Total production of light vehicles in Mexico remained nearly flat between 2004 and 2009 but in the following five-year span from 2009 to 2014, production more than doubled. In 2004, cars and light trucks made up an almost equal share of that production but since then the number of cars produced has increased significantly. Cars represented about 60 percent of Mexico’s light vehicle production in 2014. Auto manufacturers have invested heavily in Mexico for a variety of reasons including low cost labor, favorable trade agreements between Mexico and key markets, and proximity to both North American and South American markets. For Japanese automakers, the strength of the Yen versus the U.S. dollar has also increased pressure to produce vehicles outside of Japan to maintain competitive pricing for their vehicles in the U.S.

Production of Light Vehicles in Mexico by Vehicle Type, 2004, 2009, and 2014

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Note: The portion of Mexico-produced vehicles that are sold in the United States is not available. Mexico light vehicle production serves a global market.

Fact #862 Dataset

Supporting Information

Production of Light Vehicles in Mexico by Vehicle Type, 2004, 2009, and 2014 (Thousands)

Vehicle TypeCalendar Year
 200420092014
Cars7829431,916
Light Trucks7065591,277
All Light Vehicles1,4881,5023,193

Source: Ward's AutoInfoBank, accessed January 22, 2015.

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