There is no reason they should have thrived during the pandemic, they should have been taking a hit just like the customers. If they were taking increased profits, then it’s because they were screwing over customers during a challenging time.
Any auto maker that focuses on practical/efficient/affordable will benefit in the long run, and the fact that another country is more focused on that, makes the real threat of competition.
Yeah, most of the world has decided they don’t like refugees. Best bet is probably to pretend to be a tourist.