Cars.com Ranks ‘Most American’ Cars in Annual American-Made Index

Cars.com, the premier online resource for buying, selling and now servicing cars, has released its annual list of the most American cars in the site’s American-Made Index. The Toyota Camry last claimed the top spot in 2012. This is the fifth time the Camry has ranked number one on the index. 

The American-Made Index takes into account three key factors to determine how American cars are, including domestic-parts content[1] (percentage of a vehicle’s parts considered to be domestic, meaning built in the U.S. or Canada), final assembly point and overall vehicle sales. 

“This year’s list of eligible cars is down to just seven, the smallest number we’ve ever seen,” said Cars.com Editor-in-Chief, Patrick Olsen. “Just five years ago, 29 cars qualified for the American-Made Index, and today it is fewer than 10.”

The Ford F-150, which claimed the top spot in 2013 and 2014, was not eligible as its domestic-parts content dropped below the allowable threshold in the all-new 2015 model. In 2014, the index leaned heavily toward foreign-based automakers, which made up 70 percent of the list. For 2015, that number has dropped to 48 percent.

In a new survey conducted by Cars.com, data indicates that American consumers care more than ever about buying from domestic automakers. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they would only consider American automakers when shopping for a new car. That’s up from 23 percent in 2011. While options for truly “American” cars continue to shrink, Americans’ interest in buying cars that support the domestic economy is still of great interest[2].

For more information about the 2015 American-Made Index, full results, additional survey data and more, visit www.cars.com/news. 

ABOUT THE AMERICAN-MADE INDEX

Cars.com’s American-Made Index rates vehicles built and bought in the United States. Factors include the percentage of parts considered “domestic” under federal regulations, whether the car is assembled in the U.S. and U.S. sales. Models with domestic-parts content ratings below 75 percent are disqualified, as well as models built exclusively outside the U.S. or models soon to be discontinued without a U.S.-built successor.

[1] http://www.nhtsa.gov/Laws+&+Regulations/Part+583+American+Automobile+Labeling+Act+(AALA)+Reports

[2] Cars.com American Made Study, Qualtrics, May 2015