Recently, Cars.com released the 2024 “American-Made Index” ranking, which ranks vehicles based on their level of localization in the United States. The final assembly location of the vehicle, the proportion of parts made in the United States and Canada, the origin of the vehicle’s engine and transmission, and the proportion of American workers employed by the vehicle’s manufacturer are the five factors that influence the ranking.
In this year’s ranking, Tesla Model Y once again ranked first, being the only car manufacturer in the United States to produce all cars sold in the US market. However, Tesla did not sweep the top four spots like in 2023, with Honda Passport and Volkswagen ID.4 ranking second and third respectively, Tesla Model S in fourth place, Tesla Model X dropping to ninth, and Tesla Model 3 falling to 21st, but Tesla still has three cars in the top ten. At the same time, in the ranking of the proportion of domestically produced cars sold in the US in the first quarter, Ford and Stellantis ranked second and third respectively.
AMI Chief Researcher Patrick Masterson and Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Jenni Newman analyzed data on over 400 vehicle models sold in the US in 2024, evaluating 165,000 cars in Cars.com’s inventory to compile the following list.
– Half of the vehicles surveyed were imported and did not meet the requirements of the American Made Index. – Scores for SUVs and trucks improved significantly, while scores for sedans and sports cars decreased. – Electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models accounted for 23% of all vehicles evaluated, increasing by 130% since 2020, while the number of gasoline-powered models decreased by 5%. – However, Masterson stated that due to delays in launching new models and lower than expected sales, electric vehicles only accounted for 8% of all cars in this year’s American Made Index, unchanged from 2023. – New vehicles on the list this year include the Lexus TX at 10th, Toyota Grand Highlander at 16th, and Toyota hybrid version of the Grand Highlander at 28th. The Ram 1500 Classic saw the biggest jump, moving from 89th to 19th, while the Mercedes-Benz GLE saw the biggest decline, dropping from 53rd to 99th. – A market consumer survey by Cars.com found that 56% of car buyers are willing to pay a higher price for a car that creates more job opportunities in the United States. Among this group, 58% said they would be willing to pay at least an additional 10%. – Masterson stated that in 2024, both domestic and foreign automakers are primarily investing in car manufacturing in the southern United States, considering it a “hotbed for manufacturing growth,” followed by the Midwest. Michigan remains the state with the most cars assembled on the index list, with a 23% increase since 2020. Meanwhile, Alabama’s exposure on the list has increased by 50% since 2020.