What is the most American-made car of 2017? Our latest American-Made Index has arrived — find out right here: https://t.co/auYijORyS8
— Cars.com (@carsdotcom) June 26, 2017
The Jeep Wrangler has always been something of an American icon. It traces its heritage all the way back to the battlefields of World War II, where Willys MB was used by Allied soldiers to traverse unpaved, and often unpredictable terrain. This was a rugged four-wheel drive SUV that could go anywhere.
Through the years, this SUV has changed names, changed owners, changed styles, but it has always retained its trademark round headlights and seven-slot grille that make up the modern Jeep Brand logo.
This year, the 2017 Jeep Wrangler was recognized as the most American-made vehicle on Cars.com's American-Made Index (AMI).
Why now? The Jeep Wrangler has always been assembled in Toledo, Ohio, using predominantly American-sourced parts, but last year it didn't make the AMI at all, much less come out on top of it.
This year, Cars.com changed its criteria for the AMI, shifting the focus away from how many U.S. workers are employed total to build a vehicle model, and toward how many U.S. workers are supported by each vehicle sale. In other words, the Jeep Wrangler doesn't have the bulk sales of the high-volume Toyota Camry, which ranked number-one on the 2016 AMI, but on a per vehicle basis, the Jeep Wrangler plant in Toledo supports more manufacturing jobs. This method better reflects the impact a single buyer can have on a community when making a purchase.