2026 American-Made Index: Tesla Leads, Honda Makes History, Jeep Surges
Key takeaways
- For much of that time, Motor Trend didn’t pay close attention to the list, but with tariffs reshaping supply chains, customer interest has become quite keen of late.
- The list ranks, in order, every car and light truck model that gets some of its assembly performed within U.S. borders, ranked by content from most to least American Made*, based on a 100-point scale.
- *Per the AALA, a part made in Canada counts the same as one made in the USA.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
For 21 years Cars.com has scrutinized the American Automobile Labeling Act data, blending it with several other information sources—including window-sticker audits of cars on dealer lots (of which there were 176,000-plus this year)—to generate its American Made Index. For much of that time, Motor Trend didn’t pay close attention to the list, but with tariffs reshaping supply chains, customer interest has become quite keen of late. This year, 379 vehicles were evaluated before arriving at a list of 86 entries, of which three are new to the list (17 having dropped off the list either due to cancellation or annual sales volumes having fallen below Cars.com’s minimum threshold).
The list ranks, in order, every car and light truck model that gets some of its assembly performed within U.S. borders, ranked by content from most to least American Made*, based on a 100-point scale. Note that the top finishers are typically separated by fractions of a point, and that in the decades Cars.com has been conducting the study, no car has ever scored a perfect 100. This year’s ever-evolving tariff landscape has amped up the pertinence of the American Made Index. As things continue to evolve, simply know that models ranked higher on this list will be impacted less than those lower on (or missing from) the list.
*Per the AALA, a part made in Canada counts the same as one made in the USA.