List of manufacturers
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If you’re buying a new car, the sheer number of makes and models available can be overwhelming. We break down all of the manufacturers that sell cars in the US to help you suss out what each has to offer.
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Honda’s luxury brand of high-performance cars, Acura launched in 1986 in the US and Canada — but with headquarters located in Japan.
Popular Acura models include:
Founded in Milan in 1910, this legendary Italian racing brand has long been associated with exciting high-performance sports cars. Impressive performance and eye-catching styling are hallmarks of this iconic carmaker, which is now owned by Italian-American giant Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Popular Alfa Romeo models include:
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This well-known British sports car and grand tourer manufacturer was founded in London in 1913, but skyrocketed to worldwide fame during the 1960s on the back of the James Bond movie franchise. Exclusive high-performance vehicles continue to be the name of the game for Aston Martin in the modern era, and it produces a glamorous range of coupes, roadsters and sedans.
Popular Aston Martin models include:
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German carmaker Audi has roots dating back to the early 20th century, but its latest iteration essentially got started in the 1960s. Known for offering an extensive variety of luxury vehicles, Audi has nine production facilities around the world and is part of the Volkswagen Group. Its vehicle range includes sedans, hatches, SUVs, luxury tourers, coupes, convertibles and wagons.
Popular Audi models include:
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This legendary British carmaker is synonymous with luxury vehicles. Founded in North London in 1919, Bentley rose to fame by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times in the next decade. Though it also saw several decades of ownership by Rolls-Royce during the 20th century, Bentley is now part of the Volkswagen Group and continues to produce an exclusive range of luxury cars and SUVs.
Popular Bentley models include:
BMW, which is more formally known as Bavarian Motor Works, was founded in 1916. This legendary German brand is one of the world’s best-selling luxury carmakers and has long been a sought-after choice for car buyers. Its comprehensive model range includes hatches, sedans, wagons, SUVs, coupes and convertibles, plus everything from high-performance vehicles to hybrids and electric cars.
Popular BMW models include:
A division of General Motors, Buick was one of the first American car brands created back in 1908. It’s developed a reputation for appealing to not only wealthy car shoppers, but older ones as well.
Popular Buick models include:
Founded in 1909, French carmaker Bugatti manufactures some of the most exhilarating high-performance sports cars the world has ever seen. Now owned by Volkswagen, Bugatti’s limited-production vehicles are extremely rare and highly sought-after by the rich and famous.
Popular Bugatti models include:
Owned by General Motors, this iconic car brand is the epitome of luxury when it comes to US-made vehicles. Founded in 1902 in Detroit, Michigan, it’s one of the oldest car manufacturers in the world — second only to Buick among US automakers.
Popular Cadillac models include:
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British carmaker Caterham specializes in lightweight sports cars known for their impressive handling and performance. Founded in Caterham, Surrey, in 1973, the company’s Clubman sports car evolved from the original Lotus Seven. The United States branch of Caterham Cars imports a number of models for use on the road and the track.
Popular Caterham models include:
There are few American car brands more iconic than Chevrolet. Founded in 1911, this world-renowned division of General Motors is known for its premium SUVs, pickup trucks and sports cars.
Popular Chevrolet models include:
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Founded in 1925 as one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers in the country, Chrysler is known for its sleek and durable minivans and sedans that won’t break the bank. You can buy a new model almost anywhere nationwide.
Popular Chrysler models include:
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First founded in 1900 as an auto part supplier in Detroit, Dodge Brothers Company started manufacturing automobiles itself in 1914. Today, Dodge is known for its stylish minivans, trucks and sports cars.
Popular Dodge models include:
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Ferrari is arguably one of the most famous car manufacturers in the world. The renowned “prancing horse” badge can trace its roots back to 1939, when Enzo Ferrari founded the now-legendary carmaker out of Alfa Romeo’s race division. Along with its proud history in Formula 1 racing, Ferrari has continued to produce iconic high-performance vehicles right up to the present day.
Popular Ferrari models include:
Founded in Turin in 1899, Fiat has been one of Italy’s best-selling carmakers for more than a century. Now part of the Italian-American Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Alliance, Fiat produces small, medium and mid-sized hatches, SUVs and also light commercial vans.
