Tariff fears are driving a boost in auto sales in Detroit [Video]

With a licence plate and set of keys in hand, Jerry Chen gets into the new Toyota Highlander his family decided to purchase before U.S. President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs kicked into gear.

Chen and his wife, who have two children, bought the vehicle from a Toyota dealership in Bloomfield Township, a northern suburb of Detroit. 

“I’m super excited,” Chen said moments before getting into the driver’s seat. 

CBC News travelled to Michigan’s Motor City because of its large auto industry presence, to find out how consumers and dealerships are responding to the tariffs. Detroit is also across from Windsor, Ont., Canada’s key auto industry player that’s home to giant plants like Ford and Stellantis. 

Chen admitted the purchase of the family’s Highlander was made sooner than originally planned.

“We were a little concerned about waiting, you know, six months or a year, not knowing what would happen,” he said, …