Cars.com tackles the tough question of domestic content in its latest “American Made Index,” and comes away with a surprising result: Toyota’s Camry is the most “American” car on the market. Of course, making these distinctions in a global industry is fraught with difficulty. Though percentage of domestic parts content is tracked by the NHTSA for American Automobile Labeling Act compliance (PDF), those numbers count US and Canadian parts as being “domestic”. So Cars.com has created its own list which requires US assembly, at least 75 percent US-sourced parts content, and factors in sales numbers because “they correlate to the number of U.S. autoworkers employed to build any given model and to build the parts that go into those same cars.” Taking out vehicles that are being canceled with no clear replacement, the following vehicles make up their top ten “most American” automobiles.
1. Toyota Camry (Georgetown, KY; Lafayette, IN)
2. Ford F-150 (Dearborn, MI; Claycomo, MO)
3. Chevrolet Malibu (Kansas City, KS)
4. Honda Odyssey (Lincoln, AL)
5. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (Fort Wayne, IN)
6. Toyota Sienna (Princeton, IN)
7. Toyota Tundra (San Antonio, TX)
8. GMC Sierra 1500 (Fort Wayne, IN)
9. Ford Taurus (Chicago, IL)
10. Toyota Venza (Georgetown, KY)
In short, only half of the top ten “most American” vehicles are actually made the Detroit automakers (and only one-third are made by the taxpayer-owned firms). Of course, a lot of that has to do with Detroit’s tanking sales numbers, as well as GM’s slashing of its Pontiac line (disqualifying its vehicles on the “no obvious replacement” front. Still, former AMI perennials like the Chevy Cobalt have fallen off the list because their percentage of domestic parts content has actually fallen. While none of this is conclusive in terms of measuring impacts on the American economy, it’s another interesting look at an industry that is far too complicated to measure in terms of pure nationality.
Mission Accomplished.
In short, only half of the top ten “most American” vehicles are actually made by your taxpayer-owned automakers.
I’m no math major, but I’d call it 30%.
Yeah, I think Edward forgot Ford hasn’t been nationalized yet.
Its over
How much longer can any type of vehicle be manufactured in the United States? That is the big question that will have to be answered sooner or later.
I have a slight problem with using sales as a factor in a “Most American” car list. I think this type of list should only use parts content/assembly point as factors.
If cars.com wanted to do something that also factored in sales (which isn’t a bad idea), they should have called it “Vehicles that Keep the Most Americans Employed” or something like that.
Wait, why does the NHTSA count Canadian parts as ‘domestic?’ Are the Canadians aware of this? Does it also mean we have a large domestic oil supply? Socialized medicine? More secessionists than just Texas? Do Mexican sourced parts also count as domestic? If America’s Hat counts, then America’s Beard should, too. I’m just sayin.’
Well, this should send the mouth-breathers into fits of confusion. I thought them things came from China!
It would be interesting to see the whole list. Every “foreign” car I’ve ever owned was a North-American assembled Honda, Nissan or Hyundai, but I don’t see any of them on this list.
McCarthy.
Aptly named.
There are many up and downs on how this American content thing is reached.
But in any case most of the foreign cars sold in the U.S. are not assembled in the U.S. and have low American content if any.
The BIG 3 still provide more jobs ( both union and non-union jobs ) to Americans then all the transplants that operate in the U.S. do.
Yes you have a few “token” cars that are made by transplants here in the U.S. with high American content but overall when all is said and done you are supporting a foreign company with very little in the way of operations in the U.S.A.
Like I said “afew token cars” and jobs here in the U.S. is all they contribute.
al2,
I think your theory is about 18 months out of date. And…um… isn’t Chrysler owned by Fiat? The new line of Chryslers will be based on engineering work done in Italy….?
Again…. might have been true a year ago… not so much anymore.
Strippo, dean: Yup, brain fart. Text amended.
Another way to look at this is to see how much each company pays in the way of US taxes. With the D3 not making any profit, I would imagine the taxes paid are negligible. If fact, I would be interested to know how many years of taxes paid by GM and Chrysler all this bailout money represents.
a “few token” cars built here in the US from foreign-plated companies?? Really?? The Camry and Accord (two of the top-selling cars, mind you) are built here. Same goes for several Hyundai models…and BMW seems to be doing pretty well in South Carolina, as is M-B in Alabama. I grant you it might not be a majority of the automotive production in America…but “token?”
