What accelerates Mexico’s automotive future

At a time when headlines focus on tariff tensions, electromobility or the revision of the USMCA, there is an industrial segment that is advancing silently, but with a force that transforms the very face of the automotive industry: the aftermarket. This universe, made up of services, spare parts, maintenance and vehicle customization, represents not only an expanding market, but also a strategic advantage for Mexico in the face of the challenges of a complex global environment. The advantage becomes even more relevant in the context of current global political and commercial transformations. Against this backdrop, it is imperative to strengthen the domestic market, reduce dependence on imported components, and consolidate a more resilient and competitive national supply network.

Aftermarket drives growth of Mexican vehicle fleet

In this framework, the Mexican aftermarket is called to play a strategic role. At the end of 2024, Mexico reached an all-time record of 35.1 million vehicles in circulation, with an average age of 16.2 years. This data reveals the size of the vehicle fleet and the growth potential for the auto parts industry, particularly in maintenance, spare parts and technological modernization. Almost half of these vehicles were manufactured between 1995 and 2014, confirming a constant demand for technical solutions to extend the life of the units, optimize their performance and bring them into line with current safety and efficiency standards.

Although hybrid and electric vehicles are beginning to gain ground, they barely represent 1% of the vehicle fleet. This implies that the present – and much of the immediate future – will depend on our ability to keep the vehicles already on the road operational. This vehicle fleet, made up of 57% cars, 34% pickups , 6% vans and 3% medium and heavy trucks – the latter with a record of 1.1 million units – requires an agile, technical, digital and diverse aftermarket ecosystem.

INA PAACE and IAS: key platforms for the auto parts industry

In a global environment in constant redefinition, where logistics, technology and sustainability transform traditional production models, the automotive sector faces an unprecedented opportunity. In this context, the next edition of INA PAACE Automechanika Mexico 2025 and the second edition of the International Aftermarket Summit (IAS) acquire a strategic value beyond the commercial. These forums are consolidated as platforms for connection, alignment and innovation for all actors in the auto parts supply chain, where the Mexican aftermarket takes center stage as a driver of regional competitiveness. In 2025, more than 650 national and international exhibitors – from Germany, Taiwan, Canada, China and other key countries – will present their solutions to an audience of more than 25,000 industry professionals: buyers, engineers, technicians and decision-makers.

INA PAACE Automechanika offers knowledge, technology and vision through initiatives such as Innovation 4 Mobility, more than 100 technical sessions at the Automechanika Academy, exclusive exhibitions and the traditional Industry Night. For its part, the IAS will address issues such as the state of the vehicle fleet in Mexico and North America, relocation opportunities and strategies to strengthen a more professional and technologically advanced spare parts market.

The convergence between original equipment (OE) and aftermarket opens up synergies that optimize processes, improve traceability, guarantee quality and respond to an increasingly personalized demand. Standardization and technological adoption will allow Mexico to reposition itself as a manufacturing, logistics and technological center in the region. Between 2025 and 2030, a historic expansion of the auto parts market in the country is expected, driven by digitalization, technological specialization and intelligent import substitution. Because the aftermarket is not the end of the automotive cycle, but the beginning of a new industrial value chain.

Source:https://mexicoindustry.com/opinion/aftermarket-el-motor-oculto-que-acelera-el-futuro-automotriz-de-mexico