US imports of Mexican-made trucks plummet in April

Mexican heavy-duty truck exports, production and sales suffered sharp contractions in April, falling to their lowest levels since 2020.

Automotive experts said the trucking industry has been affected by trade uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs, along with decreasing demand for heavy-duty trucks.

“We have been experiencing months of contraction in exports, and we had already anticipated in previous months that the U.S. market would slow down, in addition to the tariff policies that have been announced,” Rogelio Arzate, president of Mexico’s National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (Anpact), said during a news conference on Tuesday.

Exports of Mexican-made heavy-duty trucks fell 21.3% year over year in April 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, with only 8,964 units shipped, according to the most recent data from Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography.

The U.S. market was the main destination for exports, accounting for 95.3% in April, followed by Canada at 3.4% and Colombia at 0.5%.

The 16 members of Anpact in Mexico are Freightliner, Kenworth, Navistar, Hino, International, DINA, MAN SE, Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu, Scania, Shacman Trucks, Foton, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Daimler Buses Mexico and Volkswagen Buses.

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Production of trucks in April across Mexico declined 24.3% year over year at 11,321 units.

Freightliner was the top truck producer and exporter in Mexico in April, producing 6,030 trucks, a 35.23% year-over-year decline. The truck maker exported 5,797 units during April, a 30.5% year-over-year decrease.

International Trucks Inc. was the No. 2 producer and exporter, manufacturing 3,537 trucks in January, a 22.6% year-over-year increase. The truck maker’s exports rose 12.9% year over year to 2,687 units during the month.

For domestic retail sales, 2,922 heavy-duty trucks were sold across Mexico in April, a 34.4% year-over-year decrease. Wholesale sales of trucks in Mexico fell 55.2% year over year to 1,984 units in April.

Arzate said Mexico’s trucking industry should limit sales of used U.S. heavy-duty trucks to help strengthen domestic sales.

“The domestic market must strengthen itself in the face of the uncertain international environment,” Arzate said. “A strategy is urgently needed to renew the heavy-duty fleet and stem the influx of used vehicles from the U.S.”

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