Cars made in China are already on sale in the U.S. You might be driving one.

A Polestar 4 at the Polestar factory in Hangzhou Bay, China. Models sold in North America will be built in South Korea.

By Keith Barry

On a recent trip to Europe, I noticed something interesting about the car ads: Many of them were for Chinese brands like BYD, DFSK, MG, Lynk & Co., Jaecoo, and Omoda. When I called a taxi, the driver pulled up in a BYD Seal, an electric vehicle with a 300-plus mile range, Tesla-like looks, and a price of around $47,000. I peppered the driver with questions: How does it drive? Why did he choose it instead of another brand? How long does it take to charge? He was happy to tell me about his experiences, and he was shocked to learn we couldn’t purchase one in the U.S.

Like me, most Americans have encountered cars from Chinese brands only on TikTok or while on vacation in another country. Although no Chinese companies currently sell vehicles in the U.S., you might be surprised to learn that some American and European brands have been selling Chinese-built vehicles for nearly a decade.

The Buick Envision SUV (shown below) was the first mainstream Chinese-built car to be sold in the U.S., followed by the Volvo S90, Polestar 2, and Lincoln Nautilus. Since then, Polestar and Volvo have relocated production for U.S.-bound cars.

While manufacturing cars in China for the North American market is nothing new, regulations have prevented Chinese car brands from selling their vehicles in the U.S. Cars built in the U.S. and elsewhere often use parts from China. That’s why increased tariff rates on Chinese steel, semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, graphite, and other vehicle parts could eventually lead to higher prices for car buyers.

The 2025 Buick Envision is built in China.

Photo: Buick

Trade policy aside, when China began exporting vehicles to Europe in the early 2010s, Chinese automakers made headlines for disastrous crash tests. Those results might make buyers wary, but enough has changed since then to make Chinese vehicles a potentially reasonable proposition for buyers in the U.S.

Chinese-made EVs like the BYD Atto 3 (below), MG4, and XPeng G9 are selling globally, thanks to cutting-edge technology and low prices. Especially in Europe, electric vehicles from Chinese brands are selling in larger and larger numbers.

BYD, a Shenzhen-based automaker, is building a factory in Mexico, where its stylish Dolphin electric hatchback with a range of about 250 miles sells for the equivalent of $23,600. The small BYD Seagull EV sells for about $11,000 in China and is becoming popular in other markets as well.

Regardless of brand, where a car is made is rarely a shortcut for assessing its quality. “When it comes to performance and reliability, where a car is built really matters less than how it’s designed and manufactured,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. “Our reliability data has shown this to be true for years.”

For example, our testing and reliability data show that the Chinese-built Buick Envision is one of the better small SUVs in its class. The Polestar 2 electric vehicle was also made in China but sat at the bottom of our ratings. Similarly, many Honda and Toyota models built in the U.S. have excellent reliability, while some U.S.-built Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen models have below-average reliability.

“Some automakers are simply better at setting up new plants and incorporating production methods that eliminate potential problems,” Fisher says. He adds that Toyota is well-known for processes that prevent mistakes on the assembly line, while other brands leave more up to the skills and experience of the workers.

An MG S9 EV at the 2024 Geneva International Motor Show. Although MG was founded in the UK, the brand now belongs to Shanghai-based SAIC.

Photo: Keith Barry/Consumer Reports

At this point, CR hasn’t observed a difference between the Chinese-made vehicles already sold in the U.S. and vehicles from the same brands manufactured in Europe, Japan, or North America, says Alex Knizek, associate director for auto test development at CR.

“From a build-quality perspective, I’ve never noticed anything abnormal or different based on where a vehicle is assembled,” he says. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you without looking it up or checking the sticker.”

If cars from Chinese brands are ever sold here, they would have to meet U.S. safety standards, just as Chinese cars sold in Europe must meet stringent European crash test standards. Knizek says it’s likely that automakers would adapt their vehicles to fit the preferences of American consumers as well.

The interior of an L6 sedan from IM Motors, a joint venture between Alibaba and SAIC. IM claims a range over 600 miles, thanks to solid-state batteries.

Photo: Keith Barry/Consumer Reports

While a car’s provenance doesn’t predict its quality, CR experts say there’s often a correlation between an automaker’s experience and the reliability of the cars it produces. We’ve found that newer manufacturers—including Fisker, Lucid, Rivian, and Tesla—tend to struggle with building reliable cars. “Our data has shown time and time again that car manufacturers that are new to building cars have had many problems,” Fisher says. “Some Chinese automakers have long histories working with established brands such as Volkswagen, Nissan, Toyota, and GM. That may give them an advantage. But a new brand building in a new plant is not likely to be a recipe for success.”

“Current import restrictions mean that if we do see Chinese brands, they may be built in Mexico to help avoid tariffs,” Fisher says. “But only time will tell if the Chinese production methods will translate well in those new plants.”

BYD Seal 6

Photo: BYD

Which New Cars Are Made in China Today?

Many major automakers have factories in China, but the cars they build there are rarely sold in the U.S. These are the few that are sold domestically.

CR is currently testing a Volvo EX30 that was built in Zhangjiakou, China. Production recently moved to Ghent, Belgium.

Photo: BYD

How Can You Find Out Where a Car Was Made?

The easiest way is to check the doorjamb on the driver’s side, where the manufacturer will state in plain English where a vehicle’s final assembly took place.

If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, the top right of the window sticker found on every new car shows where the car was built. It may also show what percentage of the vehicle has U.S. and Canadian parts, the source of a majority of foreign parts, and the country of origin for the engine and transmission.

This plate, found on the doorjamb on the driver's side, shows a Chevy Trax that was built in Korea.

Photo: Keith Barry/Consumer Reports

You can also look at the first two characters of the 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN), found where the windshield meets the dash in front of the driver. It’s also printed on the car’s title document and registration. Most dealer websites and online car marketplaces list a VIN as well. The first two characters of the VIN are called a World Manufacturer Identifier and show where final assembly took place.

These are World Manufacturer Identifiers for countries where U.S.-bound vehicles are commonly exported from:

1, 4, 5, 7F through 7Z, and 70: U.S.

2: Canada

3: Mexico

9A through 9E and 93 through 99: Brazil

AA through AH: South Africa

J: Japan

KL through KR: South Korea

L: China

MA through ME and MY through M0: India

ML through MR: Thailand

SA through SM: United Kingdom

TJ through TP: Czech Republic

TR through TV: Hungary

U5 through U7: Slovakia

VA through VE: Austria

VF through VR: France

VS through VW: Spain

W: Germany

YA through YE: Belgium

YS through YW: Sweden

YF through YK: Finland

XL through XR: The Netherlands

ZA through ZU: Italy

Jaecoo 5

Photo: JAECOO

More on Cars by Brand

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2025, Consumer Reports, Inc.