With all the kerfuffle about tariffs and how they’re hitting the auto industry these days, there’s suddenly been a lot more talk about which vehicles are actually built in the US. This makes sense since there’s now a real financial incentive for folks to care about this, and it highlights one of the leitmotifs of American life in the latter twentieth century: manufacturing jobs leaving the country.
But even though a lot of cars, trucks, and SUVs are built outside of American borders (including those for American car companies), you can still find some models assembled by Americans. Of the top 25 best-selling vehicles last year, only seven of them were built in factories in the US. Which seven? Well, let’s find out…
The Ford F-Series
For more than 40 years, the F-Series has produced some of the best-selling vehicles in America, creating a legacy that few other cars can even come close to. As America’s favorite truck, perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that the F-150 and similar models are built here in the US. These are all full-size trucks, and Ford offers them in different classes with some serious power under the hood, designed for a wide range of uses.
The F-150 is a favorite of many drivers, while the F-250, F-350, and F-450 create impressive options for folks looking for a commercial truck built here in the US. I’m a bit surprised these aren’t being made in Mexico like some Chevy Silverado trucks are because they have fantastic margins for Ford, which is one of the reasons they have pushed the F-Series so hard in recent years.
The Tesla Model Y
The best-selling battery electric vehicle (BEV) worldwide and here in the US, the Model Y is also built in American factories—or at least the ones sold here are. I’m always happy to criticize Tesla whenever possible, but in this, they actually do live up to what they say, and Tesla is at the top when it comes to car companies building their vehicles in the US.
Every Tesla model sold here is built here and they even source a lot of materials from the US, likely to keep overall costs down as much as possible. Although Tesla’s Model 3 might not be one of the top-selling vehicles overall, it’s the second best-selling BEV in the US, and it’s also built here. The Model Y is a compact SUV, which explains some of its popularity, and Tesla has sold millions of them since it went into production in 2020.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee
In terms of the top 25 best-selling vehicles in the US, the F-Series is at the top, and the Model Y is in fourth place; after that, however, we have to jump all the way down to the 12th best-selling vehicle for our next model that’s built here in the US. The Grand Cherokee is a midsize SUV and Jeep’s most popular model, as it rather beautifully combines the style and design Jeep is known for with great features for daily driving.
Although the Wrangler might be the most iconic Jeep, you won’t find it as one of the 25 best-selling models last year. With the Grand Cherokee, there’s even a three-row version available along with a plug-in hybrid under Jeep’s 4xe series, creating more options for drivers. It’s nice to see that Jeep builds its most popular vehicle in the US, though I should mention that the Wrangler and Gladiator are also made here.
The Ford Explorer
Much like the Grand Cherokee, the Explorer is a midsize SUV and the most popular Ford model other than its F-Series of trucks (the midsize market is a big one). First introduced for the 1991 model year, the Explorer has remained available ever since and maintained a position as one of the most popular SUVs in the industry.
Ford makes just two appearances on this list, but it’s not due to a lack of models built in the US; instead, it’s simply because other vehicles outsell much of what Ford offers. The Mustang, Escape, Expedition, and Bronco are all built in the US, along with the Ranger midsize pickup, but those other vehicles just aren’t in the top 25 sellers. In general, Ford is second only to Tesla in terms of how many of its vehicles are built in the US and how much of the materials used come from America.
The Toyota Highlander
Our first of two Toyota models, the Highlander, is a midsize SUV, although it’s far from the most popular Toyota option out there. Despite its attractive midsize design and impressive features inside and out, the Highlander was just the 20th best-selling vehicle last year, which puts it quite far down our list.
By far, Toyota’s most popular model is the RAV4, which is generally considered the best-selling SUV worldwide and one of the most popular vehicles across the globe. The Toyota Camry, Corolla, and Tacoma all sold better than the Highlander, but they’re built in a combination of factories located here in the US, Canada, and Japan (just like the RAV4). It’ll be interesting to see if the recent tariff issues and other factors lead to Toyota opening more manufacturing locations in America over the next decade.
The Honda Accord
It’s a shame the Accord comes so far down this list because it’s one of the most important vehicles to talk about regarding models built in the US. That’s because, in 1982, Honda became the first Japanese car company to start building their vehicles in America when they broke ground on a factory in Marysville, Ohio.
In an effort to combat competition from Japanese car companies, American manufacturers and politicians pushed for heavy tariffs on cars being imported into the country. Honda’s solution was simple and elegant: start making vehicles in the country, and then they wouldn’t need to import them. The Accord has been made here in the US ever since, with Accord and Accord Hybrid models still rolling out of the Marysville Auto Plant. As the 22nd best-selling model last year, the Accord is one of several cars to prove that many Americans are still interested in sedans.
The Toyota Tundra
Rounding out our list, the Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup and the 24th best-selling vehicle in the country last year. Interestingly, the midsize Tacoma sold better and was the best-selling midsize truck in the US last year, but it’s made in Mexico, not America. Although Ford, Chevy, and Ram undoubtedly dominate the truck market here in the US, Toyota is in the top 25 with both of its pickup offerings, showing that they deliver a lot more than some drivers might think.
For more than twenty years, the Tundra has been built here in the US—first at a factory in Indiana and now at a plant in San Antonio—which has likely helped with its popularity. Not everyone’s sold on the idea of a full-size pickup from a Japanese car company, but Toyota has proven itself time and again with its trucks.
What About the Other 18 Vehicles?
Of the top 25 models by sales in the US last year, less than one-third were built here in America. Other popular trucks like the Chevy Silverado and Ram pickup come from a combination of factories, including sites in the US, Mexico, and Canada. A lot of Toyota and Subaru models are imported into the US rather than built here, which is why recent tariffs have had such a significant impact on those brands in general.
Some, like the Chevy Trax and Nissan Sentra, are wholly built in Mexico and then shipped up to the US for sale; this has allowed them to bypass tariffs on vehicles built outside North America, but that’s changed recently. It will be interesting to see how tariffs ultimately impact the auto industry and the American market, but we’ll have to check out total numbers for the year sometime in early 2026 to see what they look like.
