Lately, when it comes to the automobile industry, brand identity is more of an existential question than a hard-known fact.
Along with globalization and, particularly, consumers’ shift toward hybrid and electric vehicles, automakers’ parts, technology, and even the very assembly lines their cars are built on have undergone major changes, blurring the lines in terms of where a car is actually “from.”
Take BMW for instance, which sources auto parts from suppliers in more than 70 countries, including Germany (its home base) and elsewhere in Europe, but has its production plants in Mexico, China, South Africa, and the U.S.
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Similarly, historically American brands, like Buick, now manufacture many of their vehicles outside the U.S., in China, South Korea, Germany, and Canada. Even Ford (F) , which built a reputation on its “American-made” cars and trucks, continues to operate domestically, in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio, but now also has plants in Canada and Mexico.
Even brands like Honda (HMC) , Subaru, and Toyota, which were known for decades under the subheading of “foreign automakers” now build many of their vehicles stateside.
It’s enough to make your head spin.
What is an American car?
To find out what exactly defines an American car brand, we turned to Consumer Reports (CR), one of the country’s foremost product testing authorities whose primary mission is to help consumers make informed purchases.
Related: The 10 cars with the most satisfied owners, according to Consumer Reports
The nonprofit organization has been around for 90 years, counts over 6 million people as subscribers, and has a $30 million testing budget, so you could say it’s a trusted name in both product research and consumer advocacy.
CR says it considers brands that were founded in the U.S. as well as currently headquartered here to be “American.” This includes automakers like Ford, GM (GM) , Stellantis (STLA) , and Tesla (TSLA) , although it also points out that these brands could have other operations elsewhere.
Related: The 10 least satisfying cars of 2024, according to Consumer Reports
The cars that made Consumer Report’s list of Best American cars, trucks & SUVs also carry the “CR Recommended” distinction. This means that they have been independently tested and met or exceeded a 50-point evaluation that includes performance factors like braking, handling, and battery life, along with qualitative metrics like reliability and owner satisfaction.
The 12 vehicles that made the list are all 2024 models:
The best American cars, SUVs & trucks, according to Consumer Reports
Best luxury compact car: Cadillac CT4
- Price range: $34,595–$61,495
- Fuel economy: Overall 25 / City 16 / Hwy 38 mpg
- CR ranking: #4 out of 7 luxury entry-level cars
Best luxury electric car: Tesla Model 3
- Price range: $38,990–$54,990
- Fuel economy: Overall 130 / city 137 / hwy 124 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent)
- CR ranking: #4 of 13 electric luxury cars
Best sports car: Chevrolet Corvette
- Price range: $68,300–$130,650
- Fuel economy: Overall 19 / city 12 / hwy 29 mpg
- CR ranking: #3 of 7 2-seat sports cars
Best compact SUV: Chevrolet Equinox
- Price range: $26,600–$33,400
- Fuel economy: Overall 25 / city 17 / hwy 34 mpg
- CR ranking: #23 of 33 compact SUVs
Best midsized (2-row) SUV: Ford Edge
- Price range: $38,465–$47,205
- Fuel economy: Overall 22 / city 15 / hwy 31 mpg
- CR ranking: #3 of 18 midsized SUVs
Best luxury compact SUV: Lincoln Corsair
- Price range: $38,990–$54,025
- Fuel economy: Overall 23 / city 15 / hwy 33 mpg
- CR ranking: #6 of 28 luxury compact SUVs
Best luxury (3-row) SUV: Buick Enclave
- Price Range: $43,900–$59,500
- Fuel economy: Overall 18 / city 12 / hwy 26 mpg
- CR ranking: #4 of 16 luxury midsized 3-row SUVs
More on cars and Consumer Reports:
- The top 10 electric SUVs, according to Consumer Reports data
- The safest used cars for teens & families: Consumer Reports
- Used cars to avoid buying according to Consumer Reports
Best electric SUV: Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Price Range: $39,995–$54,995
- Fuel economy: Overall 90 / city 96 / hwy 84 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent)
- CR ranking: #2 of 17 electric SUVs
Best luxury electric SUV: Tesla Model Y
- Price Range: $42,990–$51,490
- Fuel economy: Overall 121 / city 127 / hwy 114 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent)
- CR ranking: #4 of 20 electric luxury SUVs
Best minivan: Chrysler Pacifica
- Price Range: $39,645–$59,785
- Fuel economy: Overall 21 / city 13 / hwy 33 mpg
- CR ranking: #5 of 6 3-row minivans
Related: Car brands with the most customer loyalty according to Consumer Reports
Best small pickup: Ford Maverick
- Price range: $23,920–$34,960
- Fuel economy: Overall 23 / city 16 / hwy 32 mpg
- CR ranking: #1 of 3 small pickup trucks
Best full-sized pickup: Ram 1500
Price range: $39,420–$96,340
Fuel economy: Overall 17 / city 11 / hwy 24 mpg
CR ranking: #1 of 17 full-sized pickup trucks
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