David Dolan, Maki Shiraki and Marie Mannes
TOKYO/STOKHOLM, August 7 (Reuters) – Donald Trump is right, and Japan and Europe rarely buy American-made cars – but has nothing to do with trade barriers. From Tokyo to London, many consumers think that Detroit’s products are too big and time-consuming.
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This view makes Chevrolet and Cadillac a tough sale and a rare sight in cities filled with slim cars to Honda Civic, Volkswagen Golf and Renault Creo.
Trump often complains that he believes he refuses to accept American cars, while Japanese and Europeans sell millions of cars in the United States a year. In the recent trade agreement, both markets agreed to abandon or simplify safety testing for U.S. vehicle imports. Europe will reduce the levy on American cars.
But it may take time to convince Japanese and European consumers about rules and lower tariffs, they competed against narrow roads and painful parking lots to buy large American-made Ford F-150 trucks and Cadillac Escalade SUVs.
“American cars are designed for wide roads and highway driving, so it can be tricky to deal with them on narrow Japanese streets. It requires some technology,” said Yumihito Yasue, president of Tokyo Johnan Jeep Petit, which imports and serves old-fashioned cars from the United States. His clients tend to be enthusiasts in their 50s and 60s who grew up watching American cars on TV and movies.
On a recent weekday he served two Chevrolets, the glossy Brown 1971 Nova and the low 1986 El Camino, both on the left steering wheel. In Japan, turn to the right.
Yasue inherited his love for American cars from his father, who started the company forty years ago and will travel to California to scout cars. Yasue took over after his father died nine years ago, selling about 20 cars each year.
“What makes American cars unique is the design. The body shape is more beautiful than Japanese or German cars. Especially the lines, such as the rear lines and fenders,” he said.
Last year, about 3.7 million new cars were sold in Japan, with one-third of mini or “Kei” cars – mini, fuel-efficient cars not produced by U.S. automakers. Overall, foreign cars account for 6% of new car sales, according to data from the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Data from the Japan Auto Importers Association shows that there are about 570 Chevrolets, 450 Cadillacs and 120 dodges.
Ford withdrew from Japan about a decade ago. Tesla makes cars smoother than Detroit’s cars and become increasingly popular. The data will not be broken down for electric vehicle manufacturers.
“We don’t buy Ford F-150s”
In Europe, smaller locally made American cars do a great job: models like the best-selling Ford Puma and the older Carnival. But for the past two decades, Ford and GM have been involved in larger pickups and SUVs, vehicles that aren’t quite suitable for Europe’s narrow streets and compact truck culture.
Ford was a big European player in the early 1900s, with sales plummeting from 1.26 million cars in 2005 to 426,000 in 2024, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). Its market share fell from 8.3% to 3.3%.
“We don’t buy the Ford F-150, it’s not our road zoom, it’s what customers want,” Andy Palmer, former CEO of Aston Martin, told Reuters.
General Motors withdrew from Europe in 2017, selling Opel after returning to Chevrolet, but returned last year with Cadillac Lyriq. According to automotive data company Jato, it sold only 1,514 SUVs made in the United States.
A GM spokesman said Cadillac has developed an all-electric lineup in Europe and that these vehicles have been widely welcomed in the market they were launched. A Ford spokesman said the company exports “passion products” to Mustangs and Mustangs, as well as locally made models tailored to the market.
London-based British car dealer Clive Sutton, who sells luxury American models, said his buyers were attracted by vehicles like the giant Cadillac Escalade. But he admitted it was a challenge.
“Some people want that car because of its exclusivity and its perceived status,” Sutton said. “But it’s not the easiest parking space to find, surely in central London.”
Competitive market
Trump also put pressure on South Korea to open up markets to U.S. cars and said the tax-free access was part of a trade deal reached last week.
There, imported cars account for only one-fifth of the auto market, while U.S. models account for only 16% of the imported auto segment, according to the Korean Association of Auto Importers and Distributors.
German manufacturers also have a great influence in Japan’s luxury market. Mercedes-Benz sold more than 53,000 cars last year, making it the most popular foreign brand, followed by more than 35,000 above BMW. Japanese automakers say Europeans succeed because they put time and resources into the market.
Meanwhile, Detroit automakers are often associated with driving cars with left hand, which is more challenging on the left side of the road.
But some American manufacturers are changing.
A GM spokesman said that since the eighth-generation version began to be sold in 2021, GM has only offered Corvette in its right hand. This may be one of the reasons why about 80% of buyers are new customers. The Corvette is the only model offered by Chevrolet in Japan, and over the past decade, it has sold less than 1,000 per year.
General Motors announced plans this year, which began delivery plans for right-hand-driven Cadillac electric vehicles and Lyriq in July.
“Wow, foreign cars”
Importer data shows that Jeep sells right-hand drive models and has been the most popular brand in the United States for more than a decade. Last year in Japan, it sold only 10,000 cars.
Yukimi Nitta used to drive a “Kei” car, but she was attracted by the appearance of the Jeep Wrangler, which she called “friendly” and “outdoor”. The 42-year-old hair salon owner is now on her second Jeep – a limited edition beige model – hoping to switch to another limited edition color again. Parking was tight but easy to manage, she said, and her two friends bought the Wrangler since then.
“People often say, ‘Wow, foreign cars!’ But once you drive, I hope more people will try it,” she said.
While the Wrangler does burn fuel quickly, the resale value is good, allowing you to switch colors out, Nitta said.
A spokesman for Jeep owner Stellantis said it actively promotes owner activities. In July, it announced a collaboration with the Jurassic World movie series, which includes a limited edition pink Wrangler, a spokesman said.
Large American cars and trucks can be difficult to follow on the tracks of jeeps.
Daniel Cadwell, an American living in Tokyo, exports to the United States using Japanese campers and vans. He said whenever he goes home, he is shocked by the size of American cars.
“They’re big, big,” Cardwell said. “I think it’s highly challenging to be seen as an attractive car in Japan.”
(Reports by David Dolan, Maki Shiraki and Tom Bateman; other reports by Hyunjoo Jin in Seoul, Nora Eckert in Detroit, Alessandro Parodi in Gdansk and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Edited by Kate Mayberry)
