Vehicle production in Mexico totaled 343,520 units in March 2026, representing a 2.5% increase compared to the same month in 2025, when 335,065 cars were manufactured, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reported this Thursday .
In turn, in the period January-March 2026, 969,294 cars were manufactured , a growth of 0.5% compared to the same cycle of the previous year, according to the Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL).
In total, light trucks accounted for 80% of the total produced , with 775,717 units; the remainder corresponded to automobiles.
In the first quarter, the brands that stood out in their production in Mexican plants were Volkswagen with an increase of 53.8%, adding 99,706 units compared to 64,830 in the same cycle of 2025.
Honda also showed good results in terms of its manufacturing with an increase of 12.7% in the January-March period of 2026, totaling 45,555 units over the 40,404 vehicles produced in the same period last year.
Similarly, KIA recorded positive figures in its production with an increase of 11.3%, adding 76,300 units in the first quarter of the year compared to the same cycle in 2025, when it manufactured 68,560 vehicles.
Exports accelerate
Exports also registered positive figures during March 2026. In this regard, the shipment abroad of light vehicles manufactured in Mexico was 310,205 units, which meant a growth of 4.2% compared to the same month of 2025.
Meanwhile, 795,631 vehicles were exported between January and March of this year, a 2.5% increase compared to the same period last year. The United States was the main destination for light vehicle exports, accounting for 75.8%, or 602,887 units. Canada followed with 97,801 vehicles, representing 12.3% of exports.
Among the brands that registered the highest exports during the first quarter were Volkswagen, with a 70.7% increase compared to the same period in 2015, totaling 81,535 units. Kia also saw a significant increase, with 13%, shipping 58,679 vehicles abroad. General Motors showed a 4.7% increase, totaling 195,214 exported units.
With these results, the Mexican automotive industry is beginning to show signs of recovery after a challenging 2025, framed by a complicated trade environment with tariff increases and restrictive measures by the United States.
Despite this, the United States remains the main buyer of cars manufactured in Mexico , with Canada in second place, reflecting the trade integration between the three countries that make up the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) .
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