U.S. automakers barely have a presence in Japan, the world's third-largest car market. Some blame protectionism, others cite the tastes of Japanese consumers and a lack of investment.
But industry observers chalk the admittedly glaring disparity up to the unique characteristics of the Japanese auto market: American firms don't really make cars that suit Japanese tastes, Americans have not invested in a dealership presence in the country, and many Japanese consumers have a persistent, if outdated, idea that American vehicles are unreliable and inefficient.
Roughly 40 percent of the cars sold in Japan are a special class of extra small cars call Kei cars. Nearly all of those are sold by Japanese brands, such as Suzuki and Daihatsu. Japan is a crowded country, and drivers like the convenience and efficiency of small vehicles that are easy to maneuver on narrow streets or fit into tight parking spaces.
"In Japan, there is a different market and different consumer," said Kristin Dziczek, vice president of industry, labor & economics at the Center for Automotive Research. Although U.S. autos aren't taxed going into Japan, American cars aren't made for Japanese consumers."We are giving them our off-cast, things we make for the North American consumer that we hope we can then sell in other markets.
Japanese automakers are so adept at serving their home turf that about 95 percent of the cars on Japanese roads are Japanese makes. Imports make up the balance, and most of those are European luxury vehicles or sports cars.
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