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There were some surprises this year on Cars.com list of the most American-made cars.
Cars.com’s American-Made Index ranks cars based on five factors: assembly location, parts sourcing as determined by the American Automobile Labeling Act, U.S. factory employment relative to vehicle production, engine sourcing, and transmission sourcing.
“Americans have a clear desire to use their dollars to purchase U.S.-created products that contribute to the local, regional and national economy, according to a Cars.com survey,” said Patrick Masterson, lead researcher for Cars.com’s American-Made Index. “However, it always surprises car shoppers that the badge on the hood doesn’t always reveal a vehicle’s economic contributions,” he added.
Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model Y was at the top of the Cars.com’s American-Made Index, followed by the Honda (NYSE:HMC) Passport (made in Alabama) and Volkswagen ID.4 (OTCPK:VLKAF) (made in Chattanooga, Tennessee). The rest of the top ten included the Tesla Model S (TSLA), Honda Odyssey (HMC), Honda Ridgeline (HMC), Toyota Camry (TM), Jeep Gladiator (STLA), Tesla Model X, and Lexus TX (TM).
Overall, 66% of vehicles on Cars.com’s 2024 American-Made Index were from foreign automakers that support communities in Alabama, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Over half of the vehicles on this year’s list were assembled in the South, outpacing the 45% assembled in the Midwest. While 77% of vehicles on this year’s index were gas-powered, the segment has declined 5% overall since 2020.
