09:00 28-06-2026

American-Made Index 2026: Tesla and Jeep lead, but Honda quietly takes half of the top 10

Cars.com names the most American-made cars of 2026. Tesla holds the top two spots, Jeep takes third and fourth, and Honda fills out the rest of the top 10.

The 2026 ranking of the most “American” cars has produced a surprising lineup. As Motor1 reports, citing Cars.com, the top two spots in the American-Made Index once again go to Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y. Third place belongs to the Jeep Gladiator, and fourth to the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The rest of the top 10 is dominated by Japanese brands: Honda Ridgeline, Honda Odyssey, Lexus TX, Honda Accord, Acura MDX and Honda Passport. They make the list not because of where their parent brand is headquartered, but thanks to local assembly, American-sourced parts, engines and transmissions, and the workforce at plants in the U.S. and Canada.

The Cars.com methodology weighs final assembly location, the share of U.S. and Canadian parts, the country of origin for the engine and transmission, and employment at American plants. That is why a car wearing a Japanese badge can end up more “American” by its manufacturing footprint than a model with a familiar American logo on the hood.

The top 20 saw notable climbs from Toyota Tundra, Kia EV9, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator and Toyota Camry. At the same time, Nissan Pathfinder, Chevrolet Colorado, Kia Sportage, Jeep Wrangler and Honda Pilot dropped out of the top 20. The ranking once again shows that the idea of an “American car” has long stopped matching the nationality of the badge on the grille.