The 10 Most American SUVs Sold Today
According to the well-regarded Kogod study, which looks at American and Canadian parts content.
If you've ever wanted to get an idea of just how American your SUV or crossover really is, you'll want to take a look at our summary of the American University's Kogod School of Business Made in America Auto Index study . We've gathered the 10 "most American" SUVs from this study.
Kogod looks at more than just domestic parts content; it examines several areas that have to do with keeping profits and the supply chain in North America. The rankings take into consideration where profits flow to, where the vehicle is actually assembled, the origin of the engine and transmission, and where the body components are assembled. You'll want to note that many "foreign" SUV makers have significant American operations—local factories and workers that support a domestic supplier network—and rank quite high on the list. Conversely, some "domestic" SUVs don't crack the top ten.
Read on to see which SUVs and crossovers make the cut. And don't forget to check out the 10 most American trucks sold today , too.
10. Ford Expedition
The big Ford Expedition (and its even bigger Max long-wheelbase variant) is a formidable full-size SUV that packs a powerful turbocharged V-6 and a sophisticated (but occasionally rough-shifting) 10-speed automatic transmission. It offers both space and capability wrapped up in an aluminum body.
10. Ford Expedition
Compare the Expedition's 51 percent domestic parts content figure to the Passport's in the next spot, and that's part of the reason it comes in slightly behind.
9. Honda Passport
The Honda Passport is the first "foreign" brand on the list, although given Honda's long-standing and significant operations in the U.S. it shouldn't be a surprise to see the Passport here. The Passport is essentially a short-wheelbase, two-row variant of the Honda Pilot crossover, and it pairs huge cargo capacity and a clever interior with a very strong V-6 engine.
9. Honda Passport
The Passport actually does quite well in domestic parts content in Kogod's rankings, with 70 percent of its components coming from North America.
8. GMC Acadia
The Acadia is related to the Cadillac XT6 also on this list and nuzzles up next to it in Kogod's rankings. Both share a 52 percent domestic parts content rating.
8. GMC Acadia
The GMC Acadia is a compelling 'tweener, related to bigger crossover SUV corporate siblings but riding on a shorter wheelbase. Its 3.6-liter V-6 is powerful, and handling is decent, but its interior is let down by some cheap parts-bin touches.
7. Cadillac XT6
The Cadillac XT6 is a seven-seat crossover that fills a niche just below the big Escalade in the company's lineup. Despite being brand new, our first impression is lacking. Like other recent Cadillacs, the interior just isn't up to snuff in its class. That said, it provides a comfortable ride and stable, predictable handling.
7. Cadillac XT6
Since one of our complaints is that the interior is too similar to less-expensive corporate siblings, you won't be surprised to learn that it's close on the list to the related GMC Acadia.
6. Cadillac XT5
Cadillac's XT5 is one of the company's best-sellers, and for 2020 it got a serious refresh that involved a facelifted interior and a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine option (in addition to the previously standard 3.6-liter V-6). The XT5 is quiet and rides well, too.
6. Cadillac XT5
The XT5 slips a couple of spots from its smaller XT4 stablemate due to a slightly lower domestic parts content.
5. Cadillac XT4
The XT4 is a vehicle that Cadillac very much needs, but it's not necessarily the small SUV we were hoping the company would build. It's a comfortable highway cruiser with a youthful vibe, but its coarse engine and cheap-feeling interior are letdowns.
5. Cadillac XT4
Even so, it ranks well on this list, with a domestic parts content percentage only a point behind the Model Y.
4. Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y combines a lot of the sleek style of the Model 3 sedan with a useful amount of additional utility, although its available third row seat is cramped, if we're being charitable. Its range and performance , however, are unimpeachable, and it's definitely the most important vehicle the brand has on sale right now.
4. Tesla Model Y
Tesla is an unconventional automaker—a modern company unrelated to any legacy corporations—but it's also very much a domestic automaker. And the Model Y ranks highly among the company's offerings on this list, with 55 percent domestic parts content.
3. Ford Explorer 3.0
Ford Explorers equipped with the twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine snag the next spot on the list. This includes the sporty ST, with its more powerful version of this engine, and the luxurious Platinum variant. And that's good, because these two versions of this engine are some of the highlights of the Explorer lineup, offering exceptional power.
3. Ford Explorer 3.0
Despite a lower domestic parts content percentage, it's just slightly behind the Cherokees in the overall rankings.
2. Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
Since different trim variants can source their parts (for example, powertrains) from different sources, there are some repeated models on Kogod's list. The Cherokee Trailhawk can't be equipped with the Latitude's standard base engine, for example. But it is remarkably competent off-road, faring well in a recent comparison test .
2. Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
It's essentially tied with its Latitude sibling in Kogod's rankings.
1. Jeep Cherokee Latitude AWD
The Jeep Cherokee isn't our favorite compact SUV , taking some demerits for a too-cheap interior, a lack of useful storage space inside, and a truckish ride, among other complaints. Skipping the base engine is a good move, too. But that's not what this list is about.
(2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude LUX pictured.)
1. Jeep Cherokee Latitude AWD
Here, however, in Americanness, is one place that the Cherokee gets top honors. The Latitude trim, with all-wheel drive, boasts 69 percent U.S./Canadian parts content and gets additional points for the broader American operations it supports.
(2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude LUX pictured.)
Like a lot of the other staffers here, Alex Kierstein took the hard way to get to car writing. Although he always loved cars, he wasn’t sure a career in automotive media could possibly pan out. So, after an undergraduate degree in English at the University of Washington, he headed to law school. To be clear, it sucked. After a lot of false starts, and with little else to lose, he got a job at Turn 10 Studios supporting the Forza 4 and Forza Horizon 1 launches. The friendships made there led to a job at a major automotive publication in Michigan, and after a few years to MotorTrend. He lives in the Seattle area with a small but scruffy fleet of great vehicles, including a V-8 4Runner and a C5 Corvette, and he also dabbles in scruffy vintage watches and film cameras.
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