North America Production Slowed 4.2% in October

North America light-vehicle production totaled 1,562,241 units in October, a 4.2% decrease from same-month 2016.

Assembly plants in Canada saw the biggest slowdown, plummeting 22.4% to 151,221 light vehicles, the smallest October volume in over 30 years. Light-truck output shrank 34.7%, while car production inched up 2.9% to 65,248.

Much of the light-truck decline came from FCA’s Windsor, ON, plant which was shut down for retooling to adjust to changes in U.S. airbag regulations.

Toyota production dropped 6.9% to 47,586 LVs in Canada, while Honda increased 8.37% to 37,518 and Ford was up 5.1% at 20,567.

Through October, automakers in Canada built 1,832,367 units, falling 7.7% behind same-period 2016.

In the U.S., production was down 6.5% at 991,391 units in October due to a 23.2% decrease in car volume to 256,132. Light-truck output inched up 1.1%.

Hyundai pulled back production 18.5% to 26,400 units and Kia slowed 16.3% to 26,300.

Ford’s total jumped 12.6% to 209,101 LVs, thanks in part to a 43.0% increase in Explorer output to 30,431.

Year-to-date, U.S. assembly plants built 8.1% fewer light vehicles than like-2016 with a 10-month total of 9,283,401.

In contrast to the rest of the region, plants in Mexico improved 14.3% last month to an October-best 374,608 LVs. Light-truck builds soared 44.9% to 207,089 units, while the car tally fell 9.3%.

Kia jumped 47.5% to 24,637 units, Volkswagen climbed 34.7% to 60,314, and FCA was up 41.4% to 61,520 despite discontinuing car production in Mexico.

Still, several manufacturers were down, including Ford (-9.15%) and Honda (-19.47%) and Toyota (-1.5%).

Overall, Mexico’s year-to-date total sprinted 14.1% ahead of like-2016 with 3,292,579 LVs.

Through October, automakers in North America built 14,408,347 units, sinking 3.8% behind same-period 2016. Kia (+12.4%), Subaru (+12.4%) and Volkswagen (estimated +44.3%) were the only manufacturers to improve on 2016’s 10-month total.

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