Light vehicle fleet leasing has become a strategic alternative for companies in Latin America, but it remains a challenge in Mexico due to tax and contractual complications, according to experts.
For Cristina Vázquez, coordinator of Economic Studies at the Mexican Association of Automobile Dealers (AMDA) , leasing should boost vehicle renewals for the benefit of corporate users, but currently it barely contributes to the market.
“The structure is there, with agencies offering financing and guarantees, but the segment remains underutilized,” Vázquez said at the Fleet Latam Summit 2025 .
The regional overview confirms the contrasts. Gisele Dutra, Latam Fleet Manager at GE Healthcare , explained that in Brazil and Argentina, corporate leasing is an essential part of the operation, with negotiations on residual values that include finance, human resources, and suppliers.
In Mexico, the complexity goes beyond leasing. Although light used vehicles represent 6.5 million transactions annually, only 8% are channeled through dealerships, or about 450,000 units, according to Vázquez.
He specified that, for dealers, this segment is equivalent to an average of 15% of their income, although it is still seen as a secondary business compared to the sale of new vehicles .
This gap is exploited by the informal market. Israel Aguilar, general director of LVA Subastas , noted that more than 70% of auction transactions end up in the hands of lottery sellers and resellers, reinforcing the influence of parallel channels.
The emergence of platforms like Kavak , which initially purchased vehicles above the reference price, demonstrated the riskiness of the business: placing inventory acquired at high prices is now its main challenge.
For Alfredo Hernández Hamelberg, Country Manager of Autorola Mexico , the problem lies in the lack of clarity for the end consumer.
Leasing companies and finance companies calculate depreciation and residual values, but this information is rarely communicated transparently, fueling distrust in leasing and used vehicles.
Specialists agreed that light-vehicle leasing and used vehicle sales represent significant potential in Mexico , although limited by the lack of simple regulations and the influence of the informal market.
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