Without slicing the numbers, let me just say that it is good to see this here. A few years back I explained to a co-worker that my Honda Odyssey (Alabama) was more an “American” car than his Chevrolet Aveo (Korea). No source in the world would convince him that his Chevrolet was not American.
The ignorance about this runs very deep and is perpetuated by the worst kind of provincial jingoism.
Wait, why does the NHTSA count Canadian parts as ‘domestic?’ Are the Canadians aware of this?
Shhhhhhh! They like to think they’re like all independent and stuff….
This list summarizes to me the “whats” and “whys” of what NOT to buy.
Shhh – football season started last weekend. Proof we’re independent. :)
I always wonder about the utility of these lists. They are actually likely to make a Canadian consumer less likely to buy these vehicles. The ones that lost the greatest score between the North American and American lists are really the cars we should be buying, if Canadians are going to be rational actors helping their own slightly less recessional economy. (Ford, Hyundai, and Kia all have increased sales this year. Ford is now #1 in Canada.)
If Americans insist on buying American, non-Americans should insist on buying from their own country (or at least as non-American as possible to level the playing field). In the long run, that serves no one.
“you have a few “token” cars that are made by transplants here in the U.S.”
Acura TL – Marysville, Ohio
BMW X5 – Spartanburg, South Carolina
BMW Z4 – Spartanburg, South Carolina
Honda Accord – Marysville, Ohio
Honda Civic – East Liberty, Ohio
Honda Element – East Liberty, Ohio
Honda Odyssey – Lincoln, Alabama
Honda Pilot – Lincoln, Alabama
Mercedes-Benz M-Class – Vance, Alabama
Mercedes-Benz R-Class – Vance, Alabama
Mazda 6 – Flat Rock, Michigan
Mazda B-Series – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mazda Tribute – Kansas City, Missouri
Hyundai Sonata – Montgomery, Alabama
Hyundai Santa Fe – Montgomery, Alabama
Infiniti QX56 – Canton, Mississippi
Mitsubishi Eclipse – Normal, Illinois
Mitsubishi Endeavor – Normal, Illinois
Mitsubishi Galant – Normal, Illinois
Mitsubishi Raider – Warren, Michigan
Nissan Altima – Smyrna, Tennessee and Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Armada – Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Frontier – Smyrna, Tennessee
Nissan Maxima – Smyrna, Tennessee
Nissan Pathfinder – Smyrna, Tennessee
Nissan Quest – Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Titan – Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Xterra – Smyrna, Tennessee
Saab 9-7X – Moraine, Ohio
Subaru Tribeca – Lafayette, Indiana
Subaru Legacy – Lafayette, Indiana
Subaru Outback – Lafayette, Indiana
Toyota Avalon – Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Camry – Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Camry Solara – Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Corolla – Fremont, California
Toyota Sequoia – Princeton, Indiana
Toyota Sienna – Princeton, Indiana
Toyota Tundra – Princeton, Indiana
Toyota Tacoma – Fremont, California
So, what about the few token models? And I am definitely missing some. This is just what I came up with in a short search. A lot of the foreign cars sold here are built here. More than most people realize.
How many of these ‘U.S.’ suppliers are actually owned by the parent company and as I have read,how many truly ‘U.S’ suppliers have been driven out of business by shady dealings by our Japanese friends????
And the Camry is a shitty car..so whats the point?
Hey if you want to bash a Camry…Go for it!!
But that wont happen………….
If it’s not a GM, Ford or Chryler it is a foreign car. No matter what manipulated BS spun numbers are presented.
Of the four models currently racing in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, only the Toyota Camry is assembled in the USA. The Chevy Impala and Dodge Charger are built in Canada; the Ford Fusion in Mexico.
Not that any of the four have much in common with the production cars they are named for except the decals.
Superbadd75 the only problem is none of those vehicles listed are engineered in America. That’s where the true bragging rights come from, anyone can build a car. I’m not gonna call the new Camaro ‘Canadian’ because it’s manufactured in Canada.
Anyone have the stats for the number of permanent employees versus contract or temporary employees used to build vehicles in NA?
Mercury_diSABLEd :
That’s where the true bragging rights come from, anyone can build a car. I’m not gonna call the new Camaro ‘Canadian’ because it’s manufactured in Canada.
So… I guess the Camaro is an Australian car.
