Economy: Mexico
Mexico built 302,803 light vehicles (cars, SUVs and light trucks) in October 2026, 17.7% fewer than a year earlier, the national statistics institute INEGI reported on Monday 9 November. Most of the lost output came from two carmakers, General Motors of the United States and Stellantis, owner of Jeep and Ram, while exports fell 17.85%.
Key Facts
—Who. INEGI, Mexico’s national statistics institute, publishes the monthly light-vehicle report.
—What. Mexican plants built 302,803 vehicles, down 17.7% from 367,928 in October 2025.
—Largest losses. General Motors built 45.5% fewer vehicles and Stellantis, owner of Jeep and Ram, 37.4% fewer.
—When. INEGI published the figures on Monday 9 November 2026.
—Prediction markets. Polymarket, a real-money prediction market, gives 6.5% to the US–Mexico–Canada trade pact (USMCA) being extended in 2026 (about US$12,400 traded, 7:53 a.m. ET, 10 November).
—Power Index. Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 70.8 points (November 2026 edition).
What INEGI Reported
INEGI published its monthly light-vehicle report on Monday 9 November 2026. Mexican plants built 302,803 vehicles in October, against 367,928 in October 2025, a loss of 65,125 units.
September’s output was 301,803 vehicles, so October was almost level with the month before. The annual fall of 17.7% follows a 15.13% fall in September, which our earlier report covered in Mexico’s September car output.
From January to October Mexico built 3,254,062 vehicles, down 3.95% from 3,387,934 a year earlier. Exports for the period reached 2,786,760, down 3.28%.
Sales at home ran the other way, rising 3.1% to 137,395 vehicles. The weakness is therefore in what factories make, not in what Mexican buyers purchase.
Which Carmakers Cut Output
General Motors, the US carmaker, built 46,504 vehicles, down 45.5% from 85,385 a year earlier. Stellantis, owner of the Jeep and Ram brands, built 22,910, down 37.4%.
Together the two companies account for 52,568 of the 65,125 vehicles lost, about 81% (our arithmetic from INEGI’s company figures). Mercedes-Benz, the German carmaker, recorded no production at all.
Nissan, a Japanese carmaker, built 16.4% fewer vehicles, while Ford, the US carmaker, built 22.4% more, so the fall was not shared evenly.
What It Means for US Readers
The United States took 76.6% of Mexico’s vehicle exports from January to October, or 2,134,474 of 2,786,760 vehicles. Mexican plants are therefore one of the main supply lines for new cars sold in the US.
General Motors and Stellantis both sell heavily in the US, so readers who follow their shares can see where the cuts landed. INEGI’s figures do not show any effect on US prices or stock levels.
What Is Not Known
No official or company source we could confirm explains the General Motors and Stellantis cuts. It is open whether they reflect model changes, plant pauses or weaker orders from the United States.
INEGI can revise its monthly figures after publication. A revision could change the size of the fall.
What to Watch Next
INEGI’s next monthly vehicle report will show whether output recovers. The USMCA trade pact, known as T-MEC in Mexico, remains under review, and its outcome will shape how Mexican-built cars are taxed in the US.
Our earlier reports looked at the auto sector’s outlook under US tariffs and at a Mexican car-parts tariff waiver. Both describe the pressure on the industry before the October figures arrived.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a prediction market where users bet real money, prices “USMCA extended in 2026?” at 6.5%, with about US$12,400 traded (read at 7:53 a.m. ET on 10 November 2026). These prices are bets, not polls.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vehicles did Mexico build in October 2026?
Mexico built 302,803 light vehicles, 17.7% fewer than the 367,928 built in October 2025, INEGI reported on Monday 9 November 2026.
Which carmakers cut output the most?
General Motors built 45.5% fewer vehicles and Stellantis 37.4% fewer, INEGI’s company figures show. Mercedes-Benz recorded no production in October.
Why does Mexican car output matter to the United States?
The United States took 76.6% of Mexico’s vehicle exports from January to October 2026, or 2,134,474 of 2,786,760 vehicles.
Sources
INEGI, monthly light-vehicle report for October 2026 · Polymarket, USMCA extended in 2026, 10 November 2026
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This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error