DETROIT (WWJ) - As the nation prepares to mark Independence Day, the editors at Total Car Score have compiled a list of the 10 Best American Cars that reflect the strength and quality of the domestic auto industry.
The rankings represent nearly every category of car, including luxury sedans and SUVs as well as crossovers and large wagons.
Karl Brauer, editor in chief and CEO of Total Car Score, said the Detroit Big 3 have quickly rebounded to produce some of the highest rated cars on the market.
“America clearly hasn’t lost its grip on the large SUV or high-performance sedan segments. All three manufacturers made the Top 10 list with at least one tuner version of their mainstream sedans, confirming Detroit muscle is alive and well,” Brauer said in a release.
Cadillac earned the top spot on the list with its CTS luxury sedan, the top scoring domestic model on the market.
Brauer it was chosen using a long list of criteria.
“It really has to be a pretty balanced vehicle,” Brauer said. “I mean, it has to be pretty good on safety, it has to be good on value, it has to have good performance, good fuel efficiency … at least relatively speaking for the category that it’s in. So, it’s actually a pretty well-balanced system that says the car is good overall.”
General Motors also captured six of the top 10 spots with hits from Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and a total of three Cadillac models.
Ford’s Taurus SHO and Flex represent the Blue Oval’s best, while two versions of Chrysler’s venerable 300 sedan confirm its continued appeal.
It’s worth noting that while no compact domestic models made the list, Ford’s 2012 Focus was less than half a point behind the 300 SRT8, Brauer added.
The Total Car Score is one comprehensive number assigned to a vehicle that represents an overall industry assessment from major automotive authorities. All vehicles are model year 2012 with at least five source ratings that comprise the Total Car Score.
In a nod to the red white and blue, here are the 10 Best American Cars from Total Car Score:
1. Cadillac CTS — Total Car Score: 86.49
Cadillac CTS (cadillac.com)
2. Buick LaCrosse — Total Car Score: 85.01
Buick LaCrosse (buick.com)
3. Chevrolet Traverse — Total Car Score: 84.87
Chevrolet Traverse (chevrolet.com)
4. Ford Flex — Total Car Score: 84.44
Ford Flex (ford.com)
5. GMC Acadia — Total Car Score: 84.18
GMC Acadia (gmc.com)
6. Cadillac CTS-V — Total Car Score: 83.65
Cadillac CTS-V (cadillac.com)
7. Chrysler 300 — Total Car Score: 83.29
Chrysler 300 (chrysler.com)
8. Ford Taurus SHO — Total Car Score: 83.22
Ford Taurus SHO (ford.com)
9. Cadillac SRX — Total Car Score: 83.01
Cadillac SRX (cadillac.com)
10. Chrysler 300 SRT-8 — Total Car Score: 82.59
Chrysler 300 SRT (chrysler.com)
