Edmunds: Some guidance on finding the best American cars – ABC News
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“Buy American” is a slogan that’s getting a lot of attention lately, but it can be rough to put into practice when you’re car shopping.
A U.S.-built two thousand seventeen Chevrolet Colorado with a diesel engine and a manual transmission might sound American through and through. But in that configuration, the Colorado is a worldly truck. The diesel engine is built in Thailand, and the transmission is made in Brazil. In other words, a U.S. automaker’s badge isn’t a sure marker of an American car.
American content in cars has been falling for several years, says Frank DuBois, a global supply chain experienced and a professor at the Kogod School of Business at American University. DuBois is the creator of the Made in America Auto Index , which since two thousand thirteen has ranked automotive “American-ness” in a time of increasingly globalized car-making.
In 2013, the thirty most American vehicles in the index had an average of seventy seven percent “domestic” content (meaning from the U.S. and Canada; the U.S. labeling law doesn’t consider Mexico a domestic source). By 2017, that figure had slipped to 72.Five percent.
If you don’t want to pore over window stickers one by one to find the most American cars, here’s a helpful list from car-buying website Edmunds: ten excellent vehicles that all are U.S.-built, with significant domestic content. Half are from U.S.-based carmakers. The rest are from carmakers that are based in Japan and build cars in the U.S.
Edmunds began the list with its two thousand seventeen Fresh Car Buying Guides , which highlight its reviewers’ top picks by vehicle type. Then Edmunds put those selections through the Made in America Auto Index. It ranks vehicles based on seven factors, including:
— Where the car was built.
— Where the manufacturer is headquartered.
— Where research and development take place.
— Where the engine is built.
— Where the transmission is built.
— Where the bod, chassis and electrical components are made.
A rank of one is the highest possible for a vehicle. If you’re shopping for a two thousand eighteen car, you’ll have to wait several months for rankings. DuBois can’t commence work on the next index until later this year, when carmakers report vehicle content to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CONVERTIBLE & Spectacle CAR
two thousand seventeen Chevrolet Corvette
Made in America Auto Index rank: Trio
Total domestic content: eighty two percent
The two thousand seventeen Chevrolet Corvette is a unique slice of Americana that can contest on the world stage. This rank is for the Corvette with an automatic transmission. The manual transmissions for this car come from Mexico, and cars so tooled come in at fourteen in the index.
two thousand seventeen Ford Mustang
Made in America Auto Index rank: 12
Total domestic content: seventy six percent
The two thousand seventeen Ford Mustang is civilized and packed with modern tech, but it holds on to the American swagger that has defined it for fifty years. This rank is for the Mustang with an automatic transmission. The manual transmissions for the car come from Mexico or China and cars with them rank twenty in the index.
two thousand seventeen Honda Pilot
Made in America Auto Index rank: 9
Total domestic content: 78.Five percent
The two thousand seventeen Honda Pilot has lots of space, a versatile interior and even a bit of off-road capability, which makes it a excellent all-around family vehicle.
Made in America Auto Index rank: 30
Total domestic content: sixty one percent
The Chevrolet Volt is a five-seat hatchback sedan that also happens to be a plug-in hybrid, capable of going more than fifty miles on all-electric power before switching to gas.
Made in America Auto Index rank: 9
Total domestic content: 78.Five percent
This stylish two thousand seventeen Acura crossover is an Edmunds dearest, thanks to its fuel-efficient and powerful V6, comfy interior and long list of standard features.
two thousand seventeen Honda Odyssey
Made in America Auto Index rank: 12
Total domestic content: seventy six percent
Few minivans are better than the two thousand seventeen Honda Odyssey when it comes to ample space for passengers and luggage and kid-friendly features.
two thousand seventeen Toyota Camry
Made in America Auto Index rank: 9
Total domestic content: 78.Five percent
The two thousand seventeen Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan that offers a spacious interior, a refined rail quality, and all the safety features you expect in a family car.
two thousand seventeen Ford Expedition
Made in America Auto Index rank: Five
Total domestic content: eighty one percent
The two thousand seventeen Ford Expedition is one of our top recommendations for a full-size SUV, thanks to its massive interior, composed rail and substantial towing capability.
Made in America Auto Index rank: Two
Total domestic content: eighty five percent
Perennially the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., the F-150 has a diverse lineup of features, packages, engines and bed configurations to suit the needs of just about any kind of truck buyer.
two thousand seventeen Subaru Outback
Made in America Auto Index rank: 48
Total domestic content: 42.Five percent
The Outback is a midsize wagon with standard all-wheel drive and optional high-tech safety features that make it a fine all-weather family vehicle.
EDMUNDS SAYS: The definition of an “American car” has become stiffer to pin down over the years, but we have some guidelines that will help you figure out the true origin of some top picks in their class.
This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds . Carroll Lachnit is a consumer advice editor at Edmunds. Twitter @clachnit
