Ford Maverick To Honda CR-V: Cars Facing Price Hikes Under Trump’s USMCA Fight

President Trump has decided not to renew the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal in its current form, one that he pushed through in 2020, and once called the best one America ever signed. This takes the trade deal into a ten-year cycle of annual reviews instead of a 16-year extension. For buyers, that uncertainty will likely land as a tax on the sticker price of your next car, whether it’s from Ford, GM, Toyota, or Honda, at least in the short term.

Currently, the USMCA agreement dictates that 75 percent of a car’s parts must come from the US, Canada, or Mexico in order to be eligible for the waiver of the Trump administration’s 25 percent tariffs on parts. Even vehicles that do meet that 75 percent threshold (roughly a dozen on sale now, according to NHTSA) are subject to a 27.5 percent tariff on the percentage value of the non-US parts they use. Now, the US government is pushing for stricter Rule Of Origin (ROO) requirements, which could see that threshold figure raised to 82 percent, along with a stipulation that at least 50 percent of a car’s parts must come from within the US.

Who Actually Depends On This Deal

A surprising number of everyday nameplates are built, at least partly, south or north of the US border, which gives new meaning to American-made cars. Of the 86 models that qualified for Cars.com's American-Made Index in 2026, 65 percent came from foreign brands. The Ford Maverick and Bronco Sport come out of Hermosillo, Mexico. The Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, several Nissan sedans, and the RAM 1500 all lean heavily on Mexican or Canadian plants and parts networks. GM's Silverado and Ram trucks also draw on Canadian supply chains for key components. Basically, if you've shopped for a new car lately, you've already benefited from USMCA without realising it.

The Price Tag, And Who Wins or Loses

While there's no quantifying the effect this will have on the sticker price of cars yet, some estimates say we could see prices climb 5-7 percent if automakers pass along the new costs instead of eating them. On a new car with a sticker price of $30,000, that could be as high as $2,000 extra. Some manufacturers will absorb part of the hit or shift assembly stateside, but that takes years and capital. 

Domestic parts suppliers and US-only assembly plants stand to gain, as do automakers with already localized production, such as Tesla. Everyone else is left holding the bag. Buyers face higher prices, dealers face thinner margins and slower inventory turns, and Mexican plants, along with Canadian suppliers, face the uncomfortable job of waiting out a decade of political uncertainty. Brands leaning heavily on Mexican/Canadian production, meanwhile, have the most to lose.

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