10 vehicles more American than you think
Because of the trade war unleashed by U.S. President Donald Trump, many Canadians are now hesitating or avoiding buying products that come from the United States. And with Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to impose similar counter-tariffs on vehicles imported from the U.S., which are expected to lead to price increases at car dealerships, the situation is not getting any better.
What complicates matters and creates a lot of confusion, of course, is the fact that the North American industry is highly integrated, that parts and vehicles can cross several borders before arriving at the final products, and that a typically American model like the Ford F-150 can employ components manufactured in some twenty different countries.
In short, you should never rely solely on the logo on the front of a car. The Buick Encore GX is almost as Korean as a Hyundai Kona, for example. By the way, the label on the door frame of each vehicle indicates its country of manufacture. If the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) starts with 1, 4 or 5, it's assembled in the USA.
In addition, the American Automotive Labeling Act (AALA), administered by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), requires automakers to identify the percentage of U.S.-Canadian content of all their vehicles on the market. A complete table of 2025 models is available on the NHTSA website.
With this information in mind, here are 10 vehicles that are more American than you think:
Almost all Acura models
Percentage of American content: up to 70%.
With the exception of the all-new Acura ADX 2025, assembled in Mexico, Honda's luxury division sells us vehicles that all come from factories in Ohio, including the popular RDX. Most also use American-made engines and transmissions.
Several BMW SUVs
Percentage of American content: up to 32%.
From the X3 to the XM, most of the German manufacturer's SUVs are assembled in a plant in South Carolina. Their engines and transmissions, however, come from the other side of the Atlantic.
Honda Accord
Percentage of American content: 60%
Our Civics and CR-Vs are made in Ontario, but almost all the other Honda models sold in Canada come from the USA. Such is the case of the Accord sedan, assembled in Ohio.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Percentage of American content: 60%
Hyundai's compact pickup is the most American of all Korean-branded vehicles. Assembled in Alabama at the same plant as the Santa Fe, the Santa Cruz employs an American-made engine and transmission.
Mazda CX-50
Percentage of American content: up to 60%
Most Mazda models come from factories in Japan. The Mazda3, on the other hand, comes from Mexico. On the other hand, the CX-50 (including the hybrid variant) is assembled in Alabama at the same plant as the Toyota Corolla Cross.
Nissan Altima
Percentage of American content: 50%
Nissan is another Japanese brand with a strong presence on the North American continent. The Versa and Sentra are produced in Mexico, but some of its other models are born in the USA. Not just SUVs and vans, but also the Altima sedan, manufactured in plants in Tennessee and Mississippi.
Polestar 3
Percentage of American content: NA
Originally built in China, the Swedish Polestar 3 electric SUV now comes from a factory in South Carolina - as does the Volvo EX90 - to serve the American and Canadian markets.
Subaru Outback
Percentage of American content: 50%
Subaru production is more divided between the USA and Japan than some might think. The Outback uses Japanese-made engines and transmissions, but units sold in Canada come from a plant in Indiana.
Toyota Camry
Percentage of American content: 55%
The venerable Camry is no longer very Japanese. In fact, it hasn't even been sold in its home country since the end of 2023. Production for the North American market takes place in Kentucky, alongside the Lexus ES, some RAV4 hybrids and soon a three-row electric SUV.
Volkswagen ID.4
Percentage of American content: up to 71%
Initially produced in Germany, the ID.4 electric SUV has been coming to us from a plant in Tennessee since 2023, shared with the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport.
