It’s been just over a week since President Donald Trump announced his comprehensive slate of reciprocal tariffs. The steep taxes on trade wreaked havoc on the stock market and provoked automakers to start raising the prices of their cars, so earlier this week we asked which foreign cars would still be worth buying despite any potential tariff-related hikes. The sentiment in the comments was bleak, ranging from no one should buy a car right now to people aren’t going to change their buying habits over these tariffs. Don’t worry. There were still responses that included foreign cars desirable to climb over a tariff barrier.
Not buying anything except maybe a Lexus coupe
Probably won’t buy another car for a quite a few years but if they tariffs are still in effect I will pay the premium for another Lexus coupe built in Japan. I just think the build quality of their Japanese-assembled vehicles is better than their American built models. Not to say any of the Lexus vehicles are poorly assembled, I just think the Japanese models are a bit better.
Submitted by: RC350F
Bought a Miata RF Club for an auto industry doomsday
I actually bought my Miata RF Club on the premise of tariffs destroying the industry, doesn’t help the fact that it’s made in Japan and a good number of its parts are similarly Japan-made which likely make me regret my decision. I’m pretty sure this thing is on its way to becoming a $50k car which is just absurd (yes that’s with all the options, including the $4k BBS/Recaro/Brembo pack).
That being said, unless there is an American-made lightweight RWD sports car, you’re stuck driving a Mustang Ecoboost 10-speed (no manual) and I’d actually rather pay for a $50k Miata than get stuck driving one of those. It just feels THAT much better.
‘Now if the Big 3 were to sell a sub 2.5k-pound performance car, FWD or RWD, I might change my tune.
Submitted by: Xanos
The Mitsubishi Outlander wouldn’t be that outlandish
I was at a Mitsubishi dealer the other day for service and I was checking out some of the Outlanders. You really do get a lot of car and options for only $34K; upgraded 8-speaker sound system, leather wrapped everything, 8-way adjustable seats, it’s right sized for a lot of people, don’t sleep on Mitsubishi just yet…my only downside is they chose to cheap out and go CVT, but my old Lancer had one and it wasn’t bad.
Submitted by: Agon Targeryan
Everything’s going to be more expensive
None, inasmuch as tariffs are going to make all cars more expensive. Domestics will just raise prices to take advantage of that huge price delta they suddenly have over foreign-built competition, because that’s how for-profit corporations work. This will also cause associated desirability/hikes in the used market and make vehicle ownership [more] painful [than it already is] for every rung of the economic ladder.
Submitted by: mak
A very Canadian dilemma
None.
I’m Canadian, so the impacts are similar but have different parameters. I already made the mistake of buying my last car at peak prices, so I am going to ride this out for as long as I can so that I can take what would normally be a car payment and spend it on other, Canadian things.
Prices are already ludicrous, and the product offerings are quickly becoming more unappealing to me. Maybe the Rivian R3x will be in the wild once the world decides that it’s time for sanity to prevail again.
Submitted by: Beef Supreme
Settle for a Lexus
The Lexus GX550. Folks who would have been considering a Benz G Wagon or a fancy Range Rover will likely step down a notch or two in price to the Lexus. And be well served without having to sacrifice quality (they’d be stepping up actually, but I’m biased as I work at a dealership for the big L). It’s what I’d do if’n I were in that tax bracket and shopping for a car post-tariff.
Submitted by: Papa Chris
It might be too late
By and large, the only cars that are going to be worth it are the cars you already have. It’s pretty hard to justify any car when it’s suddenly thousands of dollars more expensive for absolutely no rational reason.
Submitted by: Give Me Tacos or Give Me Death
Which is why I bought 2 weeks ago. I’d already delayed a purchase since pre-pandemic, then refused to buy during the price gouging and dealer “adjustments.” I wasn’t going to wait another 3 or 4 years, have a near-20-year-old car, and be stuck paying 40 grand for a car that was recently 25. I had the money, which was losing value anyway, so might as well spend it.
Submitted by: spookiness
