Autotrader: Forbidden fruit: 8 luxury cars you can’t get in the U.S.

1. Acura CDX

The Acura CDX might be the least exciting car on this list, but it’s still interesting. The CDX was recently discontinued in China because the Acura brand exited the Chinese market in 2022. This was little more than an Acura-ized Honda HR-V (which is called the XR-V in China).

What’s interesting about the CDX is that it doesn’t exist in the U.S. It’s a subcompact luxury SUV in the vein of the Lexus UX and BMW X1, which seems like it would be just right for the American market.

The CDX was a bit sportier and more luxurious than the Honda
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HR-V. It used an electronically adjustable adaptive damping suspension system similar to the one on the Honda Civic Type-R. It was also available with the A-Spec appearance package with 18-inch wheels, black trim, and a more aggressive front fascia.

2. Audi A8L Horch

Audi has revived the long-dormant Horch moniker for its range-topping A8 sedan in China. The name comes from an old German automaker founded by August Horch, which eventually merged with three other companies to form the Audi brand we know today.

Horch is to Audi what Maybach is to Mercedes-Benz. It’s a subbrand that indicates the cream of the crop in automotive luxury. In this case, the Audi A8L Horch has a unique appearance package with special wheels, executive rear seating with an extended center console and lumbar pillows, and quilted leather everywhere.

The Horch subbrand is still pretty new in China. If it’s successful, we could eventually see Horch-branded Audi models on our shores.

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3. BMW 1 Series (F52)

The BMW
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F52 is a 1 Series sedan that was exclusive to China when it came out in 2017. In other markets where the 1 Series is sold, it comes exclusively as a hatchback. In China, however, the 1 Series is a sedan. It’s manufactured in a joint venture with Chinese firm Brilliance Auto
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The F52 is front-wheel drive and is available with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder or a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, both turbocharged. This car was such a hit in China that BMW started selling it in Mexico in 2018. As for the rest of North America, the closest thing we have to the F52 is the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

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4. Buick GL8 Century

We live in a world where the Buick Century is a turbocharged minivan you can only get in China. Buick has become a somewhat bland SUV brand in the U.S., but it’s a hugely successful luxury brand in China with a lot of variety in its model range.

One of the most interesting offerings from Buick in China is the GL8 Century. When the GL8 first launched in China in 2000, it was a rebadged Chevrolet Venture, and it’s come a long way since then. The new GL8 Century that came out in 2022 hints at what GM
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minivans might look like if they were still in the U.S.

The GL8 Century is a big deal for the Buick brand because it’s the first one with Buick’s new “Pure Design” aesthetic and the first production model to wear the new Buick emblem. That tells us it’s genuinely a flagship product for Buick in China.

The top flagship trim of the GL8 Century has four seats, a 32-inch screen for the rear passengers, heated Nappa leather captain’s chairs with ottomans, Bose 21-speaker audio, and stars on the headliner like the Rolls Royce Starlight headliner.

5. Buick Velite 6

“Velite” has become something of a subbrand in China. It started with the Velite 5, a Buick version of the Chevy Volt that came out in China in 2017. It was replaced by the Velite 6 in 2019, a station wagon available as an EV or a plug-in hybrid.

The Buick Velite 6 is an extended hatchback with curvy lines, and it’s not trying to look like a rugged SUV. It appears to be a practical car with a roomy interior and efficient powertrain options, and it’s too bad a car like this isn’t marketable in the U.S.

The EV is rated at 322 miles of range on a full charge, and the PHEV can go up to 37 miles on electricity alone.

Another enjoyable Buick wearing the “Velite” name is the Velite 7, an electric SUV based on the Chevy Bolt EUV.

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6. BYD Han

BYD
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is a Chinese car company with a confusing presence in the U.S. It built a North American headquarters in Los Angeles in 2011 and sells the e6 MPV and K-Series electric bus on a fleet-only basis, but it doesn’t sell consumer cars in the U.S.

The flagship sedan for BYD (which stands for “Build Your Dreams”) is called the Han. It has multiple powertrain options, all of which are electrified. You can get one as a plug-in hybrid with FWD or AWD. There are also single-motor and dual-motor EV options. The dual-motor model has a total output of 487 horsepower and achieves a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds, making it a pretty appealing sport sedan on paper.

The BYD Han is a pretty normal-looking sedan, but it’s full of fascinating quirks like a built-in karaoke system and “Build Your Dreams” spelled out on the back of the car.

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7. Lexus LM

The dream of the Lexus minivan is alive in China. It’s called the Lexus LM and is based on the third-generation Toyota
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Alphard. The LM name stands for “Luxury Mover,” a perfect name for a premium minivan.

Compared to the Toyota van it’s based on, the Lexus LM is longer, has more sound deadening, and of course, a Lexus aesthetic with a spindle grille. You can get it with seven seats or a more luxurious four-seat configuration called the “Emperor Suite.” You can get the LM with a 4-cylinder hybrid engine or a more gutsy V6.

Unfortunately for American families with a taste for the finer things in life, the chances of the Lexus LM being sold in the U.S. are slim to none.

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8. Lincoln Z

In another glimpse of what could’ve been in the U.S., the Lincoln Z is a handsome midsize luxury sedan that we can’t have in the States. It came out in 2022, replacing the MKZ and the Continental with the “Z” name as an homage to the old Lincoln Zephyr.

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The Z is a typical midsize luxury car on paper, but it’s interesting to see what a new Lincoln sedan looks like since they’re now extinct in their homeland. It’s front-wheel drive and powered by an EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine. The interior looks lovely and on par with modern Lincoln SUVs. Tech features include a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 27-inch infotainment system spanning the width of the dash. It also boasts the latest version of the Lincoln ActiveGlide hands-free highway driving system.

This story originally ran on Autotrader.com.