Tesla and Honda each earn four spots in the top 10 of the 2022 Cars.com American-Made Index. Vehicles by Lincoln and Jeep round out the top-tier rankings.
Experts from the car-shopping marketplace rank vehicles sold in North America annually rating them based on 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.
Out of the 379 models on the market today, just 95 made their way onto the index. Of those that did, most of them were assembled in five states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Alabama and Tennessee.
The Tesla Model Y took top honors this year, followed by the Tesla Model 3. In third place is the Lincoln Corsair followed by the Honda Passport and Tesla Model X and S. The Jeep Cherokee, Honda Ridgeline, Honda Odyssey, and Honda Pilot complete the selection.
None of America's best-selling trucks, like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra or Ram 1500 made the highest rankings.
The majority of Tesla vehicles on the list are assembled at the company's Fremont, California plant. The Model Y is also built at Tesla's new factory in Austin, Texas.
Honda's models are all assembled in Lincoln, Alabama. Ford's premium brand, Lincoln, makes the Corsair in Louisville, Kentucky while the Jeep Cherokee is made a few states over in Belvedere, Illinois.
"The composition of this year's much-anticipated American-Made Index is particularly interesting in the context of our current marketplace, where high gas prices and scarce inventory meet peak consumer interest in electric vehicles and a heightened demand for American-made products," said Jenni Newman, Cars.com editor-in-chief.
"That Tesla — an American-made all-electric make — appears frequently and high up on the list may indicate a coming alignment of market forces that could really explode once we break through microchip supply chain issues, especially if gas prices remain historically high."
Other American brands weren't completely shut out of honors this year. General Motors dominated the list overall with its models making up about 20 percent of the overall index. Toyota and Ford each represent 12 percent of the list.
The rankings come as more Americans are looking to buy domestic products. Cars.com shared that its May 2022 survey revealed that consumer preference for American-made vehicles has jumped 22 percent year-over-year to 40 percent.
Despite many buyers facing dealer markups, few deals and inventory shortages Cars.com says that affordability of vehicles has increased 15 percent. Customers who are considering an electric or hybrid model rose 21 percent from 2021's figures.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Autos team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the auto industry for U.S. News & ... Read more
