The company Honda has decided to cancel the production of the next generation of the hybrid Civic in Mexico and move it to the United States to avoid the 25% tariff imposed on cars assembled on Mexican soil. Initially planned to be assembled at the Celaya plant in Guanajuato, the assembly of this popular car will now take place at facilities located in Indiana.
According to sources close to the relocation, the construction of the hybrid Civic was scheduled in Mexico starting in 2027 due to rising costs in Indiana or Canada. However, the company plans to establish production of the new Civic model in Indiana starting in May 2028, with a production capacity of approximately 210,000 units per year.
This move by Honda reflects the need to adapt to the tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on goods from Mexico and Canada, according to sources cited by the information agency Reuters.
In Mexico, Honda has consolidated its presence as a low-cost production center for Japanese automakers and other brands with global production standards and volumes. Official data indicates that around 80% of Honda's vehicle production in Mexico is shipped to the United States, the second largest automotive market in the world after China.
In 2024, Honda sold approximately 1.4 million cars and trucks in the U.S. market, including Acura models. Notably, more than 240,000 units of the Civic, both gasoline and hybrid and electric models, making it the second best-selling car of the brand in the U.S. About 40% of the vehicles that Honda sells in the United States are imported from Mexico and Canada, following the CR-V. Sales of the Civic in the U.S. increased by 21% year-on-year last year, according to company data.
