American Cars Vs Foreign Cars
With the advent in technology, there is a wide range of features and functions that have been incorporated in cars and other automobiles. Cars have evolved and been upgraded over time with features once thought as impossible. If you want to know about American cars versus foreign cars, note that apart from the standard features, there are some aspects that are specific to the brand of a particular country.
American Cars Vs Foreign Cars
Brand Names
Some decades ago, cars and vehicles were basically identified by just the make and brand. If it was a car from Toyota or Honda, people had a perception that it is a foreign car from the Japanese market. Similarly, cars which were branded by General Motors or Ford were completely considered domestic cars. As the market globalized, car manufacturing companies from foreign countries acquired those from the US and started producing models in the country. It was also that American car brands started manufacturing models in other countries.
If we happen to take a look at the comparison in the 21st century, American cars are those which are produced by a car manufacturer based in the US, regardless of where in the world they are manufactured. Likewise, foreign cars are those which are manufactured either in or outside the US by a foreign-based company.
Reliability
Reliability is another very important comparison factor. Foreign cars are believed to be more reliable than domestic ones. According to a survey, it was found that nine out of ten cars were by a Japanese maker, whereas just one was from the US manufacturer 'Ford'.
In another survey done for finding out the least reliable cars, a total of 14 were considered. It was found that from these 14, a majority of nine cars were from European manufacturers, two were from Japanese brands, one was by a Korean company, whereas just one was domestic. Surprisingly, in a recent research done in March 2010, it was found that buyers prefer US cars over foreign ones, considering some exceptions.
Car Parts
When it comes to the car parts, it is believed that components of American-made automobiles are less costly than those of foreign-made vehicles. At present, car parts are manufactured mostly in other countries and then shipped to the US. The primary reason why US-based car manufacturers choose to make parts in other countries is the labor cost in the home country. The labor cost in US is much higher than in other countries.
Size and Engine
It was generally believed that cars made by American brands are more spacious and big than those from other countries. American cars are considered to give passengers wider seats, sufficient leg room and car interior space. On the other hand, foreign-made cars focus more on using small space in the best possible manner. However, foreign cars have also started to concentrate on vehicles with large passenger space.
A fact to note is that a few European car brands are notable for coming up with luxury cars. As regards to the engine, American vehicles are thought of having bigger engines with less transmission gears, whereas foreign cars usually come with six to seven gears and engines with smaller capacity.
Miscellaneous Factors
Other factors that can be considered are the cost. Foreign cars are more costly, owing to higher possibilities of theft, thus affecting car insurance rates. Cars from Japan and Europe have more resale value than their domestic counterparts. There is a small class of consumers who are very specific about brands, no matter which country the brand belongs to.
As car companies are being globalized the world over, the distinguishing factors of cars from different countries is narrowing down. It can be said that car manufacturers from all countries are focusing only on how they can meet the traveling needs of consumers.
