Tesla took the top spots in the 2023 Kogod Made In America Auto Index for the first time as both the Model 3 Long Range and Model Y Long Range tied for first place. Overall, nine electric vehicles made the top 10, while eight manufacturers had at least one car listed among the top 10.
In addition to Tesla’s two cars in first place, the Model Y and Model 3 Performance models also tied at No. 2. Two of Stellantis’ Jeep Cherokees come in at No. 3 and No. 4, with Tesla’s Models X and Model S also tied at No. 4. At No. 5, Honda’s Passport model ties with the Volkswagen iD.4 Pro S. The Lincoln Corsair, which was the top-ranked car in last year’s rankings, dropped to No. 6 as the result of a major drop in U.S./Canadian content from 72% to 56%. Honda’s Odyssey minivan and the Honda Acura MDX also rank in the sixth spot. Ford’s Mustang GT and Chevrolet’s Corvette Sting Ray both tie at No. 7. The Sting Ray, ranked third in 2022, also saw a drop in U.S./Canadian content from 62% to 50%. The Chevrolet Camaro 1L Coupe Turbo ranks No. 8 while seven Hondas and one Toyota are tied at No. 9. Finally, two other EVs, the Cadillac Lyriq EV and the Lucid Air EV, round out the top 10.
The Auto Index, created in 2013 by Frank DuBois, an associate professor and global supply chain expert at American University’s Kogod School of Business, is a tool for consumers interested in learning the amount of U.S. content in their cars and the extent to which their purchase decisions impact the economy. Cars are ranked based on seven criteria, including: manufacturer’s profit margin, labor, location of research and development, inventory/capital, engine, transmission, and body/chassis. These data points are used to calculate the “Total Domestic” content of vehicles sold in the U.S.
When the Auto Index was first released 10 years ago, the list was dominated by the traditional “Big 3” – Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler (now owned by Stellantis). Since then, a trend began in which foreign car makers started to expand their U.S. manufacturing footprint, while American manufacturing has decreased among U.S.-based carmakers.
Learn more about the Kogod Made In America Auto Index here. The full 2023 ranking is available here.
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