The Tesla Model 3, assembled in Fremont, California, is the most American-made new vehicle of the 2026 model year at a $36,990 starting price. It tops Cars.com’s American-Made Index, which analyzed 379 model-year 2026 vehicles and qualified 86 for its final ranking — down from 99 a year earlier. The Tesla Model Y placed second, leaving the two electric vehicles as the only EVs in a top 10 otherwise filled by gas and hybrid trucks and SUVs.
Highlights
- The Tesla Model 3 ($36,990, built in Fremont, California) ranks first and the Tesla Model Y ($39,990, Fremont or Austin, Texas) ranks second — the only EVs in the 2026 top 10.
- Just 86 of 379 analyzed vehicles qualified, down from 99 in 2025, with discontinued electrics including the Tesla Model S, Model X and Volkswagen ID.4 dropping off the list.
- The top 10 averaged 70% U.S. and Canadian parts content for a second straight year, the highest since the current methodology began in 2020.
- Other electric models on the list include the Kia EV9 (No. 17), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (No. 21) and Cadillac Lyriq (No. 77).
Tesla Still Leads, but Its Index Presence Shrinks
The Model 3 and Model Y again anchor the top of the ranking, but Tesla’s footprint has narrowed sharply. A year earlier the automaker held four of the top five spots, and the Model Y topped the 2024 index outright. For 2026, the two remaining Teslas are the only electric vehicles in the top 10; the rest of that group is made up of gas and hybrid models led by the Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Honda Ridgeline.
Why Fewer Electric Vehicles Qualified
The decline in qualifying vehicles stems largely from discontinued models, which the index disqualifies. Tesla said earlier this year it would end its long-running Model S sedan and Model X SUV, both fixtures of the index’s top 10 since the company began participating in 2020. Volkswagen’s Tennessee-built ID.4, which had climbed as high as third in 2024, was also dropped for 2026, though the automaker has described the move as temporary.
Cost pressures are compounding the trend. Slow sales have weighed on electric models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the Kia EV6, last year’s sixth-ranked vehicle. In a recent Cars.com survey, 36% of buyers ranked fuel price as their most or second-most important consideration, yet overall cost weighs more heavily — and with new-vehicle prices averaging more than $50,000, the higher upfront price of EVs has pushed many to the margins of the market.
Domestic Parts Content Keeps Climbing
Even with a shorter list, the vehicles that remain are sourcing more content domestically. The top 10 averaged 70% U.S. and Canadian parts content for a second consecutive year, the highest since the index adopted its current methodology in 2020. Two movers outside the EV field illustrate the shift: the Jeep Grand Cherokee jumped 66 places to fourth after raising its U.S. and Canadian parts content 14%, and the Lexus TX 350 climbed 34 spots once its engines and transmissions became entirely U.S.-made.
Where the Electric Models Rank
| Model | 2026 Rank | Starting Price | Final Assembly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | 1 | $36,990 | Fremont, Calif. |
| Tesla Model Y | 2 | $39,990 | Fremont, Calif., or Austin, Texas |
| Kia EV9 | 17 | $54,900 | West Point, Ga. |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 21 | $35,000 | Ellabell, Ga. |
| Cadillac Lyriq | 77 | $59,200 | Spring Hill, Tenn. |
How Is the American-Made Index Scored?
Now in its 21st year, the index rates qualifying vehicles on a 100-point scale using five factors: final assembly location, the percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts, the countries of origin for available engines, the countries of origin for available transmissions, and each automaker’s U.S. manufacturing workforce. Models headed for discontinuation, those not yet on sale, and vehicles rated above 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight are among those excluded. Of the 379 light-duty models offered for 2026, 119 are built solely in the U.S., 17 split assembly between domestic and foreign plants, and 243 are made outside the U.S.
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