Stats show Teslas are least impacted by Trump’s tariffs

Statistics Show Teslas Are the Least Affected Cars by Trump’s Tariffs

One thing is clear about President Trump’s confusing trade tariffs: people in the U.S. will likely have to pay more for new cars, trucks, and SUVs in the coming months.

As of April 2, a 25% tax was added to all cars and light trucks brought into the U.S. This also includes big parts like engines, transmissions, and electronics. Even though the timing missed April Fool’s Day by a day, it still feels like a bad joke for anyone shopping for a new vehicle. Some buyers will feel the price increase more than others.

In the past, it was easy to tell if a car was American or imported. Cars from the “Big Three” in Detroit (Ford, GM, and Chrysler) were American, while cars from Japan, Europe, and South Korea were imports. But now, that line is not so clear.

Many foreign brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Kia, Subaru, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW build cars in the U.S. At the same time, some American brand cars are made in Canada, Mexico, or even imported from South Korea, Italy, or China. Last year, about 46% of all cars sold in the U.S. were built outside the country.

Because of global supply chains, even cars made in the U.S. have many foreign parts. Some vehicles have 40–50% or more of their parts coming from other countries.

Figuring out how much tariff applies to each car is very complicated. Cars and their parts often cross country borders multiple times before being fully made, which can increase the total tax. Even different versions of the same car might have more or less foreign content, depending on features and options.

It’s also unclear how much of this extra cost will be passed to buyers. Some car companies might raise prices, while others might absorb some of the costs. Experts say new car prices could go up by $5,000 to $15,000.

These price changes may take a few weeks or months to appear, depending on how many vehicles and parts are already in stock. Also, Trump could change his mind at any time. Smart shoppers will want to check which cars will be less affected by tariffs before buying. For example, Ford has already started ads saying “From America, For America” to show which models are the most American-made.

To help buyers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires carmakers to show where each vehicle and its parts come from. This info is on the “Monroney sticker” found on every new car, showing the percentage of North American parts and where the car was built.

Instead of going from dealership to dealership, you can check the annual “Made in America Auto Index” from American University’s Kogod School of Business. It ranks how much each vehicle supports the U.S. economy.

The index looks at where the car is built, where parts like the engine and transmission come from, where research and development were done, and where the profits go. One note: the NHTSA counts both U.S. and Canadian parts as “domestic,” but not Mexican parts, so the index isn’t perfect.

Interestingly, Elon Musk and Tesla benefit the most from these tariffs. Tesla has the highest percentage of U.S.-made parts—about 81%—and five of its models are at the top of the “Made in America” list.

Even though pickup trucks seem very American, the top-rated one is actually the Honda Ridgeline, ranked 9th. That’s well ahead of the best-selling Ford F-150, which ranks 22nd.

The Most American Cars, Trucks, and SUVs

These are the vehicles that the latest Made in America Auto Index says have the most parts and work done in the U.S. They’re also the ones most likely to face the lowest import taxes in the future. The percentage shows how much of each vehicle is made in America: