What are the differences between domestically produced and imported cars?
4 Answers
The differences between domestically produced and imported cars are as follows: 1. Firstly, imported cars are divided into two types: regular imported cars and parallel imported cars. Simply put, regular imported cars are those purchased through 4S stores, while parallel imported cars are those directly imported from the product's country of origin by importers other than the domestic general distributor. 2. In terms of price: domestically produced cars are the cheapest; followed by parallel imported cars; the most expensive are regular imported cars. This is because parallel imported cars can bypass the general distributor, eliminating middlemen, which naturally lowers the price significantly. 3. In terms of models: through parallel imports, you can purchase models that are not available as domestically produced or regular imported cars. Additionally, depending on the import region, they are further classified into "U.S. specification cars," "European specification cars," etc. 4. In terms of subsequent car usage and after-sales services, domestically produced cars are the most convenient and worry-free; followed by regular imported cars; the worst are parallel imported cars. Parallel imported cars do not come with a warranty, requiring owners to purchase insurance themselves, and many 4S stores do not provide maintenance services for them.
There are quite a few differences between domestic and imported cars. The most obvious is the price aspect. Imported cars come with additional costs like tariffs and shipping fees, so a similarly configured car could be significantly more expensive. Domestic cars are much more convenient when it comes to maintenance and repairs, with 4S shops everywhere, meaning you don’t have to wait for imported parts for minor replacements. The design styles also differ—domestic cars understand Chinese aesthetics, with spacious interiors and large touchscreen infotainment systems as standard, while imported cars often carry the characteristics of their country of origin. Imported cars do have some advantages in terms of resale value, but domestic cars have made rapid progress in quality control, with the reliability of their three major components (engine, transmission, and chassis) being on a completely different level compared to a decade ago. Overall, if you’re on a budget and looking for hassle-free ownership, domestic cars are a fantastic choice.
From a practical perspective, domestic cars are clearly more down-to-earth. Once when I drove an imported car to a county town, it took a full three weeks to get an original spare part for a broken headlight, whereas with a domestic car, it could be fixed the same day. Nowadays, domestic cars come with particularly thoughtful smart features, like voice control that can even recognize dialects, while the voice assistants in imported cars often fail to understand commands. There's no need to blindly trust imported cars when it comes to safety either—many domestic models have outperformed luxury imported brands in C-IASI crash tests. However, imported cars still have a slight edge in details like stitching and soundproofing materials. When choosing a car, it's advisable to prioritize your own usage scenarios; for city commuting, a domestic car is more than sufficient and saves money.
People who have driven two types of cars can relate. The rear floor of domestic cars is completely flat, making the middle passenger comfortable during family trips, unlike the uncomfortable bulge in imported cars. Nowadays, the engine technology of domestic cars is truly impressive—my Lynk & Co 01 has maintained a fuel consumption of around 8L/100km over five years. Due to import tariffs, at the same price point of 300,000 RMB, domestic cars offer high-end four-wheel drive configurations, while imported cars might only provide basic models. The biggest difference lies in maintenance costs—last time, repainting my imported car cost 4,800 RMB, whereas a domestic car would cost at most 1,500 RMB. However, the air suspension systems of some imported brands are indeed more comfortable.
