Mexican car sales rose 8.7%, marking one of the best starts to the year

In January 2026, Mexico’s light vehicle production reached 303,980 units.

The Mexican Association of Automotive Industries (AMIA) released its January 2026 report on light vehicle production, exports, and domestic sales, based on information published by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). The report shows discrepancies between manufacturing, foreign trade, and domestic demand at the start of the year.

In January 2026, Mexico’s light vehicle production reached 303,980 units, a 2.7% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. This production adjustment reflects the normalization of manufacturing levels at the beginning of the year, following periods of production growth observed in 2025.

In contrast, exports performed well. In January of this year, Mexico exported 224,528 light vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 2.3%. This result further confirms Mexico’s important position as an export platform for major international markets, especially North America.

In the domestic market, sales of new light vehicles continued their growth momentum. In January 2026, a total of 131,491 units were sold, representing an 8.7% increase compared to the same period last year. According to the Mexican Association of Automobile Manufacturers (AMIA), this performance made January one of the best starts to the year ever, reflecting a more active domestic market demand environment.

Meanwhile, AMIA reported that in January 2026, sales of hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles reached 14,173 units, a year-on-year increase of 30.2%, accounting for 10.8% of the country’s total light vehicle sales.

Of the total vehicles sold in this segment, 10,750 were hybrid vehicles, accounting for 75.8%; 2,170 were plug-in hybrid vehicles, accounting for 15.3%; and 1,253 were pure electric vehicles, accounting for 8.8% of the total electric vehicle sales for the month.