The Most Produced Car, Truck, or SUV in 14 States

Automakers have set up shop in several states and prioritized model production to match sales.

Nick Kurczewski | 

Apr 9, 2024 | 6 min read

General Motors

Car production in the United States has seen tumultuous times in the past five years. Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, severe storms and other natural disasters, along with shortages of microchips have negatively impacted the automobile industry.

In an effort to recover, factories around the U.S. are churning out popular makes and models to meet consumer demand. If you are looking to purchase your next vehicle, consider these popular models built in 15 states with large-scale automobile-assembly facilities.

Hyundai

Alabama: Hyundai Tucson

In Montgomery, Hyundai employees focus on several models, including the Elantra sedan, the Santa Cruz pickup, and the Santa Fe and Tucson crossovers. The Tucson is the smaller of those SUVs but accounted for 151,733 of the plant's vehicles in 2023. Santa Fe production isn't too far behind, as the facility built 141,544 hybrid and gas-only models through the year.

Manuel Carrillo III | Capital One

Arizona: Lucid Air

Lucid's Arizona facility produced 8,428 Lucid Air models last year. Starting at about $79,000, the Air makes a maximum of 1,234 horsepower, depending on the trim level, and has a projected driving range of up to 500 miles. Assembly of Lucid vehicles in the Grand Canyon State happens in the company's $700 million factory located in Casa Grande, which is about 50 miles south of Phoenix.

Tesla

California: Tesla Model 3

Tesla's production numbers dominated the California market in 2023, accounting for 505,133 vehicles. The assembly totals of the brand's Model 3 sedan accounted for 281,666 of those vehicles. While Tesla makes its Model 3 in Texas and California, it builds all its sedans at its Fremont, California, plant. The factory started life as a General Motors plant before it became a joint venture between GM and Toyota. Tesla bought the property in 2010 and established itself as a pioneer in the electric vehicle (EV) market. If you want a Model 3 for 2024, the starting price is about $36,000, with eligibility for a federal tax credit.

Kia

Georgia: Kia Telluride

Given the popularity of SUVs in the U.S., it might not be a surprise that the most produced model at Kia's factory in West Point — with a total of 125,445 vehicles in 2023 — was the Telluride. This three-row SUV is available in 10 trims with the choice of front- or all-wheel drive and starts at around $36,000. Also built at the West Point factory are the Sportage and Sorento SUVs, as well as the K5 midsize sedan.

Ford

Illinois: Ford Explorer

Ford churned out 214,976 models in 2023 at its $1 billion Chicago assembly plant. This popular model dates back to the 1990s and continues to be a competitor in its segment. The 2024 Explorer is offered in eight trims, and the starting price is about $39,000.

Chevrolet

Indiana: Chevrolet Silverado

GM's factory in Fort Wayne is one of three production sites for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks. Last year, the facility built 172,695 Silverado trucks, which have a starting price of about $43,000 for the HD version. The facility itself covers 4.6 million square feet and produces more than 1,300 vehicles each day.

Chevrolet

Kansas: Chevrolet Malibu

GM's Fairfax Assembly plant churned out 113,648 Chevy Malibus last year. The starting price for this model is around $26,000. The facility also builds the Cadillac XT4 compact crossover, but in much smaller quantities. Opened in 1987, this Kansas City-area factory covers more than 570 acres and once served as the production site for other GM sedans, including the long-gone Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick LaCrosse, and Saturn Aura.

Toyota

Kentucky: Toyota Camry

While sports car fans probably know of Kentucky as the home of the Corvette, the Bluegrass State pumps out far more Toyota Camrys than anything else. Last year, Toyota's Georgetown plant made 310,155 of these midsize sedans, 43,573 of which were hybrids. You can get the gas-only option starting at around $28,000 and the hybrid for about $30,000. For reference, Corvette Stingray production for that period came in at 38,104.

Nissan

Mississippi: Nissan Altima

Nissan's Canton plant covers 4.7 million square feet and has produced vehicles since 2003. In 2023, it made the Altima midsize sedan as well as the Frontier and Titan trucks, but it prioritized the passenger car. The starting price for the 2024 Altima is around $27,000. There were 157,006 Altimas produced, compared with 68,002 Frontiers and 22,060 Titans.

Ford

Missouri: Ford F-150

The F-Series sat at the top of the bestsellers list for more than 40 years, in part due to the lineup's offerings that can suit most every need. Shoppers can get a bare-bones work truck or a luxury-lined conveyance filled with leather and wood. In order to meet the ever-present demand, Ford has roped in five U.S. plants to build the various models — including the Super Duty and chassis variants. The Kansas City plant built 292,082 F-150s last year, and that's not even the most productive F-Series plant. Dearborn Truck Assembly in Michigan made 324,995 of them. You can get an F-150 starting at around $35,000.

Jeep

Ohio: Jeep Wrangler

A military vehicle at heart and in legacy, the iconic Jeep Wrangler remains a capable off-road ute, featuring solid front and rear axles, standard four-wheel drive, and short front and rear overhangs. The Stellantis brand has two plants in Toledo, the birthplace of Jeep's ancestor Willys-Overland. In 2023, Toledo North Assembly handled production of 231,397 Wranglers, which you can purchase for a starting price of around $38,000 for the gas option or $53,000 for the electrified 4xe.

BMW

South Carolina: BMW X5

South Carolina is home to BMW's Spartanburg plant, which spans 7 million square feet and produced a wide range of "ultimate driving machines" for more than two decades. Right now, it assembles most of the brand's crossover lineup — everything from the X3 to the X7 and the electric XM. The X5's 2023 production totaled 147,514, which BMW exported to markets around the world at a starting price of around $66,000.

Volkswagen

Tennessee: Volkswagen Atlas/Atlas Cross Sport

In operation since 2011, VW's Chattanooga plant discontinued the Passat sedan, making way for the ID.4 electric crossover, but its primary focus is the Atlas midsize SUV and its chopped-roof sibling, the Atlas Cross Sport. The Atlas accounted for 126,549 of Chattanooga's models in 2023, and you can buy one at a starting price of around $39,000.

Chevrolet

Texas: Chevrolet Tahoe

Located between Fort Worth and Dallas, GM's Arlington factory pieces together full-size SUVs such as the Cadillac Escalade and ESV, the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and the GMC Yukon and XL. More Tahoes were built than any other model in 2023, accounting for 127,859 of the plant's production. The starting price for a 2024 Taho is around $58,000 for the two-wheel drive option.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Nick Kurczewski

Nick Kurczewski is a freelance automotive journalist based in the New York metro area. With approximately 20 years of experience, he has covered all aspects of the car world, from the pit lane at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to car shows around the world, and a Zamboni lesson in Lower Manhattan. He’s also adept at providing helpful car advice and steering people towards the ideal car, truck, or SUV for their driving needs.