Hyundai CEO José Muñoz has a simple request for Washington: treat foreign automakers the same way American ones get treated. In a speech at the reveal of the 2027 Hyundai Tucson in New York City, Muñoz warned that the US could end up like Europe if China enters the market without protections in place.
Muñoz said he is asking for a level playing field for everybody. “As long as there is a level playing field for everybody… That’s all we ask, right? We compete everywhere in the world, and then we have seen that in the markets where that position is respected, so it’s really good for us.”
The context is stark. Chinese automakers have already taken over market share in Europe by selling vehicles at much lower prices than rivals like Volkswagen, Volvo, and Mercedes. Muñoz says the US could suffer the same fate without tariff barriers in place.
Europe’s lesson
Chinese vehicles in Europe are about 30 percent cheaper than comparable European models, even with EU import tariffs. That price gap has allowed Chinese brands to undercut local names and win customers without waiting for their own factories to open.
Muñoz warns that the US could be overrun the same way if it opens its doors too wide. “We have seen that in the markets where that position is respected, so it’s really good for us,” he said.
What Muñoz is asking for
Muñoz is not calling for tariffs on Chinese goods. He is calling for parity — the same rules for everyone. His stated approach is vertical integration: making its own tech and components.
“We compete everywhere in the world,” he said, arguing that fair competition benefits Hyundai globally.
The CEO admits Hyundai has no strategy yet for Chinese imports entering the US market. But he is betting that protectionist policies and product improvements can keep China at bay.
Washington’s position
President Donald Trump has signaled openness to Chinese automakers building plants in the US. He has said he’d welcome Chinese automakers building plants in the US if they hire American workers.
That stance puts Trump at odds with Muñoz’s position. Muñoz’s plea for a level playing field is a direct appeal to the administration to hold the line on Chinese imports.
The tariff wall that exists now
Steep tariffs and prohibitions on Chinese software make it nearly impossible to sell Chinese vehicles in the US now. Those barriers exist regardless of Trump’s stated openness to Chinese investment.
Experts say China will likely find a way to sell its cars in the US soon. Whether that happens depends on whether the US keeps its current barriers in place or decides to open the door further.
What Hyundai is building instead
Hyundai invested $5.8 billion in Louisiana to produce green steel. Muñoz cites that project as an example of vertical integration — making its own materials rather than buying them from abroad.
The company also operates a battery joint venture with SK On in Georgia near its Metaplant. That joint venture positions Hyundai to build its own EV components rather than relying on imported parts.
The EV gap
Electric vehicles account for over 20 percent of sales in Europe and over 60 percent in China. In the US, it’s under 6 percent.
Trump and Republicans eliminated federal EV subsidies, leaving the US behind on EV adoption. Hyundai’s hybrids are reportedly driving its EV sales, including the Tucson model.
Hyundai surpassed Honda to take second place in US hybrid sales behind Toyota.
Muñoz’s confidence
Muñoz is confident that Hyundai can compete. He acknowledges the challenge of building a domestic production base.
“Obviously if you don’t have the critical mass, the volume, it’s very difficult to be competitive. That is the key element, right? But there is a lot of production of batteries in the United States with some of the best global manufacturers. So I’m not concerned,” he said.
His message to Washington is blunt: give us the same shot at the market as everyone else gets. The CEO believes fair competition will reward the companies that invest in American production.
The path forward
Muñoz’s speech at the Tucson reveal was a warning dressed as a request. He wants the US to learn from Europe’s mistake and protect its own market.
Whether Washington listens is another question. Trump’s openness to Chinese investment has created tension with Muñoz’s position.
The two positions are not mutually exclusive, but they point in different directions:
- Muñoz wants a level playing field for every automaker.
- Trump wants American workers in Chinese plants.
The next few years will test which vision wins.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs Hyundai CEO José Muñoz’s plea for equal treatment under the law and is against any new rules that would give American automakers an advantage foreign rivals don’t have to face. Muñoz’s request is simple: the same rules for everybody. The paper agrees, because regulation often ends up protecting the biggest players and raising the cost of entry for small ones.
The danger Muñoz describes — the US becoming like Europe, overrun by cheaper Chinese imports — is real. But the answer is not new rules favoring American makers. The paper’s position rejects broad new rulebooks written with help from the biggest firms; it wants narrow oversight aimed at actual harm, not at giving American automakers an edge. Muñoz’s own approach — making his own tech and components, investing billions in green steel and batteries — is the kind of genuine competitiveness the paper supports.
The reader should watch for any move toward special treatment for American automakers, whether through tariffs, subsidies, or new regulatory burdens placed on foreign rivals. The paper will oppose those moves, just as it supports Muñoz’s request for a level playing field.
Source material: “Hyundai CEO says only a ‘level playing field’ can minimize damage from China,” The Verge.
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