Tesla Tops Cars.com American-Made Index for Sixth Straight Year

AUSTIN, Texas — Tesla has again been crowned the maker of the most American-made vehicles in the country. In Cars.com newly released 2026 American-Made Index, the Tesla Model 3 took the top spot and the Model Y placed second, marking the sixth consecutive year a Tesla has led the closely watched ranking.

Vertical integration pays off

The American-Made Index scores nearly 400 vehicles on five factors: location of final assembly, the percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts, the countries of origin for engines and transmissions, and the size of a model U.S. manufacturing workforce. The Model 3 edged out the Model Y to claim first overall. Tesla dominance flows directly from its deep vertical integration, a strategy that reduces reliance on global suppliers and keeps more value and jobs inside the United States. That same domestic strength underpins the balance sheet we examined in our report on Tesla cash position and credit-rating debate.

Building cars and components close to home does more than win awards. A localized supply chain has helped insulate Tesla from tariffs and global disruptions that have rattled rivals, an advantage that grows more valuable as trade tensions rise and production scales. Strong U.S. output also dovetails with Tesla rising delivery momentum, reflected in Goldman Sachs lifting its Q2 delivery forecast.

The only EV maker in the top 10

Tesla was the sole manufacturer to place an electric vehicle inside the top 10 this year. The next EV on the list, the Kia EV9, landed at 17th, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 at 21st and the Cadillac Lyriq at 77th. The result underscores how far ahead Tesla remains in building EVs with predominantly domestic content, even as the broader industry races to localize production.

The lineup shifted slightly from a year ago, when the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X swept the top four positions. Tesla discontinued the flagship Model S and Model X earlier this year, removing them from contention, while the Cybertruck is excluded because its curb weight exceeds the index 8,500-pound threshold. Even so, the affordable, high-volume Model 3 and Model Y, the same pair powering Tesla global sales, were enough to keep the company on top.

A streak that signals strategy

Cars.com confirmed the rankings on its official American-Made Index page, which studied 2026 model-year vehicles across the market.

Six straight years atop the index is no accident. It reflects a deliberate, decade-long bet on domestic manufacturing that now doubles as a competitive moat, shielding Tesla from supply shocks while reinforcing its appeal to buyers who value American-built products. As Tesla scales new models and factories, that homegrown foundation looks set to keep it at the front of the pack.