The Mexican automotive industry showed mixed signs during May 2026 : while light vehicle production registered a drop, exports grew due to demand from the US market, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) announced .
According to the Administrative Registry of the Automotive Industry of Light Vehicles (RAIAVL), in the fifth month of the year 342,926 units were produced in automotive plants installed in Mexico, 3.7% less than in the same month of 2025.
Meanwhile, in the first five months of 2026, 1,642,083 cars were manufactured, representing a drop of 0.09% compared to the same period last year.
The report noted that the sector’s production structure continued to be dominated by light trucks , which accounted for 80% of total production in the January-May period, while the remainder corresponded to automobiles.
In January-May 2026, Stellantis was one of the brands that showed good performance in terms of its manufacturing with an increase of 37% over the same period in 2025. It was followed by Volkswagen with an increase of 34 percent.
Exports rebound
Last May, exports totaled 306,288 units , which represented an increase of 1.7% compared to the same month in 2025.
Meanwhile, in the January-May period of this year, 1,388,236 light vehicles were shipped abroad , an increase of 4% compared to the same period last year.
The main destination for vehicles assembled in Mexico continues to be the United States , a market that accounted for 75.4% of international shipments.
Volkswagen and Stellantis were the brands with the largest increases in their exports, with increases of 61% and 45.1% year-on-year, respectively, during the first five months of 2026.
Data from last May shows an industry that maintains its export capacity, although it faces adjustments in its production.
Factors such as changes in vehicle electrification and the reorganization of supply chains influence the performance of the automotive sector, which is one of Mexico’s manufacturing pillars.
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