Changes to tariff policies around the world have had an impact on the Mexican automotive industry, whose production in May 2025 reached 358,209 units , a decrease of 2.03% compared to the same month in 2024, when 365,644 vehicles were manufactured, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) , published this Monday.

From January to May of this year, one million 645 thousand 673 automobiles were manufactured  , which represented a reduction of 0.5%  compared to the same period in 2024, according to the  Administrative Registry of the Light Vehicle Automotive Industry (RAIAVL) .

According to the report, of the total manufactured in the first five months of 2025, light trucks represented  76.6% , with  1,259,982 units , while the remainder corresponded to automobile production, with  385,691 cars .

During the period, Toyota  stood out in its domestic production with a  63.4%  increase , adding  133,174 units  compared to  81,522  in the same period last year.

KIA follows with a 13.8%  increase  year-to-date with  117,110 units  compared to the 102,950  cars  produced in the same cycle in 2024.

Car exports also decrease

In May 2025, exports of light vehicles manufactured in Mexico amounted to  301,112 units , representing a  2.88%  annual drop.

In the year-to-date, shipments abroad also showed a decrease of  6.28% , with  1,334,667 cars exported , compared to  1,424,088  in the same period in 2024.

In January-May 2025,  the United States  was the main destination for light vehicle exports, with  80.9%  reaching 1,079,690 units , followed by  Canada  with  136,028  cars , which represented  10.2%  of shipments abroad.

Among the brands that registered the most exports in the year-to-date are Toyota, with a 72% increase  over the same period in 2024. It is followed by KIA with a  14% increase , and Ford with a 7.2% increase .

Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated statements that he does not want cars manufactured in Mexico, the United States remains the largest buyer of Mexican-made vehicles.

In this context, Mexico’s automotive industry has been affected by its northern neighbor’s tariff policy, which has led to a decline in automobile exports and manufacturing figures last May.

There have even been repercussions in the domestic market, as vehicle sales have also declined. In the fifth month of the year, 119,959 units were sold , representing a 0.4% annual decline , marking the second month with negative figures for vehicle sales in Mexico.

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