North America Light-Vehicle Production Posts Record Total

In 2016, North American automakers broke the light-vehicle annual production record set in 2015 by 2.8%, assembling 1,264,273 units.

Production in the U.S. reached 847,318 light vehicles in December, gaining 2.2% over year-ago and bringing the 2016 total up 1.2% to 11,930,041 builds. Light-truck production grew 4.9% for the year with 7,995,684 units at the expense of car output, which dropped 5.5% to 3,934,357.

However, General Motors, the biggest car producer in the U.S. with 12 models on its roster, surpassed 2015’s total by 21.7% with 883,061 cars. Most other manufacturers decreased car output in 2016, including Ford (-25.7%), Hyundai (-10.8%) and Mercedes-Benz (-21.6%).

FCA has all but stopped car production, building only 373 units in December, down 97.3% from year-ago’s 13,972. For the year, FCA car output tumbled 74.8% and light-truck production dipped 3.7% to 1,433,675 units.

In its ninth year of production, Tesla built an estimated 83,922 units at its Fremont, CA plant, up 64.2% over 2015’s total.  

December was a slow month in Canada, with LV production shrinking 7.2% to 165,477. Still, the country ended the year with a total of 2,357,846 LVs, rising 3.9% above full-year 2015.

Light-truck production soared 12.7% to a 12-month total of 1,555,789. All manufacturers outbuilt 2015, with Ford (+35.3%) and FCA (+18.6%) witnessing the biggest gains.

Production in Mexico rose 13.2% in December to 251,478 units, a record total for the month. The year-end tally of 3,457,204 was 2.1% above prior-year and a record high for any year. Mexico production has more than doubled since 2009.

Car output grew 1.3% to 1,993,168 and the light-truck total gained 3.1% with 1,464,036 units. Mexico was the only country in the region still building more cars than light trucks.

GM car production in Mexico saw the highest increase for the year, rising 53.1% to 185,407, boosted by the addition of the Cruze in March. Light-truck output slipped 0.9% to 518,047.

Last year was a record one for many automakers. Kia surpassed 400,000 units for the first time since starting production in the region in 2009, adding over 100,000 to 2015’s total. Toyota increased production 6.0% to 2,045,162 LVs, breaking the 2 million mark for the first time.

BMW (+2.6%), Mercedes-Benz (+1.5%), Nissan (+3.9%) and Subaru (+7.8%) all reached record annual totals.

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