2015 Toyota Tundra tops Sierra and Silverado on American Made Index

The Texas-built Tundra tops the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra on a list that ranks how American a vehicle is.

On the annual Made In America Auto Index, the Kogod School of Business at American University in Washington, D.C. scores the Toyota Tundra a solid 76. This places the Texas-built Tundra ahead of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, which both earn a score of 72.5. The Tundra is one point ahead of the Jeep Grand Cherokee on the list, which scored a 75. What is remarkable about this is that the “American” General Motors vehicles are awarded six extra points for “Profit Margin.”

The list, of course, takes into account where the vehicles are assembled, where the parts used are made, and also points based on the NHTSA AALA Domestic Content score. Counting another list’s ranking seems duplicitous, but the other aspects are based on common sense.

GM dominates the top of the list with many vehicles that earn scores of about 83%. That score includes its 6% bonus for profits being directed to the U.S. Treasury*. But does GM send more taxes from profits to the U.S. Treasury than Toyota? Some would say no. Without the questionable 6% advantage, GM would still lead the list, but Toyota’s vehicles would rise considerably in ranking.

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Read how the list is configured:

*Note - we have reached out to the Kogod publishers asking for clarification on this point and will edit our story if appropriate.