The 9 best American cars to buy in 2025

Ford Ranger Raptor

What would be more American than a pick-up truck with 'FORD' emblazoned across the front in bold capital letters? But we're not talking the F-150. For European tastes the Ranger is a lot more palitable, these things being relative, and in Raptor form it makes its boldest statement.

This is more than your avarage builder's workhorse, which is apparent as soon as you set eyes on it. Big wheels and tyres and a towering ride height make it capable of all-terrain driving, while the introduction of a petrol V6 (where before there was only a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel) adds to the aural drama. Yee-haw.

Ford Focus ST Edition

OK, the Focus is very much a European-centric Ford, but it's worth shouting about at every opportunity. What we're looking at here is the last of its ilk: a petrol-powered hot hatch with a manual gearbox. It's a recipe that's on borrowed time: in 2025, the Focus will be axed. When it dies, a linage of hot hatches that stretches back to the Escort XR3i comes to an end.

But at least it's going out on a high. Thanks to two-way coil-over dampers courtesy of KW Automotive, the Focus ST Edition lives up the high hot hatch standards Ford has set in recent generations. Get one while you can.

Jeep Avenger

The Jeep Avenger is another vehicle that is very much Europe-centric. Built on Stellantis-based underpinnings but with that rugged Jeep style, the Avenger is a trendy, appealing small EV crossover that should prove more interesting to many than fairly generic choices from Hyundai, Kia and Volvo. It's well-equipped, surprisingly well made and a nice little car in which to spend time.

Ford Bronco Raptor

It's been a few years now,  but nothing is quite as cool (or as American) as the reborn Bronco, which combines all the Raptor’s off-road attitude with a dose of retro style and a teasing ‘what if’ for what Land Rover might have done with the Defender had Waitrose car park acceptability not featured so high in its priorities. With the usability for the Monday to Friday commute but the off-road cred and ability to shed doors and roof for weekend fun, the Bronco Raptor, and indeed the normal Bronco are America done right. But, sadly, not headed for these shores in an official capacity.

Hennessey Performance Venom F5

As the famous, state-wide anti-littering campaign once had it: “Don’t mess with Texas,” a philosophy adapted into the world of tuning by local speed merchants Hennessey. In a land where excess of all kinds is celebrated, Hennessey has long pushed the boundaries of horsepower by levering supercharged V8s of increasing awesomeness into a variety of machinery.

Indeed, the original Venom was based on the Lotus Elise, albeit with around ten times the horsepower. The Venom F5 packs a 1,817PS (1,336kW), 6.6-litre V8 and is aiming to blow Bugatti out of the water with a top speed the far side of 300mph. The differences in mindset between Texan hot-rodders and European hypercar royalty couldn’t be more stark but the need for speed is just as strong.

Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Fear not though, the Mustang Dark Horse should have attitude enough to make you forget all about the plug-in horse. A hopped-up 480PS (353kW) V8, a six-speed manual, a torque-sensing limited-slip diff, a braced chassis and suspension and sticky rubber makes for what is by far the most hardcore naturally-aspirated Mustang since the GT350R. The difference? The Dark Horse can be yours, with the car on sale in the UK. 

Tesla Model 3 'highland'

Love 'em or lump 'em, Tesla is a huge distruptor and innovator in motoring and if you pick the right one, they're really quite good cars. Strangely for a company that prides itself on doing weird stuff, it's the most 'normal' ones that are the best. Take its three-box Model 3 saloon. Competent to drive, efficient, well-supported with over the air updates and laden with cool features, they're a perfectly viable small exec for many. 

Jeep Wrangler

While British off-roaders battle over the few remaining miles of green lane still open to 4x4s, over in America there is the space to really enjoy such things, there being state-run ‘Vehicular Recreation Areas’ where off-roaders on two wheels and four can let rip without fear of any finger-wagging ramblers.

Little wonder American carmakers are ready to cater to this demand, the new Jeep Wrangler still trading on its wartime roots and tough image but recently brought up to date with the latest 392 Rubicon. While you can buy the Wrangler here, you’ll have to cope with half the cylinder count and the choice of a 272PS (200kW) petrol or rattly old diesel, while the Americans get to enjoy a 470PS (346kW), 6.4-litre V8 and the terrain to properly exploit it.

Corvette Z06

'Affordable' and 'heavily inspired by the Ferrari 458 Italia' shouldn't be compatible statements, but that's what the new Z06 is, relatively speaking of course. For the price of a 911 GT3 you can have a 670PS (492kW) 5.5-litre, twin-cam, flat-plain-cranