The number that matters: 16,072 and −21.8%
Mexico heavy-vehicle retail (vehículo pesado) closed January-June 2026 at 16,072 units, per AMDA (Asociación Mexicana de Distribuidores de Automotores) retail sales figures. That is 4,481 fewer units than January-June 2025 (−21.80% YoY) and 26.6% below the comparable 2019 cumulative.
- retail units Jan-Jun 2026 (AMDA)
- 16,072
- YoY vs Jan-Jun 2025
- −21.8%
- vs comparable 2019 cumulative
- −26.6%
Context reads: state of Mexico logistics 2026 and the transport squeeze cover the cost side. This article looks at equipment investment.
Cargo vs passenger: where the market breaks
Retail splits into two worlds. Cargo holds 85.8% of the market (13,794 units, −20.10% YoY). Passenger takes the remaining 14.2% (2,278 units, −30.74%).
Inside cargo the hit is uneven: tractors fall −34.10%, while other cargo nearly holds (−2.09%).
Cargo (total)
Units: 13,794
Share: 85.8%
YoY: −20.10%
Tractors
Units: 6,400
Share: 39.82% of total*
YoY: −34.10%
Other cargo
Units: 7,394
Share: 46.01% of total*
YoY: −2.09%
Passenger (total)
Units: 2,278
Share: 14.2%
YoY: −30.74%
Long-haul coaches
Units: 633
Share: n/a
YoY: −30.97%
Other passenger
Units: 1,645
Share: n/a
YoY: −30.65%
Total retail
Units: 16,072
Share: 100%
YoY: −21.80%
FIGURE 1 · CONTRACTION BY SEGMENT
YoY change, Jan-Jun 2026 vs 2025.
Percent change YoY (negative scale). Tractors lead the drop; other cargo is nearly flat.
Source: AMDA · Mexico heavy-vehicle retail · Jan-Jun 2026 vs Jan-Jun 2025.
Mix and brands: retail concentration
In the semester mix, other cargo leads at 46.01%, then tractors (39.82%) and buses (13.94%).
On cargo brands, the market stays concentrated: the top five hold about 76.3% of the segment. And weakness is broad: nine of seventeen brands were down YoY.
| Brand (cargo) | Share |
|---|---|
| Kenworth | 26.01% |
| International | 23.90% |
| Freightliner | 20.99% |
| Isuzu | 9.88% |
| Hino | 5.71% |
| Top 5 (approx.) | ~76.3% |
FIGURE 2 · CARGO SHARE
Top 5 brands in cargo retail.
Cargo-segment concentration: three Class 8 names dominate; Isuzu and Hino complete the top five.
Source: AMDA · cargo retail share · Jan-Jun 2026.
| Brand (passenger) | Share |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz Buses | 35.03% |
| Scania | 16.73% |
| Volvo | 14.88% |
| Volkswagen | 14.05% |
| International | 10.32% |
Trend note: June 2026
June 2026 marked the first positive annual growth rate since 2025. It is a useful monthly dashboard signal, not a recovery verdict.
The full half-year remains deeply negative versus 2025 and versus 2019. One green month is not enough to relax capacity discipline, rate cards, or carrier scorecards.
What it means for capacity and rates
Fewer new tractors do not magically lower freight.
In Mexico 2026 carriers already face diesel, insurance, and rates that do not keep up (see the transport squeeze). Deferring equipment purchases is often the financial release valve.
The secondary effect for shippers is twofold:
- Supply of modern units grows more slowly on long-haul and cross-border lanes.
- Survivors with healthy balance sheets gain pricing power when peak season or a nearshoring demand spike arrives.
Fleet age and maintenance risk
Every quarter of weak renewal ages the fleet that moves your freight. Older fleets usually mean:
- More shop time
- More in-route failures
- Higher compliance exposure (emissions, inspections, devices)
- A wider reliability spread among carriers at the same price
That is managed with data, not OEM press releases. In practice:
- Ask for average age / model year on critical lanes and in carrier onboarding (see carrier management).
- Cross failures, refusals, and OTIF by carrier: a cheap rate with units at the limit becomes expensive in redeliveries and claims.
