Trump Tariff Delay On Autos Supported By 75% Of Readers In Poll: Will Pause Lead To More Purchases Ahead Of April?

President Donald Trump's tariff plans for Mexico and Canada could have a dramatic impact on the automotive sector, with reports that vehicles could rise in price by up to $12,000 for consumers.

Trump recently paused a tariff on the auto sector for Mexico and Canada, prompting Benzinga to ask readers if they support the decision and if it makes them more likely to buy a vehicle before tariffs come back.

What Happened: A short-lived tariff of 25% on imported goods from Mexico and Canada against the automotive sector was paused by Trump with plans to come back in April.

The tariff is expected to hurt automotive companies such as Ford Motor Co F, General Motors Co GM and Stellantis NV STLA, which have models assembled in Mexico and Canada.

Auto companies will likely be forced with decisions of moving production to America where wages are higher or paying higher tariffs on imported items. Either way, vehicles will likely be more expensive to make and the higher costs could be passed on to consumers.

Tesla Inc TSLA assembles its vehicles in America and will have a lower impact from the tariffs, but the EV maker imports auto parts from Mexico that could impact its costs as well.

Benzinga recently asked readers how they feel about the tariff decisions.

"Do you support President Trump's decision to grant a one-month tariff exemption for automakers?" Benzinga asked.

The results were:

• Yes: 75%
• No: 25%

The majority of readers support the tariff pause to April with 75% saying yes.

"Would you consider buying a vehicle before President Trump's auto tariff exemption expires?" Benzinga asked.

The results were:

• Yes: 28%
• No: 72%

The poll found the majority of readers won't be rushing out to buy a vehicle ahead of the potential canceling of the pause of the tariff exemption planned for April.

This result comes as Trump's tariff plans have been sporadic in nature of being imposed, enforced and lasting for more than a day or several days.

Read Also: Tariff Uncertainty Poses Major Risk To US Automakers: How Much Could Ford, GM Earnings Fall?

Why It's Important: Consumers will likely be hurt by tariffs on various goods across multiple sectors depending on the timing and length of the tariffs.

Automobiles are one of the larger industries to be impacted, but many people wait to buy a vehicle for several years as it is a major cost. With higher prices for automobiles, consumers could put off buying a new vehicle until tariff concerns go away, if at all.

The poll finds people support the tariff exemption for the auto sector, but it doesn't mean they will buy a new vehicle.

Benzinga recently asked if the tariffs could impact stock market indexes like the S&P 500, which is tracked by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY.

“How will Trump’s tariffs affect the stock market?” Benzinga asked.

The results were:

• Weigh down: 59%
• Push higher: 23%
• No real impact: 19%

The majority of respondents said Trump’s tariffs will send the stock market lower. The remaining voters were split nearly even between the stock market going higher as the result of tariffs or the tariffs not having a real impact on stock market returns.

That poll was conducted Feb. 11 and Feb. 12. Since Feb. 12, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust is down 7.5% with tariffs a large factor likely weighing the S&P 500 Index down and proving Benzinga readers were right.

Read Next:

• EXCLUSIVE: How High Will S&P 500 Go Under Donald Trump In 2025? Readers Are Optimistic, 26% Say This…

The first two questions/study were conducted by Benzinga from March 6, 2025, through March 7, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 192 adults.

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