From producing nearly one in every four vehicles on North American roads to powering a staggering export machine, Mexico’s automotive industry is not just driving forward—it's accelerating into a new era of global manufacturing dominance.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Mexico's automotive industry produced 4.1 million vehicles, representing 24% of North America's total production.
- Light vehicle production in Mexico reached 3,869,689 units in 2023, up 7.3% from 2022.
- Mexico manufactured 2.4 million passenger cars in 2023, accounting for 19% of global output in this segment.
- Automotive exports from Mexico reached $124 billion USD in 2023, 83% to the US.
- Vehicle exports totaled 3.2 million units in 2023, a record high.
- US-bound vehicle shipments were 2.6 million units in 2023, 82% of total exports.
- Mexico's automotive employment reached 950,000 direct jobs in 2023.
- Indirect jobs in auto supply chain totaled 3.2 million in 2023.
- Guanajuato state employed 180,000 in automotive sector in 2023.
- FDI in Mexico's auto sector totaled $6.2 billion USD in 2023.
- US firms invested $3.8 billion in Mexican auto plants in 2023.
- German OEMs committed $2.1 billion FDI in 2023 expansions.
- Vehicle sales in Mexico reached 1.35 million units in 2023, up 12.4%.
- Pickup truck sales surged 25% to 320,000 units in 2023.
- SUV sales dominated with 580,000 units, 43% market share in 2023.
Mexico's automotive industry reached record production and exports in 2023, cementing its crucial global role.
Employment Metrics
- Mexico's automotive employment reached 950,000 direct jobs in 2023.
- Indirect jobs in auto supply chain totaled 3.2 million in 2023.
- Guanajuato state employed 180,000 in automotive sector in 2023.
- Nuevo Leon had 120,000 auto workers in 2023.
- Average wage in Mexican auto plants was $450 USD monthly in 2023.
- Women comprised 32% of auto industry workforce in 2023, up 5% from 2020.
- Engineers in auto sector numbered 85,000 in 2023.
- Training programs graduated 25,000 workers for auto plants in 2023.
- Turnover rate in auto manufacturing was 8% in 2023.
- Unionized workers in auto industry: 450,000 in 2023.
- Nearshoring created 50,000 new auto jobs in 2023.
- Aguascalientes state auto employment: 95,000 in 2023.
- Puebla employed 110,000 in VW and suppliers in 2023.
- Coahuila truck plants had 80,000 workers in 2023.
- Sonora auto jobs: 70,000, mostly Ford and suppliers in 2023.
- EV sector added 12,000 specialized jobs in 2023.
- Logistics jobs for auto exports: 150,000 in 2023.
- R&D positions in auto: 20,000 engineers in 2023.
- Youth under 30: 40% of new hires in auto plants 2023.
- Safety incidents per 100 workers: 2.1 in 2023.
Employment Metrics Interpretation
While Mexico's auto industry now fuels over four million livelihoods and a record wave of nearshoring, its engine is powered by a dedicated yet underpaid workforce—from the young new hires on assembly lines to the growing ranks of female and unionized workers—all navigating a landscape where innovation and job growth must ultimately shift gears toward better wages and safer conditions.
Export and Import Data
- Automotive exports from Mexico reached $124 billion USD in 2023, 83% to the US.
- Vehicle exports totaled 3.2 million units in 2023, a record high.
- US-bound vehicle shipments were 2.6 million units in 2023, 82% of total exports.
- Canada received 180,000 Mexican vehicles in 2023 via USMCA.
- Exports to Europe hit 120,000 units in 2023, mainly from German plants.
- Auto parts exports grew 8% to $109 billion in 2023.
- Wiring harness exports valued $18 billion in 2023, 95% to North America.
- Engine exports reached $25 billion USD in 2023.
- Transmission exports totaled 3.9 million units worth $22 billion in 2023.
- Q1 2024 vehicle exports rose 12% to 820,000 units.
- Imports of vehicles into Mexico were 1.2 million units in 2023, mostly used from US.
- Auto parts imports declined 5% to $38 billion in 2023.
- China supplied 25% of Mexico's imported auto parts in 2023, valued at $9.5 billion.
- US auto parts imports to Mexico hit $20 billion in 2023.
- Trade surplus in automotive sector was $86 billion USD in 2023.
- Maquiladora exports from auto sector contributed $95 billion in 2023.
- Exports via Laredo port reached 1.1 million vehicles in 2023.
- Nuevo Laredo customs processed $40 billion in auto exports in 2023.
- Veracruz port handled 250,000 vehicles for export in 2023.
- Manzanillo port exports of auto parts grew 15% to $5 billion in 2023.
- Automotive trade with US under USMCA was $200 billion in 2023.
- RoRo shipments to US totaled 2.4 million vehicles from Mexico in 2023.
- Steel imports for auto industry were 4.5 million tons in 2023.
- Aluminum imports for vehicles hit 450,000 tons in 2023.
Export and Import Data Interpretation
Mexico's automotive industry is essentially the United States' incredibly efficient and profitable backroom assembly line, sending a flood of vehicles and parts north while carefully managing a complex global web of its own imports.
Investment and FDI Figures
- FDI in Mexico's auto sector totaled $6.2 billion USD in 2023.
- US firms invested $3.8 billion in Mexican auto plants in 2023.
- German OEMs committed $2.1 billion FDI in 2023 expansions.
- Nearshoring FDI surged 25% to $4.5 billion in auto in 2023.
- Nissan announced $2 billion investment for EV production in 2023.
- BMW expanded San Luis plant with $800 million in 2023.
- Stellantis invested $1.6 billion in Saltillo for new Ram models in 2023.
- Tesla evaluated $5 billion Gigafactory in Nuevo Leon in 2023 talks.
