Four Alabama-made vehicles have been named in the top 10 of the 2019 American-Made Index, a list of new models that contribute the most to the U.S. economy, compiled by the digital automotive marketplace Cars.com.
All four are built at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama’s $2.6 billion, 4,500-worker auto assembly plant in Talladega County. The Odyssey minivan was ranked No. 2, followed by the Ridgeline pickup at No. 3, the Passport SUV at No. 4 and the Pilot SUV at No. 7.
The index, issued annually since 2006, is based on criteria that includes manufacturing plants, parts sourcing and factory jobs.
The Jeep Cherokee SUV, assembled in Illinois., tops this year’s index, which includes a total of 15 vehicles. Nine of them are produced by Japan-based automakers: seven Hondas (including its luxury brand Acura) and two Toyotas.
Other models among the top 10 include the Chevrolet Corvette (No. 5), Acura MDX (No. 6), Chevrolet Colorado (No. 8), GMC Canyon (No. 9), Acura RDX (No. 10). See the full list.
Cars.com says automakers assemble about 120 models in the U.S. for the 2019 model year, with U.S.-built sales accounting for a little more than half of all new vehicles sold.
LOCAL CONTENT
Honda’s Alabama-built vehicles have made regular appearances on the index.
The company started production at its plant in Lincoln in 2001 and has continued to expand its operations, product lineup and workforce in the years since.
Employees launched production of the Passport late last year, and in the last several years alone, there have been new capital projects valued at $150 million.
In 2018, Alabama workers built a record numbers of Pilots as part of a total output of more than 356,000 vehicles.
“HMA is very proud to have the four products we build here in Lincoln – the Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline and Passport – all ranked in the top 10 of the Cars.com American-Made Index,” said HMA Senior Vice President Mike Oatridge.
“We always want to build products in the areas where we sell products, and as a company, we strive to provide cars that are built locally with as much local content as possible.”
TARIFF THREATS
Current global trade tensions and potential new tariffs could impact vehicle costs, and a Cars.com survey shows half of participants are concerned.
Kelsey Mays, senior editor at Cars.com, stressed the global nature of the auto industry, which the index emphasizes as well.
“Despite a lot of talk around new tariffs and the looming U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, few of the automakers in the top 15 indicated major manufacturing changes as a result,” Mays said. “Even if they had, manufacturing can’t change overnight. A single vehicle has tens of thousands of parts from third-party suppliers across the globe.”
“Tariffs or other changes in trade policy could have a major impact on consumers and the auto industry, including rising costs,” Mays continued. “It’s no small task to move supply chains, much less alter where a car or its major components are built – both factors that influence AMI rankings. Such actions take years to plan, negotiate and implement.”
