The value of Mexico’s auto sector exports to the United States declined 13.4% annually in the first two months of 2026, according to U.S. government data, additional evidence that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexican-made vehicles are having a significant impact.
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported on Thursday that Mexico’s exports of motor vehicles and parts to the U.S. in January and February were worth US $23.15 billion, down from $26.74 billion in the same period of last year. Despite the decline, Mexico was the top exporter of auto sector products to the United States in the first two months of the year.
The decline in the value of Mexico’s auto sector exports to the U.S. in early 2026 came after Trump last year imposed 25% tariffs on light, medium and heavy vehicles made south of the U.S. border, although U.S. content in those vehicles is exempt from the duty. The U.S. president also imposed tariffs on non-USMCA compliant auto parts, although the vast majority of Mexican-made parts do comply with the three-way trade pact.
The publication of the U.S. data on Mexico’s auto exports to its northern neighbor came six days after the Mexican statistics agency INEGI released its own data on exports during the first two months of the year. INEGI’s data shows that Mexico’s auto exports to all countries around the world were worth $24.98 billion in January and February, down 6.1% compared to the same period of last year.
Manufacturing drives Mexico’s export surge in February, even as production stalls
In 2025, Mexico’s overall auto sector exports fell 4.2% annually to $185.79 billion. Close to 80% of Mexico’s auto exports go to the United States. The Mexican auto sector has been able to partially offset the decline in exports to the United States by increasing the shipment of vehicles and parts to other markets, such as Canada and Germany.
Revenue from export of cars to US falls 27%
U.S. data shows that Mexico’s exports of passenger cars to the United States were worth $5.14 billion in the first two months of 2026, down 27.5% from $7.1 billion in the same period of 2025.
Auto sector analyst Cesar Roy told the newspaper El Sol de México that General Motors, Ford and Nissan suffered the biggest declines in exports to the United States in early 2026.
Mexico’s exports of trucks, buses and special purpose vehicles to the U.S. generated revenue of $5.47 billion in January and February, down 18.9% from $6.75 billion in the first two months of last year.
The value of Mexico’s auto part exports to the U.S. declined to $12.53 billion in January and February from $12.89 billion a year earlier. In percentage terms, the drop was 2.7%.
U.S. data also shows that the United States’ auto sector exports to Mexico declined 10% annually to $5.96 billion in the first two months of 2026.
Two-way auto-sector trade was worth $29.12 billion in January and February, down 12.7% from $33.37 billion a year earlier.
Mexico’s overall exports to US increase 4.2% in first 2 months of 2026
Despite the 13.4% annual decrease in the value of auto sector exports to the U.S., Mexico’s overall revenue from goods shipped to its northern neighbor in January and February increased 4.2% annually to $86.82 billion, according to U.S. data.
Meanwhile, the United States’ exports to Mexico were worth $60.49 billion in the first two months of the year, a 10.6% increase compared to the same period of 2025.
Two-way trade between the North American neighbors grew 6.2% annually to $147.32 billion in the period.
In the first two months of the year, Mexico maintained its position as the United States’ top trade partner. Its share of the U.S. market for imports increased to 16.9% from 13.8% a year earlier. Mexico’s outlay on imports from the U.S. accounted for 15.9% of the United States’ total export revenue in the first two months of 2026, down from 16.5% a year earlier.
With reports from El Sol de México and El Economista
