5 Unexpected Cars Built in Mexico

CARS.COM — The places where automakers build cars was a big issue during last year’s presidential campaign and remains so today as the Trump administration considers import tariffs and a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Related: 2016 American Made Index

Mexico has become a major auto-assembly hub in recent years with automakers from around the world establishing plants in the country. And many of the cars and trucks built there end up at a dealership near you. As people across the U.S. celebrate Mexican-American culture on this Cinco de Mayo, here are five cars you might be surprised to learn have journeyed from south of the border:

2017 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab

There aren’t many brands more American than Chevrolet or a vehicle more American than the full-size pickup truck, but that doesn’t drive production location in the global auto industry. While GM builds pickup trucks in both Indiana and Michigan, it’s also built crew-cab versions of its trucks in Silao, Mexico, for years.

2017 Ford Fiesta

Lower labor costs have made Mexico an appealing location for assembly of small cars, which tend to have lower margins than bigger vehicles. The smallest car Ford sells in the U.S. is the subcompact Fiesta hatchback, which is built in Cuautitl n Izcalli.

2017 Honda Fit

Honda is one of several automakers that have added production capacity in Mexico in recent years, and its factory in Celaya is one of the production locations for the Fit subcompact hatchback.

2017 Lincoln MKZ

Mexico hasn’t been known for building luxury cars and trucks, but luxury brands are beginning to establish assembly plants there. Lincoln has been there longer than most; its MKZ mid-size luxury sedan, which is related to the Ford Fusion, is built in Hermosillo.

2017 Ram 2500 and 3500

The heavy-duty Ram 2500 and 3500 full-size pickups offer incredible capability and power with an available Cummins turbo-diesel engine that churns out 900 pounds-feet of torque in certain configurations. Like some versions of the light-duty Ram 1500, these trucks are built in Saltillo.