Tesla’s Model 3 has officially been named the most “American-made” vehicle for 2025, according to the latest annual index from Cars.com. Every year, the publication releases an independent ranking of some 400 current model-year vehicles based on assembly location, parts sourcing, and manufacturing employment footprint.
Tesla snagged the top four spots on this year’s list with the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X, with the Model 3 leading the charge. All of the vehicles Tesla sells in the U.S. are built at its Stateside factories in Fremont, California, and Austin, Texas.
This marks a notable comeback for the Model 3. While the Model Y took the crown in 2024, the Model 3 fell all the way down to 21st place. The Model 3 returned to the top this year following a recent redesign that bumped its U.S. and Canadian parts content from around 50% to 75%. That increase, while likely due to routine supplier changes rather than a calculated push for list dominance, gave the Model 3 the boost it needed to reclaim the crown it last held in 2021.
Tesla also held all four top spots on Cars.com’s American-Made Index in 2023. Joining Tesla in this year’s Top 10 were the Jeep Gladiator, Kia EV6, Honda Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Passport, along with the Volkswagen ID.4.
While Tesla’s U.S. production footprint is undeniable, the list isn’t necessarily a perfect proxy for assessing tariff risk or true “American-ness.” As Cars.com pointed out, staple U.S. automakers like Ford and GM didn’t crack the top 10 but have more models on the full list — GM leads with 15, followed by Ford with 13, tied with Honda.
Amid rising import tariffs under the Trump administration, Cars.com noted the average price of American-built cars sits around $53,000 — roughly $11,000 more than the $42,000 average for vehicles assembled in Mexico.
Still, consumer sentiment remains promising: nearly 60% of Americans said they’re willing to pay up to 10% more to buy an American-made vehicle. Whether that intent translates into real-world sales remains to be seen, however.
Tesla led U.S. EV sales in April, even as the market posted its first year-over-year decline in 14 months, slipping 4.4% compared to the same period last year.
