The "most American" cars of 2025: See the list

LOS ANGELES - Cars.com unveiled its 2025 American-Made Index on Tuesday and the car that made the No. 1 spot may not be a surprise since it’s from the same company that made No. 1 last year. 

The 2025 Tesla Model 3 was Cars.com’s "most American" car.

Last year, it was the 2024 Tesla Model Y.

2025 AMI top 20

By the numbers:

The top 20 cars on Cars.com’s AMI ranking were: 

1. Tesla Model 3
2. Tesla Model Y
3. Tesla Model S
4. Tesla Model X
5. Jeep Gladiator
6. Kia EV6
7. Honda Ridgeline
8. Honda Odyssey
9. Honda Passport
10. Volkswagen ID.4
11. Acura MDX
12. Honda Pilot
13. Jeep Wrangler
14. Acura RDX
15. Honda Accord
16. Acura Integra
17. Kia Sportage
18. Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
19. Chevrolet Colorado
20. Nissan Pathfinder

Dig deeper:

Cars.com bases its AMI on five main factors, which include: 

• Location(s) of final assembly
• Percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts
• Countries of origin for all available engines
• Countries of origin for all available transmissions
• U.S. manufacturing workforce

EVs are all-American

Electric cars took up most of the top 10 spots on the list this year. 

And that probably has much to do with the previous administration’s policies. 

The backstory:

When he was in office, former President Joe Biden imposed increasingly stringent emissions standards for cars and trucks. He included the use of EVs in calculating the rules.

The other side:

President Donald Trump expressed doubts about the performance and reliability of electric vehicles, though he had some notably positive comments about the company owned by Elon Musk, despite their fractured relationship.

"I like Tesla," Trump said.

However, when it comes to cars, Trump said he likes combustion engines but for those that prefer otherwise, "If you want to buy electric, you can buy electric."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a rule in early June that Biden-era fuel economy standards for gas-powered cars and trucks are illegal and moved to reverse them, paving the way for a likely reset of rules.

Big picture view:

Combined with Senate language in the pending budget bill to eliminate penalties for exceeding standards regulating how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel, automakers moving forward could come under less pressure from regulators to reduce their pollution. 

Ultimately, the nation’s use of electric vehicles could be slowed.

The move aligned with the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to slash federal support for EVs. Trump has pledged to end what he has called an EV "mandate," referring incorrectly to Biden’s target for half of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. EVs do not use gasoline or emit planet-warming greenhouse gases.

Tariffs and the auto industry

Why you should care:

One of the biggest concerns highlighted by the makers of the American-Made Index ranking were the rising costs of what were reliably affordable cars for American consumers. 

Automakers and independent analyses have indicated that the tariffs could raise prices, reduce sales and make U.S. production less competitive worldwide. 

RELATED: Tariffs will increase car insurance costs faster, analysis finds

Of the 19 vehicles that are mostly built in the U.S. and are on the more low end of the cost spectrum, only two were considered "affordable." 

But still, tariffs have impacted the auto industry greatly and will make buying a new car more difficult for consumers.

RELATED: Should Americans rush to buy a car before the tariffs? Here's what Trump says

By the numbers:

Here is what Cars.com’s data shows: 

Vehicles under $30,000 are the most directly exposed to tariffs, with 91% of inventory built outside of the U.S. 

The $30,000-$49,000 price range represents nearly half of all vehicles, which include common varieties such as compact, midsize, entry luxury, and premium vehicles across different body styles, Cars.com said. 

What’s more, cars assembled in the U.S. carry the highest average price at $53,000, which is higher than imports and the overall average new car price, which is estimated at $49,000.

Cars built in Mexico are the most affordable on average at $42,000, but that number jumped by $1,100 in just one month due to tariffs. 

Cars and TrucksConsumerNews