As the Detroit Three battle foreign automakers and startups it’s easy to forget just how big the U.S. auto market is. US drivers bought 16 million cars last year. According to Focus 2 Move, the U.S. represented 19% of the global automotive market in 2024. That means it’s second only to the Chinese market. Breaking into the US market remains one of the holy grails for car companies everywhere. Recently, two more players took a swing.

VinFast opens its first California dealership

VinFast is a Vietnamese electric vehicle startup taking aim at the U.S. market. Its most popular electric SUVs include the five-passenger VF8 ($46k) and seven-passenger VF9 ($69,800). It launched a franchise dealership model in 2023 and has 30 dealership in 15 U.S. states, from Texas, to Florida, to New York. But, until now, not California.

The Sunroad Automotive Group just opened California’s first VinFast dealership in San Diego. Paul Fillmore, general manager, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be VinFast’s first dealership partner in California, and to join this dynamic Vietnamese brand in shaping an exciting new chapter in the global electric vehicle revolution…We believe in VinFast’s strong potential to make a lasting impact in the North American market.”

Honda teams up with Sony to build Afeela for the U.S. market

Unlike many startups, Afeela has real automotive know-how behind it. That’s because the company is a collaboration between Honda and Sony. Its first prototype (the Afeela 1) is slated to being production at one of Honda’s North America plants for 2026 deliveries. And it seeks to offer something new to electronics fans.

The Afeela is all focused on the UX (which is the part Sony is taking on). Its infotainment will run Qualcomm Snapdragon–which was originally designed for mobile phones. It’ll also use Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for graphics. With multiple other car brands recalling vehicles over infotainment problems, a disruptive new player in this space is a welcome addi