An American car brand refers to a company headquartered in the United States, such as Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, and Tesla. It matters because many consumers like to support home-bred autos by “buying American.” However, that term used to mean more to people than it does now because – thanks to globalization – the automotive industry is a lot more complicated than it once was.
Back in the day, domestic automakers did a lot in-house, making parts and vehicles within this nation’s borders. Now, however, carmakers are operating on a global scale and outsourcing assembly of many components (and even entire vehicles) to other countries. Meanwhile, foreign brands like Toyota, Honda, and BMW have established major manufacturing operations in the U.S. – this means that consumers may be able to buy a more “American-made car” from a Japanese or German automaker than from an actual American brand.
Even so, if you’re wondering which brands call the U.S. home, here’s our definitive guide.
What Are the American Car Brands?
- The Big Three American Car Brands
- Newer American Car Brands
- Do American Car Brands Build Cars in America?
- Non-American Car Brands Building Cars in the U.S.
The Big Three American Car Brands
For many years, three metro-Detroit-based automakers dominated the auto industry, giving rise to two nicknames. Detroit became known as the Motor City, while Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler made up “the Big Three.”
Ford Motor Company Ford has been a household name for well over a century, with operations starting all the way back in 1903. It remains one of the largest car manufacturers in North America and produces a range of vehicles, from SUVs like the Escape and Explorer to muscle cars like the Ford Mustang. Its F-Series line — which includes the half-ton Ford F-150 — has topped the bestselling truck list for almost 50 years. And its luxury arm, Lincoln, makes only SUVs now.
General Motors (GM) Founded in 1908, GM currently owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. Chevrolet, commonly known as Chevy, has built its reputation on the Camaro pony car, the Corvette sports car, and the Silverado 1500 pickup truck, among other models. Cadillac is GM’s luxury-car division, best known for making the ritzy Escalade. While it’s not such a big player here, Buick is especially popular in China and produces affordable upscale crossovers. And GMC focuses on trucks and SUVs.
Stellantis North America (nee Chrysler) Chrysler, which incorporated in 1925, has survived a few mergers in its long history. You may remember it as one half of DaimlerChrysler or Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). It’s currently owned by Stellantis, an automotive conglomerate that’s headquartered in the Netherlands and the parent of several car brands, including American, French, German, and Italian marques. The American contingent — which includes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram — maintains its own HQ in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and makes up Stellantis North America.
Only two products leave the factory wearing Chrysler badges: the Pacifica and Voyager minivans. Dodge has a small lineup, too, offering the electric Charger muscle car, the Hornet crossover, and the Durango SUV. Jeep continues to make rugged SUVs like the Wrangler alongside the more luxurious Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer, while Ram builds pickup trucks and cargo vans.
Newer American Car Brands
Since the early 2000s, a few new carmakers have arrived on the scene, all endeavoring to build electric vehicles. They are:
Tesla A leader in electric cars, Tesla has challenged the auto industry’s established norms at every turn. It doesn’t use dealerships but rather sells vehicles directly to consumers. It doesn’t exercise an abundance of caution when it comes to vehicle autonomy, allowing its customers to beta-test its tech. And it doesn’t use gasoline, achieving astounding performance from electricity alone. Its CEO, Elon Musk, has also rewritten the auto-exec playbook, regularly stirring up controversy and making big vehicle announcements on social media.
Though Tesla’s story dates back to 2003, it didn’t make many headlines until 2012, when its Model S sedan debuted. Since then, the company has released the Model X SUV, the Model 3 compact car, the Model Y crossover, and the polarizing Cybertruck. The company has also moved its headquarters from California to Texas.
Lucid Motors Lucid began life in 2007 as Atieva, a company focused on developing EV powertrains. Within 10 years, it shifted focus, deciding to build its own vehicles under the Lucid Motors brand. Its debut product, the Air luxurious sports sedan, has impressed journalists with its high-performance yet long-range electric powertrain.
Rivian Founded in 2009 by RJ Scaringe, Rivian makes adventure-oriented electric vehicles, including the R1T truck and R1S SUV. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, and has a production facility in Normal, Illinois.
Scout Scout Motors is an American automotive company established in 2022 as a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. VW acquired the trademark for the name in 2021 after buying Navistar International (which used to make the International Scout off-roader decades ago). The new Scout is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, and operates independently from its parent company. It endeavors to design, develop, and manufacture off-road-capable electric vehicles in the United States.
Do American Car Brands Build Cars in America?
Many American car brands manufacture new cars in North America, which includes Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
For instance, Ford produces the F-150 in Michigan and Missouri. General Motors builds the Chevrolet Silverado in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Mexico. Stellantis makes the Jeep Wrangler in Ohio and the Dodge Charger and Chrysler Pacifica in Canada.
The popular Tesla Model Y is built all over the world (California, Texas, Berlin, and Shanghai) to serve different markets. Rivian has a plant in Illinois, and Lucid makes Airs in Arizona.
Non-American Car Brands Building Cars in the U.S.
Several foreign car companies produce vehicles in the U.S. Toyota’s biggest plant is in Kentucky, where the Japanese automaker builds engines as well as popular models like the Toyota Camry Hybrid and RAV4 Hybrid, plus the Lexus ES.
Honda manufactures the CR-V and Acura MDX and RDX in Ohio and its Odyssey, Passport, Pilot, and Ridgeline vehicles in Alabama. It builds more CR-Vs and the Civic in Indiana too.
BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Volkswagen operate plants in the South.
