
Cars.com, a digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider, released its 2020 American-Made Index (AMI). Now in its 15th year, the AMI is an independent annual list that ranks the new vehicles that contribute most to the U.S. economy based on criteria ranging from U.S. factory jobs and manufacturing plants to parts sourcing. The No. 1 most American-made vehicle for 2020 is the Ford Ranger.
“This marks the 15th year we have released the American-Made Index, and for the first time, we are ranking a full, comprehensive list of qualifying American-made cars available in the U.S. Of some 350 cars on the market for 2020, 91 models qualified for our index,” said Kelsey Mays, Cars.com’s senior consumer affairs and vehicle evaluations editor. “The auto industry is highly globalized, but these 91 models bring jobs to America and investments to our local communities — a growing concern for Americans in the current climate.”
According to new research from Cars.com, 70 percent of shoppers consider a car’s U.S. economic impact a significant or deciding factor in their vehicle purchase; that’s up from 66 percent who indicated the same in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted Americans’ desire to “buy local.” The survey found that nearly 40 percent of consumers report they are more likely to buy an American-made car due to the current health and economic crisis, while just 4 percent said they were less likely. And a whopping 26 percent said it was “unpatriotic” to buy a non-American-made car, compared to just 18 percent in 2019.
Here are the top 10 finishers on the 2020 Cars.com American-Made Index:
Rank |
Make/Model |
U.S. Assembly Plant |
1. |
Ford Ranger |
Wayne, Mich. |
2. |
Jeep Cherokee |
Belvidere, Ill. |
3. |
Tesla Model S |
Fremont, Calif. |
4. |
Tesla Model 3 |
Fremont, Calif. |
5. |
Honda Odyssey |
Lincoln, Ala. |
6. |
Honda Ridgeline |
Lincoln, Ala. |
7. |
Honda Passport |
Lincoln, Ala. |
8. |
Chevrolet Corvette |
Bowling Green, Ky. |
9. |
Tesla Model X |
Fremont, Calif. |
10. |
Chevrolet Colorado |
Wentzville, Mo. |
The Michigan-built Ford Ranger, resurrected for the U.S. market in 2019, ranks No. 1 on the 2020 index. At No. 2 is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Jeep Cherokee, assembled in northern Illinois. New entrant Tesla, meanwhile, took three spots among the top 10 on the 2020 AMI. This is the first year Tesla has participated in the AMI, shaking up the results. Honda and GM also hold top spots on the index this year.