Want to start an argument? Ask someone if their Ford Taurus is a more American car than the Toyota Camry.
This ongoing battle what automakers are building the most “American” vehicles just got some new ammunition: the 2017 Kogod Made in America Auto Index. The list is compiled by the business school at American University in Washington, D.C.
If you’re in favor of American companies building the most “American” vehicles, you’re going to like the study’s results. For this year, three General Motors models – Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse – were tied at the top the list.
They three pulled down a score of 88.5. The scores are developed using an amalgamation of information, according to Frank DuBois, a professor at American University’s Kogod School of Business.
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To determine the “most American score,” he uses data from the American Automobile Labelling Act, automakers’ annual reports and corporate filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
DuBois began the index five years ago, and noted that American content and labor in new vehicles has been decreasing steadily. It’s down about five percentage points, and DuBois cites an increase in outsourcing as the cause, reports USA Today.
Here is the complete list of “most American” vehicles:
- Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse
- Ford F-150
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Unlimited Big Bear 4×4
- Ford Expedition and Jeep Wrangler Sport 4×4
- Lincoln Navigator and Ford Taurus
- Cadillac ATS sedan, Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Colorado Z71 AWD
- Jeep Cherokee
- Honda CRV, Ridgeline and Pilot, Acura RDX, Kia Optima 2.0 and Toyota Camry
- Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Malibu LTD Hybrid
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The index accounts for several factors that go into the assembly of a car. This includes the percentage of U.S. or Canadian parts used, the location of the factory where the vehicle was assembled, the source of the engine and transmission and whether more than 15% of the parts came from a foreign country. Each category receives its own score.
While this ranking is good news for U.S.-based automakers, there are other rankings, such as Cars.com which put the Toyota Camry at the top of the “most American” heap.
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If you take a broader view, the most American automakers overall, one name jumps out: Tesla. All of its vehicles are made in the U.S. Jeep is the next most American brand with 89% of all its vehicles manufactured in the U.S., with the Renegade being the only exception. Cadillac, Dodge and GMC were the only remaining brands in the 80% range.
