Tesla Dominates Cars.com's 2025 American-Made Index Amid Tariff Concerns
In a significant release by Cars.com, the automotive marketplace recognized for its insightful data, the company revealed its 20th annual American-Made Index (AMI) on June 17, 2025. This year’s index, released against a backdrop of escalating tariffs and inflation, highlights an urgent question in car-buying decisions: "Where is this car made?" Over 400 vehicles from the 2025 model year were examined by Cars.com experts, leading to the identification of 99 vehicles that most significantly contribute to the U.S. economy through various measures including manufacturing, parts sourcing, and employment. This marks two decades of tracking the shifting landscape of American auto manufacturing.
This year's AMI showcases the growing influence of economic factors on consumer preferences. As individuals become increasingly eager to avoid costs associated with tariffs, a noteworthy 70% of Americans now prioritize American-made vehicles. At the forefront of this trend is Tesla, which claims the top four positions on the index for the second time since its inaugural listing in 2020. Upending the automotive landscape, Tesla's Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X dominate the chart, with the Jeep Gladiator rounding out the top five—making it the highest-rated American-made pickup truck.
The consistency of manufacturers like Honda remains noteworthy, with its Alabama plant responsible for five vehicles in the top 20, including well-known models like the Ridgeline and Odyssey. Additionally, General Motors continues to assert its strength as the manufacturer with the highest number of vehicles represented in the index. The prominence of Kia's and Volkswagen’s facilities underlines the diverse manufacturing capabilities that now exist across the U.S.
Patrick Masterson, the lead researcher for the AMI, elucidated the shifting priorities within the car industry as tariffs drive consumer awareness and choices. He noted, “With import tariffs reshaping the landscape of automotive production, our AMI provides a pertinent overview of which vehicles and manufacturers significantly impact the U.S. economy.” According to the index, nearly a quarter of the vehicles available for sale in the U.S. are featured in this year’s AMI, emphasizing the economic contributions of not just the top-ranked but all vehicles listed.
Consumer behavior statistics gathered by Cars.com reveal that over half of surveyed individuals have modified their vehicle purchasing timelines to circumvent tariff-induced price increases. The index itself is not merely a ranking; it reflects deeper motivations driven by the economic realities of today’s car market. A striking 51% indicated that tariffs prompted a search for American-made vehicles, underscoring a blend of patriotism and financial pragmatism as key motivators.
Delving into the geographic implications of the AMI, the ranking incorporates vehicles produced across 36 factories in the United States, with significant concentrations in the South (50%) and the Midwest (47%). States such as Alabama, Michigan, and Indiana are pivotal in the production landscape, contributing to a framework that combines legacy with emerging manufacturing hubs. Such factory investments serve not only as vital economic engines creating jobs and generating tax revenues but also fortify local economies.
As the 2025 AMI commemorates two decades of adaptation alongside the auto industry, it becomes clear that achieving a vehicle with entirely domestic parts remains a challenge. The evolution of manufacturing processes indicates that while the average domestic parts content in the top ten vehicles hovered around 83.4% in 2006, it dipped to 70.3% for this year’s list, indicating the increasingly globalized nature of production.
Cars.com’s AMI methodology is framed around five pivotal factors: assembly location, parts sourcing as dictated by the American Automobile Labeling Act, U.S. factory employment relative to vehicle production, and both engine and transmission sourcing. As consumer desires shift and economic pressures mount, this year’s AMI not only catalogs vehicles but encapsulates the broader economic narrative surrounding automotive production in the U.S.
This year's AMI showcases the growing influence of economic factors on consumer preferences. As individuals become increasingly eager to avoid costs associated with tariffs, a noteworthy 70% of Americans now prioritize American-made vehicles. At the forefront of this trend is Tesla, which claims the top four positions on the index for the second time since its inaugural listing in 2020. Upending the automotive landscape, Tesla's Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X dominate the chart, with the Jeep Gladiator rounding out the top five—making it the highest-rated American-made pickup truck.
The consistency of manufacturers like Honda remains noteworthy, with its Alabama plant responsible for five vehicles in the top 20, including well-known models like the Ridgeline and Odyssey. Additionally, General Motors continues to assert its strength as the manufacturer with the highest number of vehicles represented in the index. The prominence of Kia's and Volkswagen’s facilities underlines the diverse manufacturing capabilities that now exist across the U.S.
Patrick Masterson, the lead researcher for the AMI, elucidated the shifting priorities within the car industry as tariffs drive consumer awareness and choices. He noted, “With import tariffs reshaping the landscape of automotive production, our AMI provides a pertinent overview of which vehicles and manufacturers significantly impact the U.S. economy.” According to the index, nearly a quarter of the vehicles available for sale in the U.S. are featured in this year’s AMI, emphasizing the economic contributions of not just the top-ranked but all vehicles listed.
Consumer behavior statistics gathered by Cars.com reveal that over half of surveyed individuals have modified their vehicle purchasing timelines to circumvent tariff-induced price increases. The index itself is not merely a ranking; it reflects deeper motivations driven by the economic realities of today’s car market. A striking 51% indicated that tariffs prompted a search for American-made vehicles, underscoring a blend of patriotism and financial pragmatism as key motivators.
Delving into the geographic implications of the AMI, the ranking incorporates vehicles produced across 36 factories in the United States, with significant concentrations in the South (50%) and the Midwest (47%). States such as Alabama, Michigan, and Indiana are pivotal in the production landscape, contributing to a framework that combines legacy with emerging manufacturing hubs. Such factory investments serve not only as vital economic engines creating jobs and generating tax revenues but also fortify local economies.
As the 2025 AMI commemorates two decades of adaptation alongside the auto industry, it becomes clear that achieving a vehicle with entirely domestic parts remains a challenge. The evolution of manufacturing processes indicates that while the average domestic parts content in the top ten vehicles hovered around 83.4% in 2006, it dipped to 70.3% for this year’s list, indicating the increasingly globalized nature of production.
Cars.com’s AMI methodology is framed around five pivotal factors: assembly location, parts sourcing as dictated by the American Automobile Labeling Act, U.S. factory employment relative to vehicle production, and both engine and transmission sourcing. As consumer desires shift and economic pressures mount, this year’s AMI not only catalogs vehicles but encapsulates the broader economic narrative surrounding automotive production in the U.S.
Topics Auto & Transportation）
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