Fact Check: Is Honda building a new plant in Indiana? All we know as Civic production reportedly shifts from Mexico

According to a report by Reuters published on March 3, Honda is moving the production plant for its new Civic model from Mexico to Indiana. However, some netizens mistakenly thought the Japanese auto company was building a new plant in Indiana, where the Civic manufacturing process would follow.

It is to be thus clarified, that the company built a facility called the Honda Manufacturing of Indiana in Greensburg in 2008. So, the plant has already been existing.

In February, US President Donald Trump implemented 25% additional tariffs on imported goods from Canada and Mexico. Economic Stephen Moore told the New York Post this was Trump's attempt at trying to get more products made in the U.S.

The Japanese automaker initially planned to start building its next-generation Civic hybrid model in Guanajuato, Mexico in November 2027. After Trump imposed new tariff plans, the company moved the production to the Indiana facility, where manufacturing will reportedly begin in May 2028.

According to the NY Post, Honda plans to produce about 210,000 vehicles yearly.

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Honda initially chose Mexico to build the next Civic for cheaper production costs

Reuters reported that automobile companies choose Mexico to manufacture their vehicles as the production cost is relatively lower. Regardless, the targeted market to sell 80% of Honda's products is the United States.

According to Car and Driver, a spokesperson from the Japanese automaker addressed Reuters' article:

"Honda has made no such announcement and will not comment on this report."

The representative said the company made its Civic models in the Indiana facility since 2008 "based on our longstanding approach to build products close to the customer." The company has the freedom to manufacture its vehicles in each of its plants as per "customer needs and market conditions".

During an investment announcement by Donald Trump on Monday, March 3, the President was asked to comment on bringing additional manufacturing jobs to the U.S. Trump said:

"Well, Honda is coming, and I told you about Apple, that they're going to be starting to build massively here — $500 billion."

Addressing the tariffs, Trump continued:

"Now, the tariffs, as you know, it will start a week earlier than the reciprocal, which is going to be on, a couple of weeks earlier. Reciprocal tariffs start on April 2nd."

Trump noted the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada would be implemented from March 4. He said:

"So, what they’ll have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case, they have no tariffs."

The President said if companies decide to manufacture their goods in countries such asvTaiwan, they will have to pay a 25% tariff to send the products to the United States. He further hinted the amount might increase in the future by 30 or 50%.

Trump said it would be easier for companies to build their car plants in the United States as the automotive market there is better than in Mexico or Canada. He reasoned that companies sell their products in the U.S. the most.