What are the best work vehicles in Mexico?

Finding the best vehicle make and model for your corporate fleet in Mexico can be a tall task, but shortlisting some of the most popular models on streets could help you decide so take a look at the light commercial vehicles (LCV) listed below.

While passenger cars such as the Nissan Versa and Chevrolet Aveo can be found in fleet, what we are focusing on in this article are work vehicles such as vans and trucks from OEMs like Volkswagen, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota.

The vehicle specifics below could be slightly different for the most updated models and there are certainly more options available in the country, but these are among the models you should definitely check out, according to Chile-based vehicle remarketing company Autofact which offers services in Chile, Colombia, and Peru, as well as Mexico. 

Vans

Among the vans found in Mexico are those made by Volkswagen. For one, the VW Caddy 5 comes in the Maxi Cargo version as well as the Passenger version. Equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox, the latter can carry up to seven passengers.

Also available is the VW Transporter 6.1 which has a four-cylinder, two-liter turbo diesel engine capable of carrying up to nine passengers. A Chassis version is also available, allowing for the installation of a trailer depending on business needs.

2023 Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 (courtesy of Volkswagen)

The German OEM also offers the VW Crafter, a smaller vehicle which comes in several versions, the remarketing company said. 

Meanwhile, the Ford Transit - which is quite popular throughout North America - comes in four configurations, being Passenger, Custom, Van, and Chassis.
 
The Passenger version has a 3.5-liter V6 engine putting out 271 horsepower and can hold 15-18 passengers. It also comes in a 2.0 diesel option with 167hp. 

The 125hp Custom version has a longer option for passengers (9-passenger capacity) and a shorter option for cargo, while the Van version is exclusively for cargo. The latter comes in the same gasoline and diesel options offered for the Passenger version.

Lastly, Ford’s Chassis version is customizable just like the Chassis configuration offered by VW above, giving customers the option to install whatever attachments they need for their business. 

Pickups

The Nissan NP 300 (also known as the Frontier) is very popular in Mexico. It is a multipurpose pickup with many equipment options and comes in Chassis and Single or Double cab versions.

It has two engine options. One features a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with 1,427 kilos of cargo capacity and 1.5-ton towing capacity. The other comes with a 2.5-liter diesel engine with 1,330kg of cargo capacity and 3-ton towing. 

2023 Nissan NP300 (courtesy of Nissan)

The Toyota Hilux (also known as the Tacoma) is quite popular in Mexico and throughout Latin America. It comes in four configurations, being two gasoline and two diesel versions.

For commercial fleet, the Chassis version with its 2.7-liter 166-horsepower diesel engine stands out. It has 1,230kg cargo capacity, Autofact said.

Meanwhile, Toyota offers the Hilux Double Cabin in the Standard and SR versions, as well as the Diesel Hilux MT. The latter is a bit more powerful than the Chassis version with its 2.8-liter 201hp engine.

Another multipurpose pickup worth highlighting in Mexico is the Volkswagen Amarok. It’s Highline turbo diesel version comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a two-liter four-cylinder engine putting out 180hp. It has a load capacity of 850kg.
 
VW also offers its Highline V6 gasoline version, a six-cylinder engine model putting out 224hp. It has a cargo capacity of 1,402kg. Both versions incorporate 4Motion all-wheel drive as well as ABS braking systems and other steering assistance.

New LCV Player

Although a bit newer in the market, JAC from China is also offering LCVs in Mexico. For internal combustion engine vehicles, it offers the Sunray, X250 and X350 models which generally have a four-cylinder diesel engine with 150hp, according to the remarketing company.

JAC also offers electric vehicle (EV) options, being the ESunray and the EX350. While the Esunray has 295 foot-pound torque, 430km range, and 12m3 of cargo space, the EX350 has 306 foot-pound torque, 380km range, and 18m3 of cargo space.

Mercado Libre recently announced new JAC ESunrays as part of its Latam fleet (courtesy of Mercado Libre)

To get more corporate fleet management tips in Latin America, attend the upcoming Fleet LatAm Expert meeting on 20 April.