Ross Perot tried to warn us pert’ near three decades ago.
But, the class war could not be beat back and whatever would benefit the few at the top is all that mattered.
Never mind what was best for the common folk and the country as a whole.
And the elites continue their skim as a 2nd-wprld lifestyle awaits most of our progeny.
Of this I am convinced.
Sweet, another reason I can hug Toyo nuts and sleep better at night! Thank you content stickers!
Canada counts as ‘Domestic’ because of the 1965 Auto Pact and later, NAFTA agreements.
All the nationalists are taking a long time to work out that the ownership (or HQ) of an enterprise does not make economic activity.
It’s the economic footprint of the enterprise that is important. Toyota etc should be welcomed not derided.
China, India, Mexico, South America even Australia has worked it out. “Owning” and trading the “ownership” of companies while taking a clip off the sale means nothing for the people. Wall Street is dead (we wish).
An additional great point to this list is more and more cars are built non-union. Even as a Jeep guy, I swear I’ll never buy another UAW built vehicle ever again. But then I do figure that the Jeep brand may end up in someone else’s hands in the near future anyway. :D
The principal engineering and design of the Camry was done in Japan.
This is yet another failure for the US auto industry.
This list means nothing to me. The Camry wasn’t even eligible last year because of its domestic parts content.
To me, the list that matters is domestic parts content which is further down the cars.com story.
Ford Taurus 90 percent Chicago
Lincoln MKS 85 percent Chicago
Toyota Sienna 85 percent Princeton, Ind.
GMC Savana 1500 82 percent Wentzville, Mo.
Chevrolet Express 1500 82 percent Wentzville, Mo.
Buick Lucerne 81 percent Detroit
Chevrolet Malibu 80 percent Kansas City, Kan.
Honda Odyssey 80 percent Lincoln, Ala.
Toyota Avalon 80 percent Georgetown, Ky.
Toyota Tundra 80 percent San Antonio
Toyota Venza 80 percent Georgetown, Ky.
How many of these ‘U.S.’ suppliers are actually owned by the parent company and as I have read,how many truly ‘U.S’ suppliers have been driven out of business by shady dealings by our Japanese friends????
I have some experience in this area. Most suppliers for Japanese are NOT owned by the “parent” company. They do receive close supervison and quality control support. The Japanese model believes in long-term relationships. They are careful NOT to drive their suppliers out of business by underpaying them. They don’t want to have to train new supplers.
It’s GM, and Chrysler that started squeezing their suppliers until they went bankrupt – but they sure produced a lot of junk parts before they got there.
It seems to me that this is the kind of in-depth study that one should do before spending $50+ Billion.
So what did we just bailout, exactly?
I stick by my comment “token cars” ,yes the two big sellers by Toyota and Honda are “tokens”,assembled in the U.S..
The real problem is Americans don’t care where anything is made anymore ,we are the ONLY people in the world like this . . . as long as average Joe has his job he’ll buy cars from anywhere ( MOST CARS WITH FOREIGN NAMEPLATES ON THE ROAD IN AMERICA TODAY COME FROM OVERSEAS ).
Yes Chrysler is owned by Fiat but still provides a number of U.S. jobs as of today.
Big business DOES NOT want the average person to know where ANYTHING is made anymore and unfortunetely the average person is falling into big business plan.
How often do any of you look at a labels and ask where something is made before you purchase it?
I’ll bet many of you all ran out to replace your light bulbs with CFL bulbs to save a few cents each month on your electric bill . . . doesn’t it bother you in any way that ALL these bulb are Made In China ?
Workers in Brazil asked GE to make CFL’s there . . . GE ignored them,workers in Ohio asked GE to make CFL’s there ,GE ignored them too.
But your saving afew cents now each month because you didn’t care where the bulbs come from ???
Same thinking occurs in auto purchases ,that is good some are at least buying the few Toyotas or Hondas assembled here in the U.S. but again it is “token” and these two companies know it.
But the American people don’t care.
I have a nasty tempered in-law that would explode if she saw that her hubbies ‘rado was behind the Oddy (I have an Oddy).
More TOyota’s than Gov’t Muttonhead vehicles?
Delightful.
I see some limp rear guard action is still functioning among the “faithful” but the public will catch on before they will.
Kudos to Ford for their improvement. Send this to Prez Goodwrench before he flushes any more of our money down the tubes.
Bunter