Small cars and trucks are having a moment in the U.S. after a brutal period of compacts dying off, but the rest of the world never turned its back on them. The appeal of smaller, more practical, and often cheaper cars like the upcoming Kia Tasman hasn’t been lost on foreign markets. Now, some people in the U.S.—including Ford CEO Jim Farley—are seeing the appeal of smaller cars and trucks sold on markets abroad, and we want to know which models our readers find the most appealing. What foreign market cars do you wish were sold in the U.S.?
It doesn’t have to be a small city car, a practical MVP, or a new midsize truck. Foreign markets are rife with models for all tastes and specific situations. There are plenty of small EVs that’d make excellent commuters for many Americans (if they didn’t succumb to range anxiety) as well as combustion models that enthusiasts drool over. Take your pick.
You want a hearty off-roader? There’s the beloved Suzuki Jimny—in two door spec, please. You want a stately sedan? There’s the one true Toyota Crown. (Not our Toyota Crown, which is known as the “Crossover Type” in its native market.) You want a compact yet beefy body-on-frame truck? Kia’s first midsize truck ever, the Kia Tasman, promises to deliver just that as a “ute” made to conquer the Australian outback and challenge rivals like the Toyota Hilux and Mitsubishi Triton.
Small, cheap cars have kept going on markets abroad, while buyers in the U.S. demanded more car for their money. This inevitably led to “more money” becoming the norm, leaving us with big expensive cars that aren’t a good fit for everyone. If you could take your pick from the foreign lot, what new car do you wish would make its way to our shores? Tell us in the comments below.
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