Just last year, U.S. car buyers could choose from six different models assembled in China. Today, Ford Motor Co. is the only “American” brand still importing vehicles from China for sale in the U.S. That vehicle is the Lincoln Nautilus crossover.

Lincoln introduced the first generation of the Nautilus for the 2019 model year. The automaker assembled the SUV at its Oakville, Ontario, plant for the North American market through 2023. Lincoln also built the crossover in Hangzhou, China, for overseas markets.

In 2023, Ford took the Oakville plant offline. The automaker began retooling the Toronto-area facility for electric vehicle production. Ford launched the second-generation Nautilus for the 2024 model year, assembled exclusively in China. Even U.S. Ford dealerships now sell Nautilus crossovers imported from China.

Why automakers are pulling back from China-built imports

Ford is not the first automaker to import vehicles from China. Buick is a popular brand in China, and General Motors engineered the compact Buick Envision primarily for the Chinese market. In 2016, GM began exporting the Chinese-built SUV to U.S. dealerships.

That is no longer the case. GM recently announced the next generation of its smallest SUV will be built for the North American market at its Kansas City plant. The model may also receive a new name.

Other Chinese-built vehicles still available in the U.S. include the Volvo S90, the Volvo EX30, and several Polestar electric models. With uncertainty surrounding future tariffs on vehicles built in China, those automakers may soon shift production to North America.

Canada, meanwhile, is moving in the opposite direction. The country is relaxing its 100% tariff on China-built vehicles. The first 49,000 imported each year will face a tariff of just 6.5%.