They've been making compelling vehicles but no one cares because everyone is still scarred by 70s-90s quality. Would you even test drive a Buick if you were in the market for a Toyota or Honda?
Also, there are far more American cars on the road in the Midwest compared to the urban coasts, so your observation should include geographic location.
My wife owned a Chevy Malibu (mid 2000s) when we met and it was complete garbage from the tired design to the terrible build quality.
I’ve sat in more recent American cars and they are the same way still. Even flagship cars like the mustang and corvette have rattles and plastic heavy interiors.
They haven’t shaken off the reputation because they are still crap.
I've lived in the Midwest my whole life and the trucks here are American but the sedans (which most families have at least one of) are still Toyota or Honda
I think the new Lincoln sedans (and crossover SUVs) are very compelling. Beautifully styled on the outside with amazing interior. They also comes in hybrid models.
Their highest end sedan with extras is comparable in quality and sleekness to a Mercedes or BMW. (And about the same price I think).
Why would you get BMW if a Cadillac does the same thing, is more technologically advanced, and cheaper to maintain (after warranty expires, that is)? Or, for that matter, why not get an even more advanced, all-American Tesla?
By some reports Cadillac CT6 has the best autopilot implementation on the market. And as a BMW owner myself, after the 4 year mark things do start to break down, and boy is it ever expensive to fix. I still like the car, but for my next one I’ll be looking at American luxury brands.
I agree. I like BMWs for what they are but I wouldn’t dismiss Cadillac’s current offerings without taking a real look at them. And really who couldn’t get excited about the CTS-V?
Porsche is at least offering something unique in their rear engine models. But at the same time they aren’t really practical for day to day use. Noisy, cramped, very low to the ground (so visibility is not their forte). And even more expensive to maintain.
I have driven a few. For what I need my car for, I prefer my BMW 535. I don’t race. 99% of my driving is 65 mph or less. I also have a wife and a kid, so a de-facto 2-seater is out of the question even if I did love it.
I really liked the look of the Lincoln Continental but when I found out it wasn't rear wheel drive (or a rear wheel drive biased all wheel drive system) then I lost interest.
An domestic vehicle is as much a statement about nationalism and trade policy as anything else. Those politics are highly corelated with low population density, and therefore large vehicles. It makes complete sense that most small urban vehicles would be imports, while most exurban SUVs are domestic.
I rented a US built sedan a while back. I remember being amused at the huge panel gaps, cheap plastic everywhere giving off a strong chemical odour, and the fact the thing carried on rocking on its super soft suspension noticeably after you came to a halt. I cannot fathom why anyone would buy something like that rather than a BMW for example if the prices were similar, bar extreme patriotism.
I love how American companies are justifying weak sales as the economy and not their complete failure to make a compelling vehicle in the sedan space.