MEXICO · TRADE
Key Facts
- —What is happening The dealers’ group AMDA said on Wednesday, 7 October, that Chinese brands hold 17% of Mexican new-car sales from January to September, despite a 50% import tariff.
- —Why it matters Mexico raised the tariff from 20% to 50% on Thursday, 1 January, to keep Chinese cars out, but China-built cars still reach buyers, including under US brands.
- —The numbers Chinese brands hold 17% of sales and all China-built cars 28%, while Mexico’s car imports from China fell 31.1% to 158,571 units in the first half.
- —Who is who AMDA is Mexico’s new-car dealers’ association, led by Guillermo Rosales Zárate, and General Motors, a US carmaker, sold 79,913 China-built vehicles there from January to July.
- —What to watch Whether Chinese brands keep their 17% once the pre-tariff stock, as AMDA describes it, runs out, and whether AMDA’s October data confirms it.
- —Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you GM and Ford also sell China-built cars in Mexico, so the tariff affects US-linked brands and not only BYD.
Mexico has charged a 50% tariff on Chinese cars since 1 January. Chinese brands still hold 17% of new-car sales.
Chinese carmakers still hold 17% of new-car sales in Mexico, after a 50% import tariff. The dealers’ group AMDA gave the figure on Wednesday, 7 October, for January to September.
That share counts brands that do not report to INEGI, the national statistics agency. Counting every car built in China, whatever the badge, the share is 28%.
In Plain English
- AMDA: the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors, founded in 1945, which speaks for about 2,800 dealers selling 75 brands.
- INEGI: Mexico’s statistics agency, which collects monthly sales from the carmakers that report to it.
- Chinese brand: a make owned by a Chinese company, such as BYD, MG, Geely or Chirey.
- China-built: any car assembled in China, including models sold under US or Korean badges.
What the Dealers Reported
AMDA presented the figures in an online press conference, according to its release of 7 October. Brands that report to INEGI and are purely Chinese hold 11.4%, rising to 17% when non-reporting makers are added.
Forbes México lists BYD, GAC, Chirey and Omoda among the makers that do not report to INEGI. Including cars built in China by any brand, the share is 23% among reporters and 28% with the rest.
The 17% is not new, as an earlier report showed for the first half. AMDA gave it for January to April and January to July, against 14% for the first half a year earlier, Autocosmos reported.
Sales of Chinese brands rose from 107,712 to 137,525 vehicles in the first half, according to the same AMDA document. That is a gain of about 28%, in a market that AMDA says grew 7.9% in September alone.
Why Imports Fell but Sales Did Not
Light-vehicle imports from China fell 31.1% to 158,571 units in the first half, the Economy Ministry said on Monday, 31 August. El Imparcial, citing the ministry, put their value at US$2.16 billion, down 35.4%.
AMDA’s Rosales said in May that imports from China rose in late 2025 to soften the tariff. Chinese brands held about six months of stock, and some far more, Forbes México reported.
The tariff on finished cars from China was 20% until the end of 2025, Rosales said. It has been 50% since Thursday, 1 January, under a law covering 1,463 tariff lines.
El Imparcial cautioned against crediting the whole 31.1% drop to the tariff. Stock, demand, pricing, financing and carmakers’ sourcing choices also play a part, it wrote.
China-Built Does Not Mean Chinese-Owned
General Motors sold 79,913 China-built vehicles in Mexico from January to July, up 12.8%, Expánsión reported on AMDA estimates. That is 71% of GM’s Mexican portfolio.
Ford sold 10,213 China-built vehicles in the same period, up 43.3%, or 35% of its Mexican sales. Kia drew 24% of its units from China, Expánsión said.
GM and the Chinese carmaker SAIC build the Chevrolet Aveo in China through a joint venture. It was Mexico’s second best-selling car from January to April, Forbes México said.
Imported cars took 69.7% of the market from January to July, against 66.2% a year earlier, Expánsión reported. Cars made in Mexico fell from 33.8% to 30.3% of sales.
Where the Tariff Came From
Mexico’s Senate passed the tariff law on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, by 76 votes to 5 with 35 abstentions, Diario Libre reported. President Claudia Sheinbaum proposed it, and Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said on Sunday, 30 August, that it protects 350,000 jobs.
The USMCA is the trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Under its terms, the three countries review it jointly in 2026.
Earlier reports on the AMDA forum, the parts tariff waiver and the US tariff talks cover that side. They cover the wider tariff talks between Mexico and Washington.
What It Means for US Readers
GM and Ford, both US carmakers, sell China-built cars in Mexico, so their sales sit inside this debate. The figures also show how far Chinese brands have reached in the market next door.
The sources do not say how the tariff has changed prices or which carmakers gain. A fuller picture of how carmakers are rerouting supply is in an earlier report.
What Is Not Known
No source separates sales of cars imported after 1 January from those drawn from older stock. The effect of the tariff on Chinese-brand prices is also not published.
The 17% share includes AMDA’s own estimate for makers that do not report to INEGI. The GM and Ford figures are AMDA estimates relayed by Expánsión, which this report could not match to an AMDA release.
What Comes Next
AMDA’s next monthly release, covering October, will update the share. It will show whether the 17% moves as pre-tariff stock thins.
None of this changes the tariff, which stays at 50% for now. It also does not show that Chinese brands are winning, since shares can shift as stock runs down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico’s 50% tariff on Chinese cars in force?
Yes, it has applied since Thursday, 1 January. It covers finished cars from countries without a trade deal with Mexico.
How big is the Chinese car share in Mexico?
Chinese brands hold 17% of new-car sales from January to September, AMDA says. Counting every car built in China, the share is 28%.
Why did imports fall while sales held up?
AMDA says Chinese makers shipped extra cars before the tariff and held months of stock. Imports from China fell 31.1% in the first half.
Do US carmakers sell China-built cars in Mexico?
Yes, General Motors and Ford both do. GM sold 79,913 China-built vehicles from January to July, Expánsión reported.
What is AMDA?
It is the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors, founded in 1945. It speaks for about 2,800 dealers selling 75 brands.
Sources: AMDA press release, 7 October; AMDA press release, 10 August; El Economista via La República; La Razón, 1 September; El Imparcial, 15 September; Forbes México, 12 May; Expánsión, 18 August; Autocosmos, 20 July; Diario Libre, 11 December 2025 (all accessed 26 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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