Trade War: The Amount Of Cars Entering The U.S. Is Dwindling

Recent data regarding vehicle imports into the U.S. is not looking good. They represent a clear reaction from automakers to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported vehicles. Fewer vehicles entering the country could potentially lead to shortages in the new car market, and drive up the price of second-hand cars. Is this just a temporary problem until automakers shift production to the United States? Perhaps. But automakers and importers are still hoping for a bit of slack in the White House’s foreign trade regulations.

More Than Half Of Imported Cars Were Missing In May

While several automakers currently build some of their vehicles in the U.S., popular models, particularly electric vehicles (EVs), are being built elsewhere. Such a slowdown will inevitably have an impact on consumer selection and availability at the dealer level.

The data, sourced from Descartes Datamyne, and relayed by Automotive News, does not consider imports from Canada and Mexico. It rather focuses on eastern and western U.S. ports in charge of tracking shipments from Europe and Asia. Import volumes for cars, trucks and SUVs dropped 72.3-percent in May in comparison with the same month last year. We’re talking about 9,380 fewer vehicles entering U.S. ports in a single month. Calculated in TEU (for 20-foot equivalent unit), the loss corresponds to 3,599.33 versus 12,979.76.

And it’s not just the vehicles themselves that are being hit by the import tariffs, but the parts required to build them as well. Parts and accessory imports were down 15-percent in May 2025, totaling 76,591.16 TEU versus 89,910.08 in 2024. Interestingly enough, imports of motor vehicle bodies and cabs remained stable, suggesting they’re not being targeted by the same tariffs. At least, not yet.

Auto Import Volumes Into The U.S.

Automakers Are Waiting For Guidance From The White House

It’s unclear what automakers will do next, but the consensus is that the entire auto industry is waiting for clarity from the White House. Moving production to the U.S. is one thing, but it’s easier said than done. There are complicated issues at stake that still need guidance from the Trump administration, such as the tariffs being applied on parts used for vehicles built in the U.S.

• Donald Trump’s vehicle tariffs have slowed down imports into the U.S.
• More than 9,000 imported vehicles were missing in May.
• Automakers are waiting for guidance from the White House as to what to do next.

The drop in imports has a particular impact on European and Asian automakers that still build several vehicles overseas. Mitsubishi, for instance, builds all of its models in Japan, while Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo still heavily rely on European manufacturing to get their vehicles out the door. Speaking of Volvo, it has had to move things around to deal with tariffs.

Originally built in China, the entry-level, all-electric EX30’s production was then moved to Belgium to mitigate the impact of tariffs on Chinese-built vehicles. Now, the Swedish automaker must face more challenges with Trump’s latest import tariffs, which have had a negative impact on the EX30’s U.S. market penetration.

American automakers are in a slightly better position as they can shift production to the U.S. more easily than foreign brands. But it’s a tough space for everyone in the automotive industry at the moment, and it’s unclear if the Trump Administration will lighten the tariff load to give automakers a helping hand. We’ll make sure to keep following this trade war closely and will report back here as more details unfold.