How to tell if a car was "Made in America"

Whether because of national pride or because you want to be a more informed consumer, you may want to know whether the car, truck, minivan, or SUV you drive (or want to drive) is "Made in America".

You'll likely find that the answer can be a bit complicated. For instance, strictly speaking, "Made in USA" would exclude cars that have been produced in Canada (and have been for generations) for the American market; that's the reason why the most commonly used phrase is "Made in America", which includes Canadian production and may also include the substantial Mexican production of recent years, depending on who's publishing the figures.

Here's a quick way to start: just read the VIN (vehicle identification number), which is the car's serial number. Cars assembled in the U.S. start with a 1, 4 or 5. Cars assembled in Japan have VINs beginning with a J. Canadian-assembled cars begin with a 2. Cars assembled in England begin with an S. German-assembled cars begin with a W. Korea is a K and Mexico is a 3.