The US consumer perceptions of imported automobiles: the challenges for emerging market country manufacturers

Abstract

In the next few years, automobiles manufactured in emerging market countries will begin to be sold in the USA. This research investigates US consumer reactions to a fictitious brand of automobile manufactured in either China or Brazil. Results suggest three important observations. First, trust is a major hurdle that both Brazilian and Chinese auto manufacturers must overcome to successfully target US consumers. Second, automobiles originating from Brazil and China are viewed quite differently, and the Brazilian automobile was generally viewed more favorably. And third, the Chinese automobile was considered very similar to the US brand in the study, suggesting that Chinese manufacturers may have a comparatively easier time exporting automobiles to the USA.