what cars are imported to the us

[LeNolan]

A wide variety of cars are imported into the United States, primarily from manufacturing hubs in Japan, Germany, South Korea, and Mexico. While many brands like Honda and Toyota have US plants, they still import specific models. The key distinction is between brands that are wholly foreign-owned and those that are domestic but import certain vehicles. The decision to import a model is often based on production capacity, cost, and the vehicle's niche nature.

The landscape is dominated by several major players:

• Japanese Imports: Brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, and Mazda are staples. Luxury divisions Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti also import most of their vehicles.
• German Imports: Germany is synonymous with premium and performance. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen have a significant import presence.
• South Korean Imports: Hyundai and Kia have captured a large market share with their value-packed and well-warrantied vehicles.
• Others: This includes everything from ultra-luxury brands like Bentley and Rolls-Royce to volume manufacturers like Volvo (Sweden) and Jaguar Land Rover (UK).

It's also crucial to understand the role of NAFTA/USMCA. Vehicles from Mexico and Canada are not subject to the same import tariffs, making cross-border production and shipping seamless. Many "domestic" brands import models from these countries.

Here is a snapshot of some popular imported models and their origins:

Vehicle Model	Brand (Origin)	Typically Imported From
Toyota Land Cruiser	Toyota (Japan)	Japan
BMW X5	BMW (Germany)	United States (Note: some for export)
Mercedes-Benz S-Class	Mercedes-Benz (Germany)	Germany
Hyundai Palisade	Hyundai (South Korea)	South Korea
Honda Civic Type R	Honda (Japan)	Japan
Subaru Outback	Subaru (Japan)	United States (Note: some for export)
Audi e-tron	Audi (Germany)	Belgium
Kia Telluride	Kia (South Korea)	South Korea
Mazda MX-5 Miata	Mazda (Japan)	Japan
Porsche 911	Porsche (Germany)	Germany
Volkswagen Golf GTI	Volkswagen (Germany)	Germany
Lexus LX	Lexus (Japan)	Japan
Volvo XC90	Volvo (Sweden)	Sweden
Jaguar F-Pace	Jaguar (UK)	UK

Ultimately, the US market is a global melting pot. Your choice isn't just between a Ford and a Chevy, but between a Mexican-built Ford Bronco Sport, a German-built Mercedes, or a Japanese-built Toyota.

[IsaacLynn]

Honestly, when I was car shopping, "import" just meant anything that wasn't a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge. My Honda CR-V was built in Ohio, but my neighbor's Toyota Tundra came from Texas. It gets blurry. The real imports are the ones with the unique feel—like my friend's Mini Cooper from the UK or a slick Alfa Romeo from Italy. For most people, think of brands like Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, and all the European luxury names. They're the ones bringing cars in by boat.

[Joanne]

From an engineering standpoint, the term 'import' is less about geography and more about philosophy. German brands, for instance, prioritize a certain chassis tuning and high-speed stability that is often distinct from domestic counterparts. Japanese imports have historically focused on reliability and efficiency. When you buy a car imported from its home country, you're often getting a product designed for a global platform, which can mean different safety standards, material choices, and performance characteristics compared to a model specifically tailored for the North American market.

[KaydenLee]

As a parent, my main concern is safety and value. I learned that many "imports" like Honda and Toyota have top safety ratings, but they're often built here. The truly imported ones, like a Volvo from Sweden, have a reputation for being incredibly safe. For families on a budget, Kia and Hyundai offer fantastic warranties and a lot of standard features for the price, and those are almost always imported directly from South Korea. It's worth checking the VIN; if it starts with a 'K', it's Korean-made.