- Monitor in-route exceptions (GPS, appointments, atypical stops) before the shop becomes a no-show. Related: fleet utilization and track and trace.
Shipper strategy: contract vs spot
With a tighter capacity signal ahead, the spot vs contract mix stops being a theory debate. A useful guide:
Critical lane / high-SLA customer
Bias: More contract
Why: Protects allotment when spot gets nervous
Volatile volume or short project
Bias: Spot with a broad panel
Why: Flexibility, but with scorecard and evidence
Weak tractor renewal (as in H1 2026)
Bias: Lock preferents + disciplined payment
Why: Good capacity is a scarce asset
“Cheap” rate with no file
Bias: Reject
Why: Often hides edge-of-life fleet or accessorial leakage
The product tie-in is light and concrete:
- A tendering agent quotes in parallel with evidence
- Audit matches 100% of invoices to the rate card before payment
- Tracking reduces ops surprise
They do not “fix” the AMDA cycle: they stop capacity decisions from living only in WhatsApp and Excel.
Practical checklist for Q3-Q4
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Detalle del paso · 01
Review contract coverage on critical lanes
Step 1
Is your network ready if tractor renewal stays slow?
In the demo we review contract/spot mix, carrier scorecards, and invoice leakage on your real operation.
Book a demoSources and further reading
- AMDA heavy-vehicle retail Jun / H1 2026- primary source for 16,072 / −21.8% and June +3.9% (with INEGI).
- AMDA- retail/wholesale heavy-vehicle bulletins.
- ANPACT- heavy-vehicle manufacturers association (read with AMDA).
- INEGI- underlying stats feeding AMDA retail bulletins.
- ANTP- private-fleet / capacity-user perspective.
- SICT- federal motor-carrier and infrastructure frame.
Key takeaways5 points
- Mexico heavy-vehicle retail Jan-Jun 2026: 16,072 units (−21.80% YoY, −4,481 vs 2025) and 26.6% below the 2019 cumulative (AMDA).
- The pain is in tractors (−34.10%). Other cargo is nearly flat (−2.09%). Passenger −30.74%.
- Cargo top 5 ~76.3% of the segment: Kenworth, International, Freightliner, Isuzu, and Hino.
- June 2026 was the first positive annual rate since 2025: a monthly signal, not a semester recovery.
- For shippers: slower renewal = older fleets, more ops risk, and more value in securing capacity with contract plus evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Per AMDA retail sales figures for heavy vehicles (vehículo pesado), January-June 2026 totaled 16,072 units: 4,481 fewer than the same period in 2025 (−21.80% YoY) and 26.6% below the comparable 2019 cumulative.
Tractors (tractocamiones) led the contraction: 6,400 units (−34.10% YoY). Other cargo held up better at 7,394 units (−2.09%). Overall cargo was 85.8% of retail (13,794 units, −20.10%).
Fleet renewal slows. Fewer new tractors usually mean, with a lag, older capacity, higher maintenance, and more breakdown risk. That hits peak-season availability, OTIF, and bargaining power between spot and contract freight.
No. June was the first positive annual growth rate since 2025: a monthly inflection to watch, not a full-semester recovery. The half-year is still −21.80% YoY and far from 2019. Wait for the next quarter before rewriting capacity strategy.
The top five hold about 76.3% of cargo retail: Kenworth 26.01%, International 23.90%, Freightliner 20.99%, Isuzu 9.88%, and Hino 5.71% (AMDA shares within cargo). Nine of seventeen brands were down YoY.
When new supply tightens, relying only on spot gets riskier. A mix with contract on critical lanes plus disciplined spot usually protects service. Evidenced tendering and a scored carrier panel help avoid buying capacity blind. See also spot vs contract.
Heavy-equipment sales measure appetite to invest in fleet. Cost pressure (diesel, insurance, rates) helps explain deferred purchases. Costlier-to-maintain capacity plus fewer new units = cross-pressure on rates and service. Companion read: 2026 transport squeeze (industry projections).
Market source: AMDA, Mexico heavy-vehicle retail sales, January-June 2026 cumulative. Ops implications: OCL Cargo. This article does not reproduce third-party personal branding; it interprets the figures for freight decisions.