Many American-made vehicles are not completely made in America. While the factory might be in the states, a number of the parts and components come from other countries. Since it is more difficult to determine the qualifications for an American made vehicle these days, cars.com created an index to show which vehicles are the most American. The 2018 Jeep Cherokee made the top of the list this year up from second place last year, and here is why it is as American as apple pie.
- The Domestic Parts Content
Cars.com determined that 72 percent of the components that make up the 2018 Jeep Cherokee come from American companies and distributors. This is more than any other vehicle on the list which includes over 100 U.S.-built vehicles.
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The Vehicle Assembly Plant
The Cherokee comes off the Belvidere, Illinois assembly line. This assembly plant first opened in 1964 and sits right next to the Chrysler operated Belvidere Satellite Stamping Plant which produces sheet metal for the production line. The plant covers almost 5 million square feet, employs people from two local unions, and has almost 5,500 employees. There are over 5,100 hourly employees, and over 300 salaried employees. Chrysler moved the production of the Jeep Cherokee to the Belvidere plant in 2017 creating almost 300 new jobs in the U.S.
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The Engine and Transmission Sourcing
All the engines and transmissions used in the 2018 Jeep Cherokee come from American plants. This includes the 3.2-liter V-6, 24-valve WT engine, and the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. The nine-speed automatic transmission is also produced right in the U.S. at the Kokomo, Indiana plant where several of the transmissions that Jeep uses in their cars and trucks come from. There is also the Mack Avenue Engine Complex in Detroit, Michigan where American workers make the 3.2-liter Pentastar engine.
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Why It Is Important
A cars.com survey found that it is important to many U.S. consumers to support their local workers and buy American made vehicles. Some important findings from the survey include that fact that 28 percent of respondents will only buy their vehicles from an American manufacturer, and 66 percent will research where the cars are built and the location of the manufacturer’s headquarters before considering a vehicle. The survey also revealed that 82 percent of buyers believe that buying vehicles made in America will create more jobs right in the U.S.
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The 2018 Jeep Cherokee
This 2018 model Cherokee comes with either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine depending on the trim, and new for 2018, the Latitude is the base trim. The 2018 model also added standard 17-inch alloy wheels, high-intensity discharge headlights, fog lights, and a backup camera. Jeep added the Latitude Plus trim to the lineup with an 8.4-inch touch screen, satellite radio, and an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat.
The auto industry has a huge impact on the U.S. economy. It starts with the assembly line, but also includes the workers manufacturing parts, the people working at new car dealerships, and even the white-collar product development and marketing jobs.
Image via Flickr by truckhardware used under CC BY 2.0
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