| A few decades ago it was easy to spot an import | | | | California). Many also have |
| car. They were small, mostly 4- | | | | design studios there as well. So can a car still be |
| cylinder econo-boxes that were made in Japan or | | | | labeled an import if it's designed |
| Germany. However, over the last 2 | | | | and built and sold in The United States? The reality is |
| decades, more and more foreign manufacturers have | | | | that there are no longer |
| built plants here in North | | | | imports and domestics. Ford builds cars in Europe, |
| America. Honda built the first Japanese manufacturing | | | | Asia and North America. As does |
| facility in Ohio in 1979. | | | | General Motors. What about Chrysler? Is it still a |
| Today, Honda builds the Accord, Civic, Odyssey, and | | | | domestic? Daimler-Benz (a German |
| Acura MDX in plants in Canada | | | | company) owns it. Is Bentley an English car |
| and The United States. Toyota builds the Camry, | | | | company? Volkswagen AG owns it and |
| Avalon, Corolla, Solara, Tacoma, | | | | most of the major components come from Audi. |
| Tundra, Matrix, Sienna, and Lexus RX350 in plants | | | | BMW owns Rolls Royce and the |
| across Canada and the United | | | | quintessential English car, the MINI. I wonder if people in |
| States as well. Nissan builds virtually all of their | | | | England think of those |
| vehicles in The United States | | | | cars as imports or domestics?Unions here in North |
| including the Maxima, Altima, Titan, Armada, Frontier, | | | | America want consumers to "buy American". At the |
| Pathfinder, and Xterra. | | | | Detroit |
| Mitsubishi, Subaru, BMW, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz | | | | auto show in January the UAW handed out bags at |
| also build cars throughout | | | | the Ford booth that said "Buy |
| The United States. So do you still label a car an import | | | | American" in big letters. Needless to say, it caused |
| if it's made in your own | | | | confusion, as I didn't know if |
| country? Are the Crown Victoria and Chevrolet | | | | they meant buy the Toyota Camry that is built in |
| Impala imports because they're made | | | | Kentucky or the Ford Fusion that is |
| in Canada? What about the new Ford Fusion? Is that | | | | built in Mexico, or the Dodge Charger that is built in |
| an import car? It's made in | | | | Canada and uses many |
| Mexico.Okay, perhaps an import is a vehicle that is | | | | components from the previous generation Mercedes |
| designed somewhere else regardless of | | | | E-Class.Let's face it. Consumers should pick a car |
| where it is built. Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, | | | | based on what's best, not on the location |
| Subaru and others have Research | | | | of a company's mailbox. |
| & Development centers in the United States (mostly in | | | | |