by Julia Pierrepont III

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- As American automakers increasingly focus on higher-priced, more profitable vehicles, a growing number of ordinary Americans are calling for highly cost-effective imports from China to fill the void.

"I'm an auto mechanic," Juan Vega, a local Angeleno, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "And Chinese cars give great value for the price compared to American cars. In America, we say it's all about market competition, so why can't I buy an affordable Chinese car if I want one?"

That sentiment is becoming increasingly common because cars made in China by companies such as BYD and Geely can cost as little as the equivalent of 10,000 to 20,000 U.S. dollars but are effectively shut out of the U.S. passenger-car market by tariffs and other restrictions. Meanwhile, average new-vehicle transaction prices in the country have risen to around 49,000 dollars to 50,000 dollars in recent years. Typical monthly payments have remained high, as elevated interest rates, insurance premiums and repair costs have added to the burden.

Despite facing steep tariffs, Waymo, which operates public commercial robotaxi services in several U.S. metropolitan areas, has imported over 3,200 Chinese-built Zeekr electric minivans into the United States since 2024. But for millions of ordinary Americans, the new-car market is becoming less a marketplace than a gated community.

Detroit's product strategy has shifted decisively toward trucks, SUVs and premium models because those vehicles offer higher profit margins. Ford has largely abandoned traditional sedans in the U.S. market, while General Motors and Stellantis have leaned heavily on pickups, large SUVs and higher-priced configurations, leaving many U.S. consumers with fewer affordable options.

Sam Fiorani, vice president of Global Vehicle Forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, has argued that Chinese automakers have succeeded in producing reasonably priced small and midsize cars that appeal to consumers.

"The ride, the handling, the comfort and the luxury tech were off the charts," said car enthusiast Ken Wheeler, 39, who had test-driven a Chinese vehicle at a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) event. "And the price -- I'm sold!"

With U.S. car costs so high, Edmunds, a car-shopping research firm, said in a recent survey that 73 percent of U.S. consumers had delayed buying a vehicle because of high prices. "Affordability concerns among American car shoppers aren't going away anytime soon," it concluded.

"U.S. car prices are killing us," said R. Clark, 39, a Californian native and restaurant worker with modest wages and a family of three. "I gotta put off buying a new one again this year, even though my current one is in for repairs half the time."

For workers who need reliable transportation to get to jobs, schools, medical care and childcare, the loss of affordable cars can have consequences far beyond household budgets.

But affordable cars from China remain effectively off-limits to American consumers, largely because of steep tariffs and other trade and security restrictions.

The result, consumer advocates and some industry analysts say, is a policy collision: Washington says it is protecting American jobs and national security, while many households are left struggling with higher car bills and fewer affordable transportation options.

Chinese automakers have built small electric cars that sell overseas at prices well below many U.S. options and have received praise for their efficiency, technology and value. Even so, the tariff barrier makes direct competition in the U.S. market impossible, forestalling market testing. The problem has deepened since the United States imposed steep tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Chinese automakers have increasingly turned to international celebrities to promote their brands. Leonardo DiCaprio became a brand ambassador for BYD's new-energy vehicles in China in 2016, while Daniel Craig has more recently appeared in advertising for BYD's premium brand, Denza.

Views from the automotive community shed light on the issue.

Clint Simone, senior features editor at Edmunds, told Reuters that he had driven several Chinese vehicles at CES earlier this year and was struck by their value proposition. "The technology they offer for those lower price tags was astounding," Simone said.

Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New Automotive, told CBS News earlier this year, "China is miles ahead of the rest of the world."

"If China is willing to make a good car I can actually afford and Detroit won't, then bring it on," a family man who called himself Clark told Xinhua. "The government should either help guys like us by pressuring American carmakers to step up with rides in our price range -- or get out of the way and let China do it."

But despite stepping away from the low-priced sedan market, Detroit automakers and their allies warn that a wave of low-cost Chinese vehicles could damage U.S. factories, suppliers and dealerships.

"They used that tired old argument against Japanese cars in the 1970s, and Detroit didn't go under then, did it?" Vega told Xinhua.

Critics said those older arguments may protect shareholders, executives and lobbyists at the expense of ordinary American consumers. They argued the policy has created a protective wall around companies that increasingly prefer to sell fewer, more expensive vehicles rather than competing aggressively for budget-conscious buyers.

Policy discussions in Washington frequently focus on industrial strategy, geopolitical rivalry and the profits of major manufacturers. Policymakers can overlook how deeply transportation affordability affects ordinary Americans. A rule that looks prudent from a national security briefing can be punitive to a worker who cannot afford the vehicles left on the lot.