If you’re shopping for a new car, it might be tempting to buy one from an American brand like Ford or Chevrolet in an effort to keep the dollars at home, but just how “American-built” some of these are may actually surprise you. For the 15th year in a row, Cars.com released its American-Made Index that ranks vehicles based on factors like the country of origin for various parts to how many employees in the U.S. work to manufacture them. In previous editions the index rated between 10 and 15 cars, but in 2020, it expanded its scope to 91 models from 13 automakers.
The Ford Ranger and Jeep Cherokee top the list, meaning they’re the most American-made rides money can buy, with Tesla and Honda happily joining the top 10. The Model S and Model 3 ranked third and fourth, respectively, while the Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline ranked sixth and seventh. Those might not be surprising, given the large manufacturing footprints of Honda and Tesla here, but it’s worth noting that the index doesn’t simply rank point of assembly, but it looks into small details like parts suppliers and such.
For what it’s worth, it’s surprising to see vehicles that are so ingrained in American folklore ranking so far down the list. The Ford F-150 is ranked 44th and the Ram 1500 in 47th, while the Chevy Silverado 1500 is ranked way down at 77.
- Ford Ranger
- Jeep Cherokee
- Tesla Model S
- Tesla Model 3
- Honda Odyssey
- Honda Ridgeline
- Honda Passport
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Tesla Model X
- Chevrolet Colorado
- GMC Canyon
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Honda Pilot
- Acura RDX
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Tundra
- Acura MDX
- Cadillac CT5
- Cadillac XT4
- Ford Expedition
See the remaining list here.
Cars.com notes that it’s not accurate to call vehicles like the Silverado “losers,” because all vehicles on the list have final assembly performed in the U.S., and are considerably more American-made than the other 250 models fully imported into the country. Some of these models that didn’t make the list can be assembled in places a close as Ontario, Canada to as far as India.
If you don’t see some of your favorite vehicles on this list it’s because of the above, or because data isn’t required for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating above 8,500 pounds, such as full-size vans and heavy-duty trucks.
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