U.S. auto imports plunge in May as industry reacts to tariffs — report

Tariffs are creating genuine economic pressure rather than just being absorbed as a cost of doing business. (2 min. read)

Author

Marcus Amick
June 11, 2025

U.S. maritime auto import volume dropped massively in May—shedding light on the impact the tariffs are already having on the industry, as automakers continue to look for ways to offset some of the costs.      

The details: Reports indicate that last month maritime auto imports fell by 72.3% year-over-year—disrupting shipments of both vehicles and auto parts. 

  • In May, importers shipped approximately 3,600 "20-foot equivalent units" (shipping measurements)—which amounts to a reduction of almost 9,380 vehicles versus May 2024.

  • The volume of automotive parts and accessories shipped has decreased roughly 15% year-over-year.  

In contrast, imports of vehicle bodies and cabs have ticked up 18%—which Inside EVs speculates could be due to a new domestic final assembly strategy aimed at mitigating some of the costs associated with tariffs. 

What they’re saying: “It’s almost impossible to reach any other conclusion than this is the impact of vehicle tariffs manifesting itself in import volumes. My read on this is that importers are pausing, hoping that more favorable tariff conditions will emerge in the medium term,” said Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy for Global Trade at Descartes Systems Group.

Why it matters: Tariffs are creating genuine economic pressure rather than just being absorbed as a cost of doing business. This level of trade disruption typically signals that fundamental market changes are coming.

Between the lines: The figures don’t mention what vehicles or brands are part of the decline in import shipments—but the tariffs prompted several automakers to temporarily pause shipments to the U.S.    

  • In early April, Volkswagen and Audi indicated that it would temporarily pause shipments to the U.S.—with VW noting that it will add an “import fee” on vehicles impacted by the levies.   

  • Jaguar Land Rover also initiated a temporary pause on its U.S. shipments in early April and resumed shipments in May.  

Bottom line: Automakers are pausing or rerouting shipments to avoid higher costs—creating potential inventory gaps for dealers and prompting a shift toward domestic final assembly to mitigate tariff exposure.

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