Popular Fiat models include:
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Henry Ford and the company he founded in Michigan in 1903 will forever be linked to the history of the automobile. To this day, Ford still offers a large range of hatches, sedans, SUVs and light commercial vehicles to drivers throughout the country.
Popular Ford models include:
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Hyundai’s luxury car brand, Genesis was recently founded in 2015 and only offers three sedan models. However, it has plans to expand its lineup with an electric sports car and crossover in the near future.
Popular Genesis models include:
Founded in 1911, General Motors Company (GMC) offers a full line of luxury cars, trucks and SUVs.
Popular GMC models include:
Honda Motor Company doesn’t just manufacture cars — it also builds aircrafts, motorcycles and even power equipment. Founded in Japan in 1946, it started producing cars in 1963.
Fast-forward more than half a century and the brand has built a reputation for impressive build quality, the latest safety features and overall reliability. Its vehicle range includes small and medium hatches, sedans, SUVs, hybrids and minivans.
Popular Honda models include:
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This South Korean automotive giant was founded in 1947 and is now the fourth largest car manufacturer in the world. Since 1986, it’s earned a reputation as a cheap and cheerful brand. And its significant improvements in quality and refinement has turned it into a favorite among new car buyers.
Its range of vehicles includes sporty coupes, hatches, small and medium sedans, SUVs, minivans and even light commercial vehicles.
Popular Hyundai models include:
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Founded in 1989, Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury vehicle division. It offers an extensive range of sedans, coupes, convertibles, SUVs and electric hybrids to suit the needs of a variety of drivers.
Popular Infiniti models include:
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Established as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, Jaguar rose to fame in the ’50s and ‘60s on the back of iconic Le Mans-winning race cars. It’s been through a few ups and downs since those heady days, however, having merged with Land Rover to form Jaguar Land Rover.
Popular Jaguar models include:
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First produced in 1941, the Jeep became the light four-wheel-drive of choice for the United States Army and the Allies during World War II. Today, Jeep is owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, but its reputation for having a rugged off-road capability is still reflected in the range of SUVs and off-road vehicles it offers.
Popular Jeep models include:
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Kia, South Korea’s second-largest car manufacturer, is minority-owned by Hyundai, the country’s largest manufacturer. Founded in 1944 as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts, its range now includes a full range of vehicles to suit buyers of all budgets.
Popular Kia models include:
Italian manufacturer Lamborghini produces some of the most sought-after supercars and sports cars in the world. Founded in 1963, Lamborghini is now owned by the Volkswagen Group and managed by the group’s Audi division. Though best known for its sleek and ultra-fast sports cars, Lamborghini is increasing its focus on the SUV sector in an effort to boost sales.
Popular Lamborghini models include:
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Britain’s Land Rover brand is a four-wheel-drive specialist that can trace its history back to 1948. These days, Jaguar Land Rover is owned by India’s Tata Motors – quite a remarkable turn of events for this British icon. Regardless, the brand is still synonymous with go-anywhere off-road capability.
Popular Land Rover models include:
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Lexus is Toyota’s prestige brand and has developed a reputation for producing refined, luxury vehicles. Founded in 1989, Lexus offers a range of sedans, hatches, SUVs, 4WD wagons and sports cars to drivers nationwide.
Popular Lexus models include:
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Founded in 1917 as the luxury division of Ford, it was named after former President Abraham Lincoln. Over the past century, it’s expanded its line of luxury vehicles to not only include sedans, but SUVs and crossovers as well.
Popular Lincoln models include:
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This iconic British sports car manufacturer was established in 1952 and built a reputation for building stylish cars known for their light weight and excellent handling. Ownership of the classic marque has changed hands several times since the 1980s, with Lotus coming under the control of China’s Geely in 2017.
Popular Lotus models include:
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This Italian luxury car manufacturer was founded in Bologna in 1914. It has a reputation for combining interior refinement and comfort with a high level of performance. Purchased by Fiat in 1993, it now comes under the ownership umbrella of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, but still remains known for its range of high-end vehicles.
Popular Maserati models include:
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Founded in 1920 with a history of manufacturing machine tools and auto rickshaws, Mazda even produced weaponry for the Japanese military in World War II. Its first cars rolled off the production line in the 1960s, and today it’s known for producing a wide range of high-quality and reasonably priced vehicles.
