Barring a few exceptions, and a much enviable shorter 15-year import rule, the U.S. and Canada’s car markets are largely the same. We both get pretty much the same brands, and the same models, except maybe a weirdo Nissan or Kia hatchback that stays north of the border. Mexico, however, has got a much more eclectic vibe than the boring ol’ US and Canada. That’s captured in a very cool way on this Instagram page I’ve been following for a while now.
In Mexico, you’ll find popular U.S. models, like the Chevy Traverse or Ford Edge, parked next to a brand new Peugeot 5008 or SEAT Ibiza. The B13 Nissan Sentra (Tsuru) was a popular taxi cab and basic transportation through the whole country and was made until the mid-2010s. At that point, its complete lack of safety forced the Mexican government to impose Nissan to remove the car from sale. Hell, Toyota wasn’t sold in Mexico in an official capacity until 2003!
No better way to encapsulate Mexico’s ever-varying automotive landscape is through photos. Specifically, Parked In Mexico City’s Instagram.
Sure, there are a lot of “parked in (city)” Instagram accounts, and many tend to feel somewhat repetitive. There are only so many luxury exotics or obscure economy cars you can look at before the concept becomes tedious and boring. This one stands out, largely because the mix of vehicles is particularly fun. The account’s owner Jordan said via an Instagram direct message: “I love cars and photography, the combination of these two things and the profound love for Mexico City drive me to create this account.” It’s true, Jordan’s love of cars, photography, and Mexico City comes out in the page’s photos. Each car is interesting and acts as a vignette of Mexico City’s neighborhoods, and a snapshot of Mexican car culture. Mexico City is a beautiful city, picturesque and cosmopolitan, sometimes overlooked on the global stage of great cities to look at.
Parked in Mexico City captures the banal, exotic, the cool, and the not-so-cool, all set against a backdrop of a charming metropolitan Mexico City background. If you like off-beat cars, give Parked In Mexico City a follow.
