Find out if your Car or Truck is Made in America.

by | Jul 3, 2018 | Trusted Auto Pros

Jeep Cherokee

Not all American cars are really American

Every year, cars.com researches which vehicles are the most American. They call it the ‘American Made Index’.  Part of being an American vehicle is obviously being assembled at a plant in America. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the car or truck is American. Most of the parts could be sourced from anywhere else in the world, including the engine and transmission. Calculations are based upon where the car is assembled, how much of the parts are domestic, and American jobs at the manufacturing plants.

But one that is…is the MOST American Car

According to the Cars.com American-Made Index, last years most American Made vehicle was the Jeep Wrangler. For 2018 though the Jeep Cherokee takes the top of the list as the most American. The Jeep Cherokee’s final assembly point is in Belvidere, Illinois and has mostly American parts.

most American car

2018 Jeep Cherokee, Photo: FCA

 

 

How can you check where a car is made?

Every new vehicle in the United States must have a Monroney sticker on the window until sold. On that Monroney will be information about where parts are sourced from, as well as the final assembly point. For example, see the area highlighted in red in the picture below.

american made car

2018 Jeep Cherokee Monroney

 

If you aren’t near the car and shopping online for vehicles, links to the window sticker/Monroney can be found on the Fremont Motors website. Click on the vehicle you’d like to view then click on the part that says, ‘Window Sticker’ as shown in the yellow on the picture below (on fremontmotors.com).

american made car

Fremont Motors window sticker link

 

What about used or pre-owned vehicles?

Used or pre-owned vehicles won’t typically have a Monroney window sticker (unless the first owner kept it in the vehicle and it has been saved in there). You won’t be able to tell where the parts came from but you’ll be able to tell if the vehicle’s final assembly point was in the USA by the VIN Number. Look on the side of the drivers’ door for a sticker with a 17 digit code. See the area highlighted in red below.

 

made in America

VIN sticker of a Chevy. The first number is 1 indicates the cars country of origin is America.

 

If the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) starts with the number 1, 4 or 5 then the vehicle’s final assembly point is in the United States of America. Some VIN stickers may also just say where the cars’ country of origin is. For example, “Made in Italy“.

 

Just some of the vehicles made in American plants;

Ford

Lincoln

 

Buick

 

Chevrolet

 

GMC

 

Dodge

 

Jeep

 

RAM

 

Toyota

 

Volkswagen

 

 

 

Where is your vehicles’ country of origin? Would you buy a vehicle made in America over one that isn’t?