As U.S. automakers rebound and consumer confidence trends back on the rise, more and more American drivers are promising to "buy local." This commitment is evidenced by Cars.com's recent study in 2012, which illustrated that 25 percent of shoppers preferred to buy American.
So where should these devoted Americans go to buy their vehicles? Cars.com breaks it down with its updated "Most American Cars" index. The site annually compiles the list by taking into consideration the amount of parts each vehicle uses that come from America, where its final assembly takes places, and how many units per year are sold. The index is meant to serve buyers looking for the best American-made cars, and also show car shoppers that the 'American-Made' stamp is not only limited to the Detroit three.
This year's list is especially distinctive because it is the first time in four years that a domestic automaker takes the #1 spot for "Most American," even though the list is a fairly even split between foreign-owned automakers and domestic-owned automakers. Here are the 7 Most Made in America Cars:
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Toyota Motor's (NYSE:TM) Tundra comes in at No.7 on the list. Assembled in San Antonio, Texas, the Tundra represents one of the two full-sized pickup trucks that make the American Made index. Trucks have been dominating auto sales in 2013 thanks to a rebounding housing market and consumers who are willing to buy again. And reports show that buyers are turning to pickup trucks — good news for Toyota's Tundra, which has benefited from increased support from customers, especially in its state of creation, Texas.
6. Chevrolet Traverse
Up next is the Chevrolet Traverse by the auto industry's latest comeback kid, General Motors (NYSE:GM). The Traverse is assembled in Lansing, Michigan, the birth state of its automaker. This vehicle caters to the needs of those Americans with big families, a lot of friends, or a lot of cargo. The eight-passenger Traverse is also the least expensive of its comrades, the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia, which likely increased its vehicle sales and helped afford it a spot on this list.
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5. Toyota Sienna
Another Toyota vehicle makes the list's #5 spot — the Sienna. Assembled in Princeton, Indiana, the Sienna helps Toyota take the title of the automaker with the most models on the American-made list. We've already highlighted the Tundra, and we'll get to one more at the #2 spot, but it is also worth mentioning that Toyota's Avalon takes #10 on the list, constructed in Georgetown, Kentucky. Toyota's prevalence on the list proves that the automaker is committed to employing as many U.S. parts as possible, while also assembling within the country and keeping sales where they need to be.
4. Honda Odyssey
Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) makes its list debut with the Odyssey, assembled in Lincoln, Alabama. This is the only Honda vehicle that makes the list, but its impressive rank helps compensate for Honda's absence otherwise. The minivan offers up to eight passengers a ride with its 248-hp V6 and top-rate reliability. Honda sold 14,200 of its units in May 2013, up from 12,348 during the same period a year earlier.
3. Dodge Avenger
Chrysler also makes its presence known on the American-Made list with its Dodge Avenger. Now owned by Italian automaker, Fiat, the Dodge Avenger is afforded a spot on the list due to its assembly in Sterling Heights, Michigan, as well as its high vehicle sales and domestic-parts content. The front-wheel drive, mid-sized Sedan is a Top Safety Pick. Though its engineering is similar to the Chrysler 200, its shape targets younger buyers, who also can choose between a 2.4-liter, 173-horsepower four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6 good for 283 hp.
2. Toyota Camry
Coming in at #2, Toyota makes its last appearance on the list with its Camry, assembled in Georgetown, Kentucky, and Lafayette, Indiana. The Camry has been the number one selling vehicle in the U.S. for the past 11 years, indicating that its high vehicle sales are likely the factor that have helped it almost top the list again. The current five-passenger car has two engine options, a new roomy interior, with an optional Entune smartphone integration system.
1. Ford F-150
A U.S. automaker we hadn't heard from yet, Ford Motor (NYSE:F), takes the top spot with its new F-150 thanks to the vehicle's impressive top sales. Cars.com's Editor in Chief, Patrick Olsen, explains: "Ford's top ranking this year is a good indicator of how pickup trucks are dominating auto sales so far in 2013, and how the domestic automakers are bouncing back. While the assembly point and domestic parts content to the F-150 didn't change from 2012-2013, vehicle sales are responsible for bumping the F-150 to the top spot."
The pickup truck is assembled in Dearborn, Michigan, as well as Claycomo, Missouri. Ford has already announced that it will handle a pickup production expansion by adding 2,000 workers and another shift to its F-150 factory in Missouri.
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