Margins on cars are pretty low, in single digit percentages, and only higher when you move to premium cars. You just cannot compete as "not huge" company with

Margins on cars are pretty low, in single digit percentages, and only higher when you move to premium cars. You just cannot compete as "not huge" company with other big companies making cheap cars. They are making their money on service and replacement components, not on new economy car sales (well, pre-pandemic at least) So you're not getting "cheaper company" nor "well made" because making something well and cheap requires that scale in the first place. The issue is really that not that many come to dealership and want cheapest radio from the 90s in their new car. People do want at least android auto/carplay and that usually comes with whole rest of entertainment, and as we are in cheap economy car segment, well, the shit that cost few bucks in knobs also get moved to that entertainment.