Chevy Cobalt ranked 2nd most-American car

GM placed four vehicles among the Top 10.

STAFF REPORT

The Chevrolet Cobalt is ranked No. 2 on a list of top American-made vehicles.

The ranking by Cars.com ranks vehicles that it finds to be the most American based on American production, percentage of parts from the U.S. and Canada, and U.S. sales.

The Cobalt ranked behind only the Ford F-150, which is produced in Missouri and Michigan. The Cobalt is assembled at the General Motors’ Lordstown complex.

The Cobalt’s window sticker says that 80 percent of its parts come from the U.S. and Canada. Automakers have been required by federal law to reveal this number since 1994.

Patrick Olsen, editor in chief of Cars.com, said the ranking is issued because “buying American-made products can be easily clouded.” Most cars built in the U.S. have parts that come from another country, he said.

GM placed four vehicles in the Top 10, while Ford had two and Chrysler had one. Three vehicles on the list were from foreign automakers.

In a survey, the Web site found that 27 percent of car buyers said they would only consider buying American-made vehicles, while 9 percent said they would consider only those from foreign automakers.

Newcomers to the American-made index include the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Sebring.

The Web site said the Odyssey made the list by increasing sales and by boosting its domestic parts content from 70 percent to 75 percent with the 2008 model. It appeared at No. 7.

The site said Chrysler’s strongest sellers, the Dodge Ram and Grand Caravan, have not appeared on the list because of domestic content or being assembled in Canada, but its Michigan-built Sebring debuted on the list at No. 9.