Category Archives: Tariffs

Buick Envista, Envision, Encore GX Face Thousands in Added Costs from New U.S. Tariffs

Buick, Buick Envision, Donald Trump, GM, GMC, News, Tariffs

  • Buick’s three top-selling SUVs face tariffs of up to 47.5% on U.S. imports.

  • GM may halt imports of 450,000 vehicles from China and Korea due to rising costs.

  • Buick’s market gains in the U.S. risk reversal amid higher sticker prices and shrinking supply.

U.S. tariffs on vehicles imported from China and South Korea are expected to seriously undercut Buick’s recent sales growth, with its top-selling models now subject to new levies that could increase retail prices by thousands of dollars.

General Motors’ Buick division, which had recorded a 39% sales increase in the first quarter of 2025 in the U.S., is especially vulnerable due to its reliance on overseas manufacturing. The Envista and Encore GX are produced in South Korea, while the Envision SUV is assembled in China. According to a Barclays analysis, the South Korean imports now face a 27.5% tariff, while the Envision is subject to a combined 47.5% tariff due to overlapping trade penalties and import duties.

The price hikes threaten Buick’s upward trajectory in the U.S. market. The company has not issued a public comment on the potential impact, but industry analysts point to the affordability of Buick’s current lineup as a key factor behind its recent momentum.

Barclays warned in a client note on April 15 that the new tariffs could force General Motors to stop importing about 450,000 vehicles annually from China and South Korea. It also cut GM’s 2025 EBIT estimates by 40%, citing an estimated gross tariff impact of $9.5 billion. Ford Motor faces a projected 60% EBIT reduction and a $7 billion tariff cost, due in part to its China-made Lincoln Nautilus.

2025 Buick Enclave Avenir Review: Turbocharged but Far From Miraculous 

Industry-wide, the tariffs are expected to raise prices of affected models by 10–15% and could drive a 5% increase across the broader vehicle market, according to Cox Automotive. This may hit entry-level vehicles especially hard, including the Buick Envista and Chevrolet Trax, which are among the most affordable SUVs available.

Despite current challenges, Buick has seen growth in market share from 0.8% in 2022 to 1.6% in the first quarter of 2025. The refreshed Envision have driven much of that expansion. Dealers have reported strong demand and inventory levels remain healthy, with a 53-day supply on average, according to Edmunds.

However, Buick’s outlook is less stable globally. The brand’s sales in China—a major historical market—have declined by 65% since 2020 amid growing competition from domestic EV manufacturers. Sam Abuelsamid, vice president at Telemetry, said the combination of tariff pressures in the U.S. and market erosion in China poses a “risk to the survival of the brand.”

Though Buick sales were up by 44.1% in Q1 in Canada, a dramatic decline in imports and sales in the U.S. could impact availability here. Buick Canada’s 22,938 sales for all of 2024 pale compared to Buick USA’s 61,822 units delivered in Q1 alone this year. Importing a fraction of the planned Envista, Encore GX, and Envision may prove too costly for the Canadian market alone.

Source: Reuters

The post Buick Envista, Envision, Encore GX Face Thousands in Added Costs from New U.S. Tariffs appeared first on Motor Illustrated.

Buick Envista, Envision, Encore GX Face Thousands in Added Costs from New U.S. Tariffs

Canada To Offer Tariff Exemptions for Automakers Maintaining Domestic Production

Buick, Canada, Donald Trump, Ford, GM, GMC, News, Stellantis, Tariffs

  • Ottawa exempts automakers from tariffs if Canadian production levels are maintained or increased.

  • U.S. tariffs prompt Canadian countermeasures: CUSMA vehicle imports partially excluded from duties.

  • Federal relief includes a six-month tariff holiday and loan support for affected Canadian companies.

The federal government announced April 15 that automakers that continue producing vehicles in Canada will receive an exemption from federal countermeasure tariffs. This is part of its response to new U.S. import duties on automobiles.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said companies can import a limited number of U.S.-built vehicles without paying Canadian retaliatory tariffs, provided the vehicles meet Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) standards. The exemption applies only to automakers that maintain or increase Canadian production and investment levels.

The federal government introduced the measure in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this month to impose a 25 % tariff on all imported vehicles. Trump included a partial exemption under CUSMA for vehicles assembled within North America. Ottawa responded with similar tariffs targeting U.S.-assembled vehicles destined for the Canadian market.

Auto Parts Tariffs May Be Delayed as Trump Considers Limited Exemptions

Under the new Canadian policy, automakers that scaled back production in Canada could see reduced tariff-free import allowances. In addition, Champagne announced a six-month tariff holiday for goods imported from the U.S. and used in domestic manufacturing, health care, and public safety sectors.

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the issue during a campaign stop in Quebec, calling the North American auto sector one of the most integrated industrial systems globally. “President Trump’s tariffs are an attempt in some degree to pull apart that integration and the benefits that come from that integration,” Carney said.

Carney also indicated that tariffs on U.S. auto parts, scheduled to take effect by May 3, may be reconsidered. He said he has been discussing with senior executives from Canadian and international automakers.

Honda Canada Addresses Production Change Rumours

Automakers, including Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, have urged the Trump administration to reconsider the duties. Industry analysts say they are likely to increase costs and disrupt cross-border supply chains. On April 14, Trump suggested that a delay or additional exemptions may be forthcoming.

To support Canadian businesses affected by the dispute, Ottawa announced a range of relief measures, including a temporary tariff exemption for certain U.S. imports and an expanded large enterprise tariff loan facility now accepting applications.

Source: Automotive News

The post Canada To Offer Tariff Exemptions for Automakers Maintaining Domestic Production appeared first on Motor Illustrated.

Canada To Offer Tariff Exemptions for Automakers Maintaining Domestic Production

Auto Parts Tariffs May Be Delayed as Trump Considers Limited Exemptions

Buick, Donald Trump, Ford, GM, GMC, News, Stellantis, Tariffs

  • Trump may delay parts tariffs to give automakers time to shift supply chains domestically.

  • S. auto firms say broad tariffs will raise costs, cause layoffs, and hurt competitiveness.

  • Stock markets reacted positively to Trump’s comments on potential relief for car manufacturers.

On April 14, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is exploring potential exemptions to a planned 25% tariff on imported automotive parts. He cited the need to give manufacturers time to relocate production to the United States.

In the Oval Office, Trump stated, “They’re switching to parts that were made in Canada, Mexico and other places, and they need a little bit of time, because they’re going to make them here.”

The announcement comes as U.S. automakers continue lobbying the administration to shield low-cost vehicle components from new import duties. Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis have indicated a willingness to pay tariffs on completed vehicles and significant assemblies like engines but argue that sweeping tariffs on smaller parts could increase production costs by billions of dollars, disrupt supply chains, and trigger layoffs.

Trump’s comments briefly lifted auto stocks, with GM, Ford and Stellantis shares rebounding from session lows following the remarks.

The White House has already implemented a 25% tariff on fully assembled vehicle imports, and tariffs on parts will take effect no later than May 3rd. Current trade rules under the North American agreement allow for exemptions if vehicles meet minimum domestic content thresholds.

Automakers have argued that the proposed parts duties contradict the administration’s stated goal of revitalizing U.S. manufacturing. Industry representatives have warned that higher input costs could force companies to reduce investment or issue profit warnings.

Source: Automotive News

The post Auto Parts Tariffs May Be Delayed as Trump Considers Limited Exemptions appeared first on Motor Illustrated.

Auto Parts Tariffs May Be Delayed as Trump Considers Limited Exemptions