Instead of small cheap hatchbacks we get the electric hummer.
Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia would have continued to manufacture and sell these in the US if there was demand, which there wasn't.
What I'm surprised by is the non-existence of an Indonesian owned and designed brand, but that's probably a result of the Asian Financial Crisis back in the day, but it's embarrassing given that historically poorer Vietnam has been able to incubate it's own domestic ecosystem for EVs and ICE cars. Indonesia has stagnated over the past decade based on developmental indicators and seems to be falling into the commodities trap instead of upskilling into processing.
It wasn’t that Honda couldn’t sell Fits to Americans at a small profit, it’s that they found they could use their manufacturing capacity to sell more expensive, more profitable models to Americans instead.
> The HR-V was successful enough that it displaced some Fit production
> it’s that they found they could use their manufacturing capacity to sell more expensive, more profitable models to Americans instead.
That by definition implies that the Fit did not have ideal PMF. You do NOT want to be managing multiple SKUs, especially if they are cannibalizing each others market.
It's also an additional point showing that if given the option or the ability, consumers would spend a couple thousand more just to get a CUV instead if a hatchback.
Edit: I forgot, no one on HN understands how basic business works. Keep the downvotes coming
Vietnam has one domestic car maker VinFast and it's more a project of the billionaire owner of Vin group - supermarkets and the like - rather than a government plan.
Stage 1: you want a smaller cheaper car.
Stage 2: buying/renting a house is too much so get a bigger car to sleep in...
Seriously though, I want a 4WD electric version of a Mazda MX5 with Hyundai's Ioniq N series drift mode. Fun every day, more fun on track days.