- Korean firms (Hyundai/Kia) FDI: $1.2 billion in 2023.
- Japanese OEMs invested $900 million in 2023 upgrades.
- Auto parts FDI reached $2.8 billion in 2023.
- Guanajuato attracted $1.5 billion auto FDI in 2023.
- Cumulative FDI in auto since 1993: $45 billion by 2023.
- 2024 FDI projections: $7.5 billion for auto sector.
- EV battery plants FDI: $1.1 billion announced in 2023.
- Logistics infrastructure FDI for auto: $600 million in 2023.
- R&D centers FDI: $400 million from OEMs in 2023.
- New plants announced: 5 with $3.2 billion total in 2023.
- Supplier park investments: $850 million around OEMs in 2023.
- Queretaro state FDI in auto: $700 million in 2023.
- San Luis Potosi attracted $900 million BMW-related FDI in 2023.
Investment and FDI Figures Interpretation
In a show of geopolitical and industrial seduction, Mexico's auto sector lured over $6 billion in 2023 as global giants, from Detroit to Stuttgart, placed expensive bets on its soil, proving that nearshoring is less a trend and more a full-blown, high-stakes romance.
Production Statistics
- In 2023, Mexico's automotive industry produced 4.1 million vehicles, representing 24% of North America's total production.
- Light vehicle production in Mexico reached 3,869,689 units in 2023, up 7.3% from 2022.
- Mexico manufactured 2.4 million passenger cars in 2023, accounting for 19% of global output in this segment.
- Commercial vehicle production hit 457,000 units in 2023, a 14% year-over-year growth.
- In Q4 2023, monthly vehicle production averaged 350,000 units, led by Puebla state's plants.
- Engine production in Mexico totaled 5.2 million units in 2023, with 60% for export.
- Transmission assembly output reached 4.8 million units in 2023, primarily in Guanajuato.
- Wiring harness production exceeded 380 million units in 2023, 80% exported to the US.
- In 2022, Mexico's auto parts production value was $120 billion USD.
- Vehicle assembly plants in Mexico numbered 23 in 2023, producing over 4 million units combined.
- Ford's Hermosillo plant produced 380,000 vehicles in 2023, specializing in Mavericks.
- GM's Ramos Arizpe facility output 250,000 units in 2023, focusing on SUVs.
- Volkswagen's Puebla plant assembled 520,000 Jettas in 2023, world's largest for the model.
- Nissan’s Aguascalientes plants produced 800,000 vehicles in 2023, 70% for export.
- Toyota's Baja California plant output 160,000 Tacomas in 2023.
- BMW's San Luis Potosi plant reached 180,000 units in 2023, all 3 Series sedans.
- Audi's San Jose Chiapa plant produced 150,000 Q5 SUVs in 2023.
- Stellantis' Saltillo truck plant assembled 320,000 Ram pickups in 2023.
- Honda's El Salto plant output 120,000 CR-Vs in 2023.
- Kia's Pesquería plant produced 380,000 vehicles in 2023, mostly Sorentos.
- Mazda's Salamanca plant assembled 240,000 vehicles in 2023.
- Mercedes-Benz's first EV plant in Mexico began production of 6,000 EQS in 2023 pilot.
- Auto parts suppliers in Mexico numbered over 600 in 2023, generating $45 billion in exports.
- EV production in Mexico surged to 45,000 units in 2023, up 200% from 2022.
- Seating production reached 18 million units in 2023, led by Adient and Lear.
- Battery production for hybrids hit 1.2 million packs in 2023.
- Mexico's automotive cluster in Bajio region produced 2.1 million vehicles in 2023.
- Northern border states contributed 1.2 million units to national production in 2023.
- Central Mexico plants output 1.8 million light vehicles in 2023.
- Mexico ranked 7th globally in vehicle production with 4.1 million units in 2023.
Production Statistics Interpretation
Mexico is quietly building a quarter of North America's cars, nearly a fifth of the world's passenger vehicles, and a mountain of critical components, proving it’s no longer just a supporting actor in the global auto industry but rather its indispensable production powerhouse.
Sales and Market Trends
- Vehicle sales in Mexico reached 1.35 million units in 2023, up 12.4%.
- Pickup truck sales surged 25% to 320,000 units in 2023.
- SUV sales dominated with 580,000 units, 43% market share in 2023.
- Nissan held 23% market share with 310,000 units sold in 2023.
- Chevrolet was second with 19% share, 256,000 units in 2023.
- Used vehicle market: 5.2 million transactions in 2023.
- EV sales grew 85% to 25,000 units in 2023.
- Hybrid sales doubled to 45,000 units in 2023.
- Average vehicle price rose 8% to $28,000 USD in 2023.
- Dealer network: 2,500 outlets sold 1.35 million new vehicles in 2023.
- Q4 2023 sales: 380,000 units, boosted by incentives.
- Pickup segment leader: Ram with 110,000 sales in 2023.
- Toyota sales: 150,000 units, 11% market share in 2023.
- VW sales: 120,000 units in Mexico in 2023.
- Imported vehicles: 450,000 sold, 33% of market in 2023.
- Fleet sales to businesses: 420,000 units in 2023.
- Retail consumer sales: 930,000 units in 2023.
- Financing penetration: 75% of sales via credit in 2023.
- Digital sales platforms handled 15% of leads in 2023.
- 2024 sales forecast: 1.5 million units, 11% growth.
- Luxury segment sales up 18% to 35,000 units in 2023.
Sales and Market Trends Interpretation
While Mexico’s automotive market is still stubbornly addicted to gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups, the thrilling, if still modest, surge in EV and hybrid sales suggests the patient might finally be considering rehab.
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