How the Toyota Camry Quietly Replaced a Forgotten American Icon
Key takeaways
- It’s hard to believe, but the bestselling car in America hasn’t been fully American for the past 29 years.
- Of course, it also depends on your definition of an “American” car.
- There was an era of course when American-badged cars owned the top spot, but if you’re under 40 and not an avid reader of MotorTrend, you probably haven’t heard of many of them.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
It’s hard to believe, but the bestselling car in America hasn’t been fully American for the past 29 years. It’s been the Toyota Camry, which took over first place in 1997 and hasn’t given it up since. That’s quite an accomplishment.
Of course, it also depends on your definition of an “American” car. The Camry has been assembled in Georgetown, Kentucky, since 1988, so it’s certainly been Made in America for the better part of four decades now. But I think it’s safe to say most Americans still think of it as a Japanese car—at least in terms of quality.
There was an era of course when American-badged cars owned the top spot, but if you’re under 40 and not an avid reader of MotorTrend, you probably haven’t heard of many of them. There were the Chevys, including the Cavalier, Celebrity, and Impala. Ford’s Escort, Falcon, Focus, Galaxie, and Taurus also spent time at the top, and even the Plymouth Valiant wore the crown. But only one American car held the No. 1 spot for a total of eight years. That car was the Oldsmobile Cutlass, from 1975 to 1981 and again in 1983.