How do American cars differ from European cars?
When importing a car from the USA, it is worth knowing that American cars are often different from their European counterparts. This is partly due to the issue of regulations, but also to the convenience of manufacturers. What do these differences consist in? What do you need to replace in American cars to be able to register them in Poland?
Table of contents
1. Car from the USA — what needs to be changed
2. US cars vs. European cars — important differences
3. Cars from the USA — differences in engine power
5. FAQS
American cars are very popular in Poland and other European countries. They can often be purchased at a good price and with better equipment than most counterparts offered in European aftermarkets. However, you need to know that there are some differences in the mandatory equipment and power of some engine versions. It is worth knowing these differences before you decide to buy a car from the USA.
We will start with the mandatory things that need to be modified in order to undergo a technical examination at the diagnostic station. You will find out what changes American cars require and what the differences are.
Lighting is the most burning topic. It is with him that the greatest discrepancies and changes necessary for the registration of the vehicle are associated. In the United States, automakers install red turn signals. However, this is not due to regulations, but to lower production costs. Meanwhile, American turn signals in Poland will not pass the test at the diagnostic station. In European vehicles, turn signals must be coloured “car yellow”, which in practice means orange. You can also have, for example, transparent lampshades, but then the bulbs must be orange.
An interesting fact is that the US Highway Safety Agency (NHTSA) has conducted a study that shows that orange rear turn signals can reduce the number of accidents involving the rear-facing vehicle by as much as 20 percent. Despite this, American cars still have red turn signals.
In cars manufactured for the American market, symmetrical headlights are used. Meanwhile, in Poland, asymmetrical headlights are required, which illuminate the side of the road. Therefore, replacement is mandatory.
With fog lights it is the same as with turn signals. American regulations do not require them, so manufacturers do not mount them. Meanwhile, Polish and European law requires that the car be equipped with rear fog lights.
In Europe, the metric system is used (with the exception of the UK), while in the USA there is an imperial system. This means that European speedometers are scaled in kilometers per hour, and American speedometers are scaled in miles. An analogous situation occurs in the case of mileage.
If the clocks are analog, car owners have to replace them, although there are models where two dials are placed on the meter. With digital clocks, the situation is easier, because often the change of units can be made independently in the menu. In some cases, with the help of specialists, you can additionally upload the Polish language to the menu.
Although the issue of lighting is of the greatest importance in the context of Polish regulations, there are still a few things to pay attention to if you want to move comfortably in an American car on European roads.
In the United States, other radio waves are used and there are other standards for GPS navigation. Therefore, it is worth reprogramming the radio and uploading European maps for navigation. Sometimes it may be necessary to replace the entire GPS module.
The issue of tires is quite complicated, because there are different types of approvals - for example, due to the time of year or intended for a particular car model. In addition, EU law requires tyres to be labelled with rolling resistance and performance in conditions of reduced grip.
At the same time, there are no laws that prohibit the use on American cars of tires with which they were imported. In practice, there may be differences in specifications, so it is better to refer to common sense and buy new tires produced for the European market. In extreme cases, an insurance appraiser or appointed expert may draw attention to the fact that the tire was purchased and installed in the United States.
Mirrors in American cars are another difficult story. In some states, it is enough to have, for example, one side mirror provided that a rearview mirror is installed, which provides a view of what is happening behind. In Poland, such a configuration is also possible, but if the maximum speed of the vehicle exceeds 100 km/h, then it must have right and left side mirrors.
The second issue is the type of mirrors. Although the law does not say whether mirrors are to be spherical or aspherical, aspherical models are the standard in Europe. This is because they provide a better field of view and reduce blind spot.
Importing a car from the United States United pays off due to richer equipment, but often this applies only to additional equipment that affects driving comfort. Cars sold in the US must have two front airbags (from 1998), seat belts, brakes with ABS system (from 2012), tire pressure monitoring system (from 2007) and a rear view camera (from 2018).
Many manufacturers have started voluntarily equipping cars with an automatic emergency braking system, which is expected to be mandatory in the US from 2029. The NHTSA requires the system to prevent vehicles from contacting at speeds up to 100 km/h and automatically apply the brakes at speeds up to 145 km/h if a collision with another vehicle is unavoidable. It must also detect pedestrians during the day and after dark and brake automatically at speeds of up to 72 km/h if it considers that there is a risk of an accident and the driver has not taken any action to avoid it.
Some used cars from the USA may differ in engine power. This is due to the discrepancy between the US and European exhaust emission standards. For example, in the United States, as early as 1975, manufacturers had to introduce catalytic converters into the exhaust system. Their European counterparts did not have them, so it happened that they were stronger.
If you are looking for a car from overseas and want to buy diesel, then here too the Americans have set the standard in reducing emissions. In 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated the use of DEF, which reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides and other harmful substances into the atmosphere. In Europe, this solution functions as AdBlue and is only mandatory from 1 September 2014.
The first state to pay attention to emissions issues was California, which introduced the first environmental regulations for automakers as early as 1959. Until now, cars and motorcycles sold in California often have to meet different requirements, because the regulations themselves are different from the federal ones. Therefore, it happens that a given car model is available in 49 states because the manufacturer did not adapt it to the requirements of the California Air Resources Board.
It is accepted that cars from the USA are better equipped than their European counterparts. The American infrastructure is designed to promote cars as the main mode of transportation. Therefore, customers from the United States are eager to look into the catalogs of additional equipment.
Cars from the USA are also characterized by the fact that in most cases they have an automatic transmission. This solution has also become very popular in Europe. It facilitates both long-distance travel and provides comfort when driving in traffic jams. Myths have long been dispelled that cars with automatic transmissions accelerate worse or are more fuel-consuming. Once you try a modern automatic machine, you will never go back to the manual box again.
Manufacturers also often offer special versions of their cars intended only for the local market. It also happens that some engine configurations are more popular in the US than in Europe and therefore American customers can buy them longer than European ones.
- What elements of equipment need to be changed in a car from the USA?
When buying a car from the USA, you need to replace the headlights and turn signals, as well as install the rear fog light. The meter must be scaled in kilometers.
- Why do some cars from the USA have different engine power than the European version?
This is due to differences in the regulations on exhaust emission standards. The United States quickly introduced the obligation to install catalysts and the use of AdBlue.
- Do I need to replace mirrors in a car from the USA?
Replacing mirrors on a car imported from the USA is not necessary. However, cars from the USA often have spherical mirrors that limit the field of view, so it is better to replace them with aspherical counterparts, which are popular in Europe.
- How to adapt a car from the USA to drive in Europe?
You can carry out the process of adapting the car to European conditions on your own or with the help of specialists. At Bryki of America, we can help you with things like adjusting the lighting, reprogramming the radio, converting the meter from miles to kilometers, etc. so that your car will easily pass the technical examination.
