Japanese Models Top “Most-American” List

The five most “American” models sold in the U.S. in terms of local content and labor all carry Japanese brands, says Cars.com.

The online shopping service's American-Made Index ranks locally built vehicles according to their percentage of domestic content, starting with a 75% minimum. This year only eight models qualified.

Topping the rankings for the second consecutive year is the midsize Toyota Camry sedan, which is built in Kentucky. The Camry is followed by the Honda Accord midsize sedan (Ohio), Toyota Sienna minivan (Indiana), Honda Odyssey minivan (Alabama) and Honda Pilot small crossover (Alabama).

The index’s most America domestic marque is the sixth-ranked Chevrolet Traverse crossover, which is made in Michigan. It is followed by the GMC Acadia SUV and Buick Enclave crossover, which share their production plant with the Traverse.

The last time a domestic model headed the list was in 2014, when the Ford F-150 pickup truck captured the top spot. Cars.com notes there were 29 vehicles with at least 75% local content on its list in 2010. It attributes the decline to eight this year to increasing globalization in the auto industry.

Cars.com emphasizes that it calculates its ratings on a model-by-model basis. The index does not rank manufacturers overall.