Only one American automaker made it into the list of the top 10 most American-made cars, as compiled by Cars.com.
Nope, not GM.
Not Ford.
It wasn’t Stellantis (parent of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram), either.
Even Honda and Volkswagen proved more American than the Big Three American automakers in the study. But Texas-based Tesla builds the top four most American cars. That’s impressive, considering that Tesla has a lineup of… four vehicles.
Cars.com researchers examined 338 cars to rank the top 100 on “five criteria: assembly location, parts content, engine origin, transmission origin, and U.S. manufacturing workforce.”
An important caveat: for parts content, Cars.com counts Canada as part of the U.S.
The Top Ten:
- Tesla Model Y
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla Model X
- Tesla Model S
- Honda Passport
- Volkswagen ID.4
- Honda Odyssey
- Acura MDX
- Honda Ridgeline
- Acura RDX
Electric Car Policies Are Moving Manufacturing
Recent changes to U.S. law are driving significant changes to the site’s American-Made Index. The Inflation Reduction Act allowed tax rebates of up to $7,500 on electric vehicles built in North America (subject to price caps, income limits, and restrictions on where the parts come from).
The new law has pushed automakers to build more factories in the U.S., changing the makeup of the index. Researchers write, “In 2022, hybrid and all-electric models made up 14 of the AMI’s 95 vehicles (15%); this year, there are 14 in the top 60 alone and 22 in total (22%). More are on the way.”
The COVID-19 pandemic also forced major changes in supply lines, with automakers searching farther afield for some parts. The study’s authors note that, in past years, only vehicles with 75% or more of their parts made in the U.S. or Canada even made the list. “It’s a struggle for most vehicles in 2023 to hit even 60%.”
The Big Three Make a Poor Showing
Parts sourcing helped push America’s traditional big names down the list. Ford’s highest position is 16, with the Lincoln Corsair small SUV. General Motors’ first appearance is at slot 19, with the Chevrolet Corvette. Stellantis doesn’t even make the top 20, with the Dodge Durango placing 21st.
