Border

Mexico's September auto exports plunge 12% as U.S. takes 76% of shipments

INEGI data released Wednesday: September exports fell 11.9% and production 15.1% year over year — a far steeper drop than the year-to-date trend.

By CDLWire · Published October 11, 2026

Summarized from FreightWaves.

Newly built vehicles loaded on an auto transport carrier at a border crossing

Mexico's light-vehicle exports to the world plunged in September even as the United States remained the destination for more than three-quarters of its vehicles this year, according to FreightWaves on Oct. 11.

Mexico exported 1.93 million light vehicles to the U.S. from January through September — 76.4% of its 2.53 million vehicle exports — according to figures released Wednesday by Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). But September told a different story: worldwide exports fell 11.9% year over year to 277,369 units, and production dropped 15.1% to 301,803 units.

The September slide was far steeper than the year-to-date trend. Through September, worldwide exports are down just 1.5% year over year, and production is down 2.4%. By maker, September production fell 27.1% at General Motors, 26.3% at Nissan, 16.4% at Ford, and 5.9% at Volkswagen; Stellantis gained 4.4%. Domestic demand ran the other way, with Mexican new-vehicle sales up 7.9% to 129,274 units.

For cross-border carriers, the numbers matter: Mexico's export-oriented auto manufacturing depends heavily on U.S. demand, and a 37,287-unit September export shortfall means fewer finished vehicles crossing the border.