Just a few years ago, there was doubt that there would be any US automakers left to produce cars made in America. Luckily, that crisis was averted, and the Big Three, along with many foreign manufacturers, are cranking out cars built in the USA all over the nation. Let’s take a look at a few of the best vehicles made in America on the market today.

The Mazda3 is one of the best rated compact cars in the market presently, yet it ranks well behind most major rivals in terms of actual sales. Auto critics have lavished praise on the Mazda3 ever since Mazda Motors rolled out the car in North America last October. The car is a completely redesigned version of its predecessor and has won high acclaim for its slick technology and fuel efficiency. Some have even suggested that Mazda drew its inspiration for the car from the Porsche 911.

Minnesota-based Polaris Industries has delivered on its promise to bring the historic Indian motorcycle brand back to life again. The company, better known for its range of snowmobiles and off-road vehicles, is hoping to reignite its position in the motorcycle market with three new Indian motorcycles. The company’s new Indian Chief Vintage, Indian Chief Classic and Indian Chieftain motorcycles were released in November, less than three years after Polaris promised to bring them to market.

Safety advocates and two parents who accidentally backed over their children want the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to issue a writ forcing the Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement a vehicle safety law that was passed years ago.

For years, American carmakers have vigorously wooed the 18 to 30-year old demographic with snazzy subcompacts like the Toyota Scion models, the Ford Fiesta, Kia Soul and the Chevy Sonic. Auto manufactures have promoted the vehicles using hip social media marketing techniques, youth-oriented advertising campaigns and music sponsorships. Yet, in a strange twist of irony, the biggest buyers of these cars are not youth, but people nearing retirement age.

With dreams of owning an amazing ride at a fraction of the cost, cheap fixer upper cars have been sought after with a veracity those same boys usually reserved for chasing girls. Today, thanks to the internet, this genre of vehicles are now available to people of all ranges and age abilities, whether they are looking for a rare barn-find like a 63 Corvette, or the classic muscle cars of 1970, or even sentimental choices from their youth, like a late 80s Mustang 5.0.

The flagship supercar of its high-end brand, the NSX was stylish and had the specs to back up its impressive look. Unfortunately, sagging sales and interest led to the NSX being cancelled in 2005, leaving the Japanese automakers without a supercar to compete with the exotics from Europe and America. Rumours of a new Acura NSX began nearly as soon as the old NSX was cancelled, however, with hints of the new NSX being dropped as early as 2007.

Steel has been the metal of choice for automobiles since their inception. New fuel efficiency standards are driving automobile manufacturers to seek new ways to meet federal regulations. One of the easiest ways to increase fuel efficiency is to drop weight, and that’s where aluminum comes in. Much lighter than steel but just as strong, putting aluminum in cars is a hot idea that's recently gaining widespread traction around the industry.

The last few years have not been very kind to Jeep. Whether it’s the new Jeep models having lackluster sales, or Jeeps in general being derided as some of the most unreliable cars on the market today by publications like JD Power, Jeep is desperate for a winner. Enter the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The former Cherokee, going under the Jeep Liberty name in the US, has been a consistent seller for over a decade, building a loyal fan base.

Diesel cars tend to be a bit of a dirty word. Though they have been a mainstay of the European market for decades now, the image of a diesel car in the US conjures up visions of the dirty diesel car engines of old, or the loud hum of an 18 wheeler. These negative stereotypes have long impeded the potential marketing & sales of diesel vehicles in the US, despite their economic & environmental advantages. This perception is changing & with it comes a new batch of new diesel cars.

From reducing greenhouse gas emissions to providing an affordable source of fuel, the introduction of E15 ethanol into the marketplace has generated much debate and discussion. But do the benefits of this renewable energy source outweigh the potential damages it could cause to modern cars?

The Volkswagen Group’s bold assertion that they will be the number one car brand in the world by 2018 was not a statement that was made lightly. Nor was it received as such; experts across the entire field weighed in on both the probability of such an occurrence happening, as well as the brashness of the leadership at Volkswagen. Is there any truth to such a claim? Let’s take a look at 2013 Volkswagen sales and see if Volkswagen can live up to it’s lofty claims.