Tag: Buick

Apr 21

1 GM Crossover Sold in America Is Actually Manufactured in China

General Motors is an icon of the U.S.A., but not all the cars it sells here are made here.

You might not know this, but GMC’s Buick division is one of its most popular brands in China. It sells many of its North American crossovers there, and has even designed some for the Chinese market specifically. The Buick Envision began life as the Buick Ang Ke Wei in China, only coming to North America later. Every Buick Envision sold in the U.S. is assembled in China and shipped here. But it is in good company, there are several other familiar vehicles sold in the U.S. that are built in China.

Buick first released a dramatic Envision concept car in 2011. It was a plug-in hybrid with scissor doors. The production version was a bit tamer, but it did incorporate the waterfall grille that later became the norm across the Buick lineup. It went on sale in China in 2014, but wouldn’t come to the U.S. until 2016.

The Chinese market gets both a long wheelbase Envision and a smaller turbocharged engine option (a 1.5-liter I4). In 2018, President Trump passed steep tariffs for any vehicle imported from China. GM’s president declared that the company couldn’t afford to offer the Envision in the U.S. without a tariff exemption. The White House refused an exemption, and Buick continued to sell the car here anyway. It kept the MSRP the same and absorbed the cost of the tariff.

Buick cars parked in a lot outside a Chinese dealership
Chinese Buick dealership | LIU JIN/AFP via Getty Images

The Envision is not the only luxury crossover available in the U.S. that is assembled in China. The second generation of the Lincoln Nautilus will be 100% assembled in China, starting with the 2024 model year. Lincoln announced it’s retooling its Ontario factory where the Nautilus is built, so it will try importing them to the U.S. from China.

Volvo is 78.7% owned by the Chinese “Geely Holding Group.” So it’s not especially surprising the automaker has Chinese factories. When you buy the Volvo S90 sedan or its upcoming EX30 electric crossover in the U.S., you’ll be getting a car assembled in China.

Next, read how the most popular midsize pickup truck in the U.S. just moved production to Mexico, or find out just how American made your car is in the video below: