Industry (INA) , highlighted during his participation in the Mexico’s Nearshoring & Logistics Auto Industry Summit that the country has a privileged position in North America, but warned that maintaining that leadership will depend on reducing regulatory uncertainty and strengthening the national supply chain .

Mexico has ceased to be merely an assembly platform and has become a hub for advanced manufacturing. It is currently the leading supplier of auto parts to the United States, and the integration of the regional supply chain has transformed the country into a strategic player for North American competitiveness.

According to the INA, 43% of the auto parts used by US manufacturing come from Mexico , reflecting a deeply integrated supply chain.

“We have more than two thousand auto parts producers in the country, we generate more than 850,000 direct jobs and the value of production is over 119 billion dollars (mdd) annually; we are the most indispensable part of the supply chain, not only in Mexico, but at a regional level,” he said.

The executive emphasized that the review of the USMCA will define the rules of competitiveness in the coming years . In that context, he noted that the sector seeks to preserve free trade for auto parts that comply with the rules of origin and avoid new requirements that increase costs or limit regional integration.

One of the central concepts of his presentation was nearshoring 2.0 , which, he said, no longer consists solely of bringing production closer to consumer markets; it involves redesigning entire supply chains under criteria of resilience, traceability, economic security, sustainability and preferential market access.

He explained that flexible electrification, software -defined vehicles , productive regionalization, resilience and productive sustainability are the trends that are redefining nearshoring 2.0.

For Padilla, competitiveness no longer depends solely on labor costs. Today, companies evaluate factors such as energy availability, logistics infrastructure , water, specialized talent, digitalization, and regulatory certainty before deciding on new investments.

The uncertainty generated by US trade policy continues to delay investment projects, even though production remains positive. In the first quarter of 2026, auto parts manufacturing totaled $31.185 billion , a 9.58% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

Padilla noted that companies have chosen to postpone expansion decisions while the new business environment resulting from the review of the USMCA and the tariff measures promoted by the United States is being defined.

Another challenge identified was strengthening regional content. To achieve this, it was considered essential to develop a larger base of Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers, reduce dependence on inputs from Asia, and close gaps in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, automotive electronics, advanced materials, software , and artificial intelligence (AI).

The director of the INA emphasized that the next wave of investment will come seeking engineering, automation, and technological development capabilities. Therefore, Mexico must evolve from a highly efficient manufacturing platform to a technological one capable of designing, validating, and developing components from North America.

The success of the auto parts sector will depend on maintaining clear rules and strengthening regional investment, where the review of the USMCA should become an opportunity to deepen North American production integration and not an obstacle to competitiveness in the region.

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The automotive industry is in a period of transformation , driven by the relocation of production chains, disruptive technologies and the energy transition, which will be crucial to advancing in various aspects that are already redefining the sector, including electromobility .

In the panel “Navigating the transformation in the automotive industry”, within the framework of the Mexico’s Nearshoring & Logistics Auto Industry Summit, Diego Ramírez, Director of Government Relations for Latin America at Nissan Motor Corporation , highlighted that there are very important changes in technology, in the electrification of vehicles, although there are other issues that impact the sector, such as the current geopolitical situation , which has generated a new paradigm in the industry.

“The automotive industry is undergoing many changes, coinciding with increased competition. All of this requires companies to make the necessary adjustments and adapt accordingly,” said Ramírez, who indicated that the best approach for each user must be determined regarding electromobility.

“There is a range of 100% plug-in, autonomous and other electromobility options, so we have to find the one that best suits the users,” he explained.

Despite this environment, Carlos Gutiérrez, Director of Government and External Affairs at BMW Group Mexico , considered that the automotive industry is very dynamic and that factors such as the economic, political, technological, and even consumer tastes have changed in different markets, which has forced automakers to innovate.

“The trend towards using more technology in vehicles challenges companies to be more innovative, to have many more tools to create better products,” he stressed, while noting that new market trends and political aspects in various regions of the world “will lead us to a completely different kind of mobility than what we are used to.”

For Gutiérrez, the use of new technologies, of artificial intelligence (AI) in vehicles will give the consumer a different vision of mobility in the future .

