According to statistics released by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services (MDIC), Brazil's passenger car exports in May this year increased by 86% compared to the previous year. In that month, Brazil exported a total of $570 million worth of passenger vehicles, while the export revenue for the same period in 2024 was $306 million. This marks Brazil's best performance in passenger car exports in May since 2017.

The primary driver behind this growth was the exports to Argentina. With Argentina currently undergoing an economic recovery under President Javier Milei's public fiscal austerity policies, there has been an increased demand for Brazilian-produced goods. Relevant statistics show that Brazil's automobile exports to Argentina surged from $125.7 million in May 2024 to $384.1 million in the same period in 2025, an increase of over 200%.

Demand for Brazilian cars has also increased in other key markets. For example, Colombia imported Brazilian cars worth $82.1 million in May this year, compared to $34.9 million in the same period last year. Brazil's passenger car exports to Chile grew by 220% to reach $20 million.

However, Brazilian car exports to Mexico experienced a significant decline. Mexico is Brazil's second-largest car export market, with exports dropping from $86.5 million in May 2024 to $36.6 million in the same period in 2025, a decrease of 57%. This decline was anticipated by the industry due to the imposition of import tariffs by former U.S. President Trump. With Mexico's automotive industry being one of the major export countries to the North American market, overcapacity issues have emerged. It is expected that vehicles originally intended for export will now be redirected towards domestic sales in the country, a trend that is already beginning to emerge.

According to statistics from Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), the country's car exports dropped by 11% in April 2025. While official data for May is yet to be released, the expected decline for that month might be even greater.