GM to move Buick compact SUV production from China to U.S. by 2028

On the Dash:

• GM will build its next-generation Buick compact SUV in Kansas City for U.S. sales starting in 2028.
• The move strengthens GM’s domestic manufacturing footprint and supports local jobs.
• Production shift aligns with political pressure to onshore and responds to U.S.-China tensions and tariffs.

General Motors plans to move production of its next-generation Buick compact SUV from China to the United States, the company confirmed to Reuters Thursday. The vehicle will be built at GM’s Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, beginning in 2028.

Sign up for CBT News’ daily newsletter and get the latest industry stories delivered straight to your inbox. 

The Buick compact SUV produced in the U.S. will be sold domestically, though GM did not confirm whether production in China will continue for international markets. Since 2017, the Buick Envision SUV has been manufactured in China for customers in the U.S.

GM said the decision to onshore production is part of a broader effort to strengthen its domestic manufacturing footprint and support U.S. jobs, building on $5.5 billion in recent investments across its U.S. plants.

The shift coincides with pressure from the Trump administration for companies to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and occurs amid rising tensions between the United States and China, including tariffs on vehicles.

The new Buick compact SUV will join the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox in production at the Kansas City plant, following limited production of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt. Equinox production is scheduled to start in 2027.

Ultimately, U.S. sales of the Envision have exceeded 40,000 units annually over the past three years, accounting for roughly a quarter of Buick’s total sales during that period.