Photo: Tesla
Cars.com has announced the 2024 American-made Index, and the Model Y is again at the top, thanks to Tesla's strong manufacturing in the US. However, other Tesla models have ranked lower, with the Model 3 slipping to 21st. Although the Cybertruck was not ranked because it exceeds the required GVWR, it should score high based on a previous evaluation.
When asked to indicate an American vehicle, most people think of Ford, Dodge, or Chevrolet. The truth is that few of the legacy American carmakers produce their cars in the US, with most parts being made in North America. Cars.com's 2024 American-Made Index (AMI) makes this very clear, with only one vehicle in the Top 10 (Jeep Gladiator) made by one of the Detroit Three carmakers. That's only if you count Stellantis as an American carmaker, considering it's headquartered in Europe.
Instead, the 2024 AMI Top 10 is dominated by Japanese carmakers and Tesla, which gets to crown the Model Y as the most American-made vehicle for the third time in a row. This leaves Tesla as the only US-based automaker with a strong presence in the Top 10. However, as carmakers are starting to bring back home automotive production, mostly to benefit from EV federal incentives, Tesla's models ranked lower this year than they used to.
The S3XY bunch swept the AMI rankings in 2023, securing the first four positions, with Model Y followed by Model 3, Model X, and Model S. However, this year, you need to zoom out a little to see the Model 3, which ranked 21st. That's because the refreshed Model 3 includes many components imported from China. Until the launch of the Performance trim, Model 3 batteries were also sourced from China. Tesla is now building the Model 3 Long Range and Model 3 Performance with American-made batteries, but that didn't change the result.
The Model S ranked fourth, with the Model X further behind in the ninth position. It's unclear whether something changed for the veteran Tesla models or the competition simply stepped up their games. The Honda Passport seized the second position, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4. Honda scored 5th and 6th, with the Odyssey and Ridgeline, whereas the Toyota Camry ranked 7th. The first model from an American brand, the Jeep Gladiator, is in the eighth position, while the Lexus TX rounds out the Top 10.
Cars.com evaluated more than 400 light-duty vehicles for this year's American-made Index, of which 134 were made solely in the US. The rankings take into account the location of the final assembly, the percentage of US and Canadian parts, countries of origin for all available engines and transmissions, as well as the use of the US manufacturing workforce. Cars.com doesn't reveal the weighting and calculation methodology, though, only saying that each factor is essential.
Instead, the 2024 AMI Top 10 is dominated by Japanese carmakers and Tesla, which gets to crown the Model Y as the most American-made vehicle for the third time in a row. This leaves Tesla as the only US-based automaker with a strong presence in the Top 10. However, as carmakers are starting to bring back home automotive production, mostly to benefit from EV federal incentives, Tesla's models ranked lower this year than they used to.
The S3XY bunch swept the AMI rankings in 2023, securing the first four positions, with Model Y followed by Model 3, Model X, and Model S. However, this year, you need to zoom out a little to see the Model 3, which ranked 21st. That's because the refreshed Model 3 includes many components imported from China. Until the launch of the Performance trim, Model 3 batteries were also sourced from China. Tesla is now building the Model 3 Long Range and Model 3 Performance with American-made batteries, but that didn't change the result.
The Model S ranked fourth, with the Model X further behind in the ninth position. It's unclear whether something changed for the veteran Tesla models or the competition simply stepped up their games. The Honda Passport seized the second position, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4. Honda scored 5th and 6th, with the Odyssey and Ridgeline, whereas the Toyota Camry ranked 7th. The first model from an American brand, the Jeep Gladiator, is in the eighth position, while the Lexus TX rounds out the Top 10.
Cars.com evaluated more than 400 light-duty vehicles for this year's American-made Index, of which 134 were made solely in the US. The rankings take into account the location of the final assembly, the percentage of US and Canadian parts, countries of origin for all available engines and transmissions, as well as the use of the US manufacturing workforce. Cars.com doesn't reveal the weighting and calculation methodology, though, only saying that each factor is essential.
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