Try Harder America!

Press TV - Why American Cars Don't Sell Well In Japan

It is no secret that the American economy thrives by the influence of foreign markets. As a citizen, I can honestly say that a "MADE IN U.S.A.." label is a rare thing to come across. If you do then you feel just a little more patriotic then yesterday, but your response is still fairly anticlimactic. What does this say about the quality of American products? Is the American brand a formidable opponent to our international counterparts? 

Well, there is a reason why you stand very little chance of seeing an American car on a Japanese road. According to CNBC, Japanese people don't buy American cars. 95 percent of all cars currently in Japan are made by Japanese companies. "Roughly 40 percent of the cars sold in Japan are a special class of extra small cars called Kei cars. Nearly all of those are sold by Japanese brands, such as Suzuki and Daihatsu." The few American car brands still selling in Japan are Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jeep, Volkswagen, and Audi. After "Ford left Japan entirely in 2017" and "GM [(General Motors)] only sold about 700 cars in 2018", Tokyo-based CLSA analyst Christopher Richter stated in the article that "American carmakers 'don't really try'" because of the tough native competition.

It was also noted that "President Donald Trump has called it unfair, as has the American Automotive Policy Council." that the US parking lots are filled with Japanese brands, but there is so little for America to show in Japan. As confident as we are in our work, our cars don't really aid their common lifestyles. "Japan is a crowded country, and drivers like the convenience and efficiency of small vehicles that are easy to maneuver on narrow streets or fit into tight parking spaces." The real reason that Japanese buyers do not spend money on American merchandise is because the US lacks in dealership presence in Japan. Because the US has not taken the time out to analyze their target, "American firms don't really make cars that suit Japanese tastes."

It was said several times that the presumption of American cars being "unreliable", "poorly built", or "inefficient" is outdated. These ideas stem from as early as the 60s rendering any judgement to quality as subjective.

Press TV is a 24-hour English- and French-language news and documentary network affiliated with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Press TV is headquartered in Tehran and is extensively networked with bureaus in the world's most strategic cities.