The nearshoring phenomenon has become an important factor in attracting investment, relocating manufacturing and component centers closer to target markets.

However, experts warned that this concept is no longer strictly limited to geographical proximity to avoid logistical disruptions like those that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather represents a comprehensive industrial integration project where Mexico stands out for its skilled workforce .

They agreed that the main differentiator will no longer be solely the technological capacity of the manufacturing plants, but the talent to operate new tools to continue keeping Mexico at the top of vehicle production.

According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) , in the period January-June 2026, the production of vehicles in Mexican plants was 1,996,304 light vehicles , and although this figure represented a drop of 0.42% compared to the same period in 2025, Mexico continues to be one of the most important countries in automotive manufacturing.

Meanwhile, 1,689,245 units were exported in the first six months of the year , an increase of 1.4% compared to the same period last year.

The panel made it clear that the future of the automotive industry will be marked by the evolution of the geopolitical environment, the adoption of new technologies and the availability of clean energy, in a sector that is advancing towards electromobility by leaps and bounds.

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The decarbonization of the automotive industry is beginning to extend beyond electric vehicles and reach a less visible part of the supply chain: the logistics required to transport cars and spare parts. In Mexico, Mitsubishi Motors has begun modifying its import and distribution operations with the goal of reducing transportation-related emissions.

Ricardo Hernández, Logistics Director of Mitsubishi in Mexico, explained during his participation in the Mexico’s Nearshoring & Logistics Auto Industry Summit that the automaker’s environmental strategy is not only focused on the electrification of its vehicles, but also incorporates the production and transportation processes behind their marketing.

The challenge has a particularly relevant dimension for the company. According to the executive, around 80% of Mitsubishi Motors’ global logistics emissions are related to the maritime movement of vehicles and containers with auto parts.

“To move cars, of all Mitsubishi Motors’ global emissions , practically 80% is from the movement of vehicles or containers that come in auto parts moved by sea,” Hernández pointed out.

This component is complemented by ground transportation, which involves car carriers for moving finished vehicles and various truck configurations for distributing goods. Given this scenario, Mitsubishi aims to achieve a turning point by 2030 in reducing the environmental footprint associated with these operations.

In Mexico, one of the first decisions was made directly regarding the configuration of its logistics chain . The distribution of imported spare parts, which previously used the port of Manzanillo, was moved to Lázaro Cárdenas to reduce the distance that subsequently had to be covered by road.

“Our parts distribution originally went to Manzanillo, but we moved it to the port of Lázaro Cárdenas. Why? Because it saves us 250 kilometers of land route , and that benefits us in terms of the tons of CO2 (carbon dioxide) we emit per year,” he explained.

Reducing highway mileage is only one part of the strategy. Mitsubishi is also working with its main carriers on technological alternatives to decrease emissions from the vehicles used in their ground operations.

Among the options currently under analysis are units powered by liquefied gas and electric units . Hernández noted that some carriers are already conducting pilot tests, particularly on short routes where operating conditions allow for the initial incorporation of these technologies.

“Right now there are many companies that are already doing their first pilot programs; on short routes, routes of 200 kilometers , they can be doing their circuits without any problem and normally they load the truck at night,” he commented.

However, transferring these solutions to long-haul operations presents a considerable challenge. For a vehicle importing company, Lázaro Cárdenas serves as a strategic gateway , but from there the vehicles must be transported to markets located thousands of kilometers away.

Hernández himself exemplified that a delivery from this Michoacán port to Mexicali involves traveling approximately 2,300 kilometers, a distance that still hinders the use of electric technologies under the current schemes of autonomy and infrastructure.

This condition requires that the transition to lower-emission land transport proceed in a differentiated manner: first through circuits where distances and operating cycles allow for the incorporation of new technologies and, subsequently, towards longer-range routes.

For Mitsubishi, this transformation is part of a broader vision for decarbonizing the automotive industry . The electric vehicle may be the most visible component of that transition, but reducing the environmental footprint also requires reviewing how cars, auto parts, and spare parts are transported from their origin to the consumer.

“All the processes behind getting them to the end consumer must also be supported by a green mindset and trend, of how to reduce our carbon footprint ,” Hernández stated.

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