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AUTOS

These car brands, auto suppliers will be hit by Trump's auto tariffs

Reuters
  • President Trump signed an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on all cars and light-duty trucks imported into the United States.
  • The Detroit 3 automakers will be affected by the tariffs.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday imposing 25% tariffs on all cars and light-duty trucks imported into the U.S. The executive order says the tariffs will take effect on or after 12:01 a.m. April 3 for automobiles, and on the "date specified in the Federal Register for automobile parts, but no later than May 3, 2025.”

Here are the automakers and other companies that are affected by the tariffs.

BMW

BMW's plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, produces the 3 Series, 2 Series Coupe and M2, with nearly all output going to the U.S. and other markets worldwide.

Ford Motor Co.

Ford has three plants in Mexico. It exported just under 196,000 cars to North America in the first half of 2024, with 90% going to the U.S., according to Mexico's AMIA.

General Motors

GM imported roughly 750,000 vehicles from Canada or Mexico in 2024 to the U.S., with most made in Mexico, GlobalData says. They include the Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra full-size pickups, and midsize SUVs. The Mexican plants also build two of its new EVs. GM's three plants in Canada produce electric vans, the Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty truck, and the V8 engine and dual-clutch transmission.

Honda

Honda Motor sends 80% of its Mexican output to the U.S. market. It warned on Nov. 6 that it would have to consider shifting production if the U.S. imposed permanent tariffs on Mexican imports.

Kia

South Korea's Kia Corp. has a factory in Mexico that makes its own vehicles and some Santa Fe SUVs for its affiliate Hyundai Motor for export to the United States.

Mazda

Mazda exported around 120,000 vehicles from Mexico to the United States in 2023, but said it may reconsider further investments if tariffs are imposed.

Nissan

Nissan Motor has two plants in Mexico where it makes the Sentra, Versa and Kicks models for the U.S. market. It produced nearly 505,000 vehicles in Mexico in the first nine months of 2024.

Stellantis

Stellantis operates assembly plants in Mexico making Ram pickups and vans, as well as the Jeep Compass midsize SUV. The group owns two assembly plants in Canada, one where it makes Chrysler models and another scheduled to resume output of a new Jeep model this year.

Toyota

Toyota Motor builds its Tacoma pickup truck at two plants in Mexico, and sold more than 230,000 of them in the U.S. in 2023, or 10% of total sales in that market.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen's factory in Puebla, Mexico, made nearly 350,000 cars in 2023, including the Jetta, Tiguan and Taos, all for export to the U.S. In Canada, Volkswagen is building a battery gigafactory in Ontario, with output to begin by 2027. Volkswagen's Audi plant in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico, makes the Q5, employing more than 5,000 people. In the first half of 2024, nearly 40,000 vehicles were exported to the U.S., according to Mexico's AMIA.

Auto suppliers

  • Sweden's Autoliv, the world's largest maker of air bags and seat belts, employs around 15,000 staff in Mexico.
  • Tire maker Michelin has two plants in Mexico and three in Canada.
  • Chinese seat maker Yanfeng Automotive Interiors supplies automakers including General Motors and Toyota from its plants in Mexico.
  • Other part makers with plants in Mexico include Italian tire maker Pirelli, Italian premium brakes maker Brembo and Italy's Eurogroup Laminations.
  • Tesla encouraged its Chinese suppliers to set up plants in Mexico in 2023 to supply the factory it was planning to build in the country from early 2025, but its plans have not materialized.

Detroit Free Press contributed.

This story was updated to add a gallery.