Japan has most made-in-USA car
Toyota Camry No. 1 for 2nd year in row; Chevy Traverse 6th
When it comes to finding the maker of the most American of U.S.-made cars — one that’s built in an American factory with the most domestically produced parts — look no further than Japan.
Toyota and Honda are winning the race when it comes to having vehicles considered the most American, according to Cars.com.
For the second year in a row, the most popular car that is assembled in the U.S. with the required percentage of domestic content is the Toyota Camry, Cars.com’s annual survey shows. The top five vehicles all come from Toyota or Honda. After the Camry, the list includes the Honda Accord sedan, Toyota Sienna minivan, Honda Odyssey minivan and Honda Pilot SUV.
Only then, in sixth place, does a Detroit Big 3 vehicle make an appearance with the Chevrolet Traverse, a crossover SUV. The Traverse is followed by two other General Motors SUVs — GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave. All three are made in Lansing, Mich.
To make the list, vehicles have to have at least 75% domestic content. Camry, Sienna, Odyssey and Pilot all have 75%. The rest have 80%, Cars.com says.
How is it Toyotas and Hondas lead a list of the most American cars? In the case of Camry, it’s scale. As the nation’s best-selling car, it employs the most Americans to make it, says Patrick Olsen, Cars.com’s editor in chief.
These days, automakers tend to build vehicles where they sell them, which protects them from currency fluctuations and outcries over imports and trade imbalances. Camry is assembled for U.S. customers at factories in Georgetown, Ky., and Lafayette, Ind. Accord comes from Marysville, Ohio.