What are the main differences between domestic cars and joint venture cars?
2 Answers
Domestic cars and joint venture cars mainly differ in the following aspects: 1. Transmission: Many domestic brands prefer to directly purchase mature products from abroad, such as FAW, GAC, BYD, and Great Wall. Basically, domestic models, apart from CVT and dual-clutch transmissions, have no major issues with manual and AT transmissions. Among them, Chery performs well in CVT, while Geely excels in AT. 2. Engine: Mainstream domestic brands have their own flagship engines. Although there may be some technical gaps compared to joint venture brands, there are no major issues in terms of quality and stability. Some joint venture state-owned enterprises use engines from joint venture brands. For example, SAIC's Roewe and MG models use the SEG series engines co-developed by SAIC and General Motors.
As a mechanic with over a decade of experience working on various car models, I've frequently disassembled different vehicles. The most noticeable gap between domestic and joint-venture cars lies in powertrain calibration. Many domestic cars use imported engines, but the transmission matching often falls short, resulting in noticeable jerks during driving. There's also a gap in sheet metal craftsmanship, particularly in door gaps and underbody rustproofing. However, in recent years, premium domestic brands like Lynk & Co and Exeed have made significant progress, with their chassis refinement nearly catching up to joint-venture models. The biggest advantage of domestic cars is their smart features—for the same 150,000 RMB, a domestic car can offer you Level 2 autonomous driving and dual screens, while a joint-venture car might still come with just a radio. If long-term reliability is your priority, I'd recommend opting for a proven joint-venture model. But if you're after high-tech features, domestic cars nowadays are truly competitive.
