Cars.com is out with its 21st annual American-Made Index and not surprisingly two Teslas take the top two spots. For the sixth year in a row, Tesla claims the most American-Made vehicle with the Model 3, followed by the Model Y for a second consecutive year. This year’s list is great news for the 2026 Jeep Gladiator which is built is Toledo, Ohio. The Gladiator came in third on the rundown, followed by the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Grand Cherokee L which share the 4th spot. The only thing that really surprises me about the list so far is that the Jeep Wrangler isn’t right behind the Gladiator. The two vehicles share pretty much the front half of the vehicle. Wrangler came in at 23rd on this year’s list. Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company has 6 vehicles on the final rundown.
“This year’s list represents the ongoing evolution and diversification of American-made vehicles,” said Patrick Masterson, lead researcher for Cars.com's American-Made Index. “Notably, nearly two-thirds of this year’s list was produced by foreign automakers, about the same as in 2025, while the Detroit Three still holds approximately one-third of the vehicles.”
Ford Has Six Vehicles in the Top Fifteen
The Lincoln Navigator and the Navigator L land in the 12th spot on the list. They place just ahead of the Ford Expedition and Expedition Max which are both at 13th. The Lincoln Aviator comes in at 14th, while its Ford twin, the Explorer is next at 15th. In all, Ford has 9 vehicles on the American-made Index.
General Motors has the most nameplates in the ranking of 86 American-made cars, but GM’s highest vehicle on the rundown is the GMC Canyon midsize pickup at 25th. GM has 13 vehicles on the ranking. Surprisingly, America’s sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette comes in 35th.
Cars.com Sees the Survey as a Reflection of Tariffs
Consumers told Cars.com that they care about American jobs. Another recent Cars.com consumer survey found that 57% of respondents said they are willing to pay more for a vehicle if it creates U.S. jobs, with 69% willing to spend 5% to 10% more for a vehicle to keep jobs in the U.S. Additionally, almost half say that tariffs are a concern while shopping for a new car, with 42% saying that tariffs have made them more likely to buy an American-made vehicle. 87% of respondents think the Detroit Three automakers have at least some impact on the American economy. When asked between a selection of vehicles which they thought was built in the U.S., the overwhelming majority went to the Ford F-150, with 71% of consumers believing it to be American-made.
“American innovation has long helped drive the future of automotive forward,” Masterson remarked. “Cars are a key part of Americana, from summer road trips to drive-ins, which is why highlighting the vehicles that continue to fuel the American auto industry is so critical to economic growth on U.S. soil. This Index exists to help people better understand the complexities of the automotive industry and help those who want to make an impact with their purchase to know and understand what it actually means to be made in America.”
The 2026 American-Made Index was also impacted by tariffs because automakers changed their vehicle offerings for the 2026 model year. The switch to avoid tariffs meant that there are fewer cars on this year's index — 86 in 2026, down from 99 in 2025.
How Cars.com Conducted the Survey
Cars.com experts independently evaluated over 350 vehicles that contribute the most to the U.S. economy through manufacturing, parts sourcing and employment to generate the 2026 AMI list. Some vehicles kept the same production while others made their moves to source more of the components in the U.S., securing higher rankings on this year’s list.
It is important to point out that this year’s top 10 have the highest average domestic parts content percentage since the AMI methodology changed to its current form in 2020.
Electric Vehicles Falling on the Survey
The share of electrified vehicles on the AMI has declined slightly, from 30% to 24%, including EVs, hybrids and PHEVs. That decline is most evident in the number of EVs on the list dropping by almost half, from 11 to 5. Sales of EVs fell precipitously when the federal EV tax credit was dropped in the fall of 2025. This trend reflects the overall change in automakers' electrified strategies, which is playing out in real time.
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. You can access the entire American-Made Index list here.
Image by Jeep
About the Author
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary at @MaryConwayMedia on X and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.
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