Only 1 Dodge is Still Assembled in the U.S.A.
From its days sending 4WD trucks into WWII to building some of the most legendary muscle cars of all time, Dodge has been one of the most star-spangled-flag-waving brands in ‘Merica. So it might shock you that the only Dodge still assembled in the U.S.A. is the Durango. What’s more, every Hemi V8 in a Dodge muscle car or V8 is built in Saltillo, Mexico. Where are most Dodge models in the lineup made? The answer is a bit complicated.
The Dodge Durango is built in Detroit
Since the Durango’s 2011 redesign, Dodge has always assembled the SUV in its Detroit Complex, here in the U.S.A. Of all the parts that go into a Durango, 71% are made in the U.S. or Canada.
Cars.com ranks the most American-made models every year. The 2021 Durango landed in spot #36, but the 2022 model earned #19. When the Kogod School of Business compiled its own rankings, two versions of the V6-powered Durango tied for spot number six – the Durango GT Blacktop AWD and the Durango Citadel. But the V8-powered Durango fell to #36.
The Stellantis Jefferson assembly plant in Detroit opened in 1991 to build Grand Cherokees. Inside this 283-acre complex, three shifts of 5,000+ union auto workers have assembled six million SUVs. Stellantis recently invested $900 million in retooling the Jefferson facility to assemble the next generation of Dodge and Jeep SUVs here in the U.S.A.
Are the Dodge Charger and Challenger assembled in the U.S.A.?
The Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger are assembled alongside the Chrysler 300 at Stellantis’ Brampton Assembly Plant outside of Toronto, Canada. The Charger and Challenger have been assembled at Brampton since they were resurrected in 2005.
Kogod gave the V6 Dodge Charger a rank of #29, the GT trim a rank of #39 on its American-made index. Optioned with a Hemi V8, the Charger fell to #50. The Challenger ranked a bit lower: with the V6, it gets #43, and with a V8, it falls to #53. Neither the Charger nor Challenger even made it onto Cars.com’s one-hundred-model American-made list. So where are are Dodge models made?
Chrysler Corporation inherited Brampton Assembly when it bought American Motors Corporation in 1987. The 269-acre facility employs 2,944 union auto workers. After Dodge kills this generation of Challenger and Charger, it will be closing the Brampton Assembly plant for at least three years to retool it to build next-generation electric vehicles.
The final Dodge model is the Hornet, which is not assembled in the U.S.A. This crossover is based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale chassis. Even though it has unique powertrains, every Dodge Hornet is assembled alongside the Tonale in Naples, Italy.
Where are Dodge engines built?
Dodge builds some of its V6 engines in the United States. But every Hemi V8 engine in a Dodge comes from Saltillo, Mexico.
The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine has been a mainstay of the Chrysler Corporation since 2010. It is the entry-level engine in models from the Jeep Wrangler to the Ram 1500. You won’t be surprised that Stellantis now builds this engine in three separate locations: Trenton and Dundee in Michigan and Saltillo in Mexico.
Stellantis assembles every heavy-duty Ram truck in its facility in Saltillo, Mexico. This may be why it has also moved all V8 production south of the border. Every Hemi V8 in a Ram, Dodge, or Jeep comes from Saltillo. The “Hurricane” I6 that is on deck to replace the Hemi is also only built in Saltillo.
Next, find out the final full-size pickup truck on the American-made list, or see how American your vehicle is in the video below:
