New luxury Chinese, Japanese and US cars a contrast to vintage classics on Cuba’s streets

Brand new Mercedes, state-of-the-art 4x4s, even Teslas: high-end modern cars have started appearing in the Cuban capital Havana, a city whose image is intricately linked to the numerous classic American sedans and Soviet-era Ladas that cruise its streets.

The influx has come despite a biting economic crisis on the communist island, where the average monthly wage is US$42 and the vast majority of Cubans struggle to get from point A to B thanks to a public transport system crippled by shortages of parts and fuel.

Few can afford a car, never mind a new one.

But for private companies, authorised in Cuba only in 2021, the government in 2023 eased restrictions on the importation of foreign vehicles previously subjected to exorbitant taxes and customs duties.