Popular Mazda models include:
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The Mercedes-Benz badge has long been associated with the highest levels of automotive engineering and quality. Founded in the 1880s and owned by Germany’s Daimler AG, the three-pointed star badge graces a range of prestige luxury sedans, hatches, wagons, coupes, roadsters, sports cars and even SUVs.
Popular Mercedes-Benz models include:
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England’s Mini specializes in stylish, zippy small cars — and there are few vehicles more closely associated with the swinging ‘60s than this iconic marque. Originally owned by the British Motor Corporation, Mini is now a subsidiary of German manufacturer BMW. Despite the change in ownership, Mini is still famous for its legendary styling and agile-handling vehicles.
Popular Mini models include:
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Mitsubishi Motors Corporation can trace its automotive origins back to 1917 and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co.’s introduction of the Mitsubishi Model A, the first series-production vehicle to come out of Japan. In modern times, Mitsubishi is now one-third owned by Nissan and produces a complete range of passenger vehicles. From sedans and hatches to SUVs, light-commercial vehicles and even hybrid models, there are vehicles in the Mitsubishi range to suit a wide variety of drivers.
Popular Mitsubishi models include:
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Japan’s Nissan Motor Company was founded in 1933 and today forms part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. As a result, the French carmaker holds a 43.4% voting stake in Nissan.
Nissan’s vehicle range is comprehensive, including small and mid-sized passenger cars, SUVs of all shapes and sizes, high-performance coupes and roadsters, and light commercial vehicles. It even sells the fully electric Leaf hatch, a car designed with the environment in mind.
Popular Nissan models include:
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German marque Porsche has long been synonymous with high-performance sports cars, but in recent years has also developed a strong following for its luxury SUVs. Founded in Stuttgart in 1931, Porsche is now owned by the Volkswagen Group. If you’re looking for a high-end, high-performance coupe, convertible, sedan or SUV, a Porsche model may very well be near the top of your shopping list.
Popular Porsche models include:
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A subsidiary of the Italian-American car brand Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ram was established in 2010 and features a lineup of fullsize pickup trucks, cars ans vans.
Popular Ram models include:
Owned by BMW, this British automaker offers some of the most luxurious cars in the world. With around 90% of each car made by hand, this brand is the epitome of opulence and elegance.
Popular Rolls Royce models include:
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This German automaker is partly owned by Mercedes Benz and Geely. Its cars are known for their fuel efficiency, unique design and compact build.
Popular Smart models include:
Founded in Japan in 1953, Subaru is named after the Pleiades star cluster. Innovation and technology are hallmarks of the Subaru range, with the carmaker famous for its use of boxer engines and symmetrical all-wheel drive. Though its sporty and super-fast WRX has turned a few heads in its time, Subaru’s range of sedans and wagons have also proved to be big hits with casual buyers.
Popular Subaru models include:
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Based in Palo Alto, California and founded in 2003, this relatively new American automaker specializes in electric cars. In fact, as of September 2019, it’s one of the best-selling plug-in passenger car manufacturers in the world.
Popular Tesla models include:
Founded in Japan in 1937, Toyota has a truly global footprint and is the world’s largest car manufacturer. Famous for build quality and reliability, Toyota’s model range includes everything from hatchbacks and sedans to SUVs and hybrid electric vehicles.
Popular Toyota models include:
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This famous German marque was founded in 1937 as the maker of “The People’s Car,” and today it’s grown to become the world’s second largest car manufacturer. Known for its innovative and exciting engines combined with groundbreaking design, Volkswagen is also known for its affordable prices.
Popular Volkswagen models include:
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For what this Swedish carmaker may lack in pizzazz, it certainly makes up for with impressive build quality, enviable durability and innovative safety features. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Gothenburg, Volvo was sold to Ford in 1999 and then bought by China’s Geely Holding Group in 2010. The luxury carmaker has consistently secured a reputation for its reliability and longevity.
Popular Volvo models include:
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Whether you want to buy a fancy sports car to speed off into the night or an SUV big enough to load up for a road trip, you’ll still need to figure out a way to pay for it. If you want to know what the top-selling brands are in the US, you can read our most up-to-date list. Read our guide to car loans to learn how they work and compare different options.
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