Mexico Leads US Auto Parts Imports With 46.25% Share in 2025

Mexico consolidated its position as the leading supplier of auto parts to the United States in 2025, accounting for 46.2% of total US auto parts imports—the highest share ever recorded—according to data from Mexico’s National Auto Parts Industry association (INA). The data come one year after Donald Trump returned to the US presidency with a renewed focus on tariffs and trade barriers aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing. 

INA figures indicate that 87% of Mexico’s auto parts exports are destined for the United States, highlighting the bilateral nature of the sector. Canada, Brazil, China, and Germany follow as secondary markets at a considerable distance. Between January and October 2025, Mexican auto parts exports totaled US$86.758 billion, generating a trade surplus of US$29.863 billion, based on INA data compiled from S&P Global.

“October marked a historic high in the import of Mexican components into the United States, with a 46.25% share,” said Julio Galván, manager of economic studies, INA. “For the cumulative January–October period, Mexico also reached a record 43.8% share as the main supplier of other parts to the US market.”

These figures reflect a long-term trend rather than a short-term shift. INA historical data show that Mexican-made auto parts accounted for 29.82% of US imports in 2007. Since then, Mexico’s share has steadily increased, while participation from other major suppliers such as Japan and Germany has declined. Industry analysts attribute this shift to competitive labor costs, logistics efficiency, and the regulatory certainty established under the North American Free Trade Agreement and its successor, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Mexico’s production profile further reinforces its role within US automotive supply chains. Electrical components lead output, accounting for 19.2% of total production, followed by transmissions and clutches, textiles, carpets, seats, engine components, and suspension and steering systems, according to data from national statistics agency INEGI. 

Regionally, Coahuila ranked first in auto parts production, generating US$15.1 billion between January and October. Guanajuato, Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi followed.

Despite strong trade flows, uncertainty is rising. Since May 2025, the United States has imposed tariffs on vehicles and auto parts under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, applying a 25% duty to vehicle imports beginning in April 2025 and extending the same rate to auto parts on May 3. Industry leaders warn that these measures are eroding competitiveness and complicating investment planning ahead of the USMCA review.

Marek Meister, President, San Luis Potosi Automotive Cluster, said the tariffs should be viewed as part of a broader, long-term US trade strategy rather than a temporary measure. He noted that a single auto part can face up to three different tariffs as it moves through cross-border production stages, resulting in cumulative cost increases exceeding 100% and compressing margins across the supply chain.

Rogelio Garza, executive president, Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA), said 2026 is likely to be a year of caution for the sector, particularly in the first half. Market performance, he said, will depend largely on the pace and outcome of USMCA negotiations. “We will reach an agreement; it will be difficult, but we will reach an agreement,” Garza said.

Francisco González Díaz, executive president,  INA, described the sector as resilient but warned that regulatory uncertainty limits its ability to consolidate its role as a growth engine for Mexico’s economy. In August 2025, INA leadership also highlighted the impact of US tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper—some reaching 50%—which have disproportionately affected auto parts with high metal content, particularly those exported under tariff chapters 83, 84 and 87.

At the same time, Mexico is adjusting its own trade policy. Starting January 2026, the government will impose new import tariffs ranging from 5% to 50% on goods from countries without free trade agreements, including China. The measure covers more than 1,000 tariff lines and is expected to affect both consumer goods and industrial inputs, with auto parts facing the highest rates.

Carlos Olmeda, deputy director, Jomar Autopartes, said companies increased inventories ahead of the tariff implementation to secure supply. As a result, price increases are expected to materialize by March or April, with estimated increases of 10% to 15% for final consumers.