Ford Ranger tops 'made in America' index
Breana NobleFord Motor Co.'s Ranger mid-size pick-up truck is the most "made in America" vehicle in 2020 with 85% total domestic content, according to an index produced by American University's Kogod School of Business.
U.S. automakers, including Tesla Inc., dominated the top 10 of the list that takes into account the company's headquarters and where research and development is conducted. "Made in America" is a slogan that both President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have touted along the campaign trail, promising to increase U.S. manufacturing jobs.
The Ranger replaces the automatic transmission version of the Chevrolet Corvette and the discontinued Chevy Volt in the top spot. Introduced last year after an eight-year hiatus with 61% total domestic content, this year’s Ranger now holds a U.S.-sourced engine and gets 70% of its parts from U.S. and Canada, up from 50%.
Overall, General Motors Co. has the highest domestic content score with 70.6% for U.S.-assembled vehicles — up from 70% last year — and 58.2% for all of its vehicles. Ford's domestic content was down to 67.6% from 70% for U.S.-produced vehicles compared to 55% for all. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV was nearly flat with 64.1% domestic content for U.S.-assembled vehicles and 55% for all.
Honda Motor Company Ltd.'s 62.6% total domestic content for vehicles assembled in the United States was the highest among foreign automakers. Volvo Cars' was the lowest with 30%.
Total domestic content for individual automakers is not available before 2019, but the highest domestic content was 90% in 2016 prior to Trump's election for the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia.
After the Ranger, the automatic transmission model of the Chevrolet Camaro was the second-most made in America vehicle in 2020 with 83% domestic content sourcing. The Corvette as well as the mid-size Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups tied for third with 82% domestic content. The Jeep Cherokee Latitude and Trailhawk SUVs were fourth with 78.5% domestic content.
The rest of the top 10 finishes as follows:
- Tied for fifth with 77.5% domestic content: Three-liter Ford Explorer, Cadillac CT4 and CT5, and Tesla Model S and Y
- Sixth with 77% domestic content: Cadillac XT4
- Tied for seventh with 76% domestic content: Chevrolet Camaro with manual transmission, Caddilac XT5 and XT6, and GMC Acadia
- Tied for eighth with 75.5% domestic content: Ford Expedition and Mustang with a 2.3-liter Ecoboost engine and 5.0-liter engine with automatic transmission
- Tied for ninth with 75% domestic content: Five-liter Ford F-150, Lincoln Aviator, long-range Tesla Model 3, and Tesla Model X
- Tenth with 74.5% domestic content: Jeep Cherokee
bnoble@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @BreanaCNoble