(WWJ) Tesla’s Model Y has taken home the title of “Most American” vehicle for a third year in a row.
“Every Tesla you buy is still American made,” said Patrick Masterson, who compiles the annual “American Made Index” for Cars.com.
Masterson says the U.S. has not yet received any imports from new Tesla plants in China and Europe, even though some have been sold in Canada.
The index compiles an annual list of 100 “Most American” vehicles, looking at a number of factors — including manufacturing site, parts content, employment and sales.
"It is to illustrate that the badge on the hood does not always reveal a cars economic contribution to the US economy,” said Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Jenni Newman. “Domestic automakers, they account for 44 percent of the index, while foreign automakers account for 66%.”
Honda has three vehicles in the top ten, including the Passport, the Odyssey and the Ridgeline. The top Detroit Three model is the Jeep Gladiator at number 8.
General Motors has the most vehicles on the top 100 list, with Toyota in second place.
Cars.com creates the list from an initial pool of 400 vehicles. Many are disqualified because they are imported, including some well known American nameplates.
“Dig a little deeper with Buick, you find the Envista is made in South Korea,” said Masterson, acknowledging that it’s easy for buyers to get confused. “The Bronco is made here in Detroit, but the smaller Bronco Sport is made in Hermosillo, Mexico. That’s the same plant as the Maverick.”
The Lincoln Nautilus and Buick Envision are both made in China.
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Michigan accounted for the most vehicles in the top 100, and 16 of the vehicles were made here. But, Alabama is close behind with 15.
Only 39% were built with UAW represented labor.
Parts content is an important component in the study, and can change a vehicle's position from year to year. Jeep’s Gladiator rose in the standing because they discontinued a European made engine choice. Some Mercedes vehicles fell off the list because they included more foreign made components.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model X slipped down the list; not because they had less American content, but because some of their competitors improved the amount of American content.
But still, Masteron said you will not find any vehicle without some foreign content.
“There’s no vehicle on the index being made here that is 100% top-to- bottom American. Again, the highest content percentage I saw this year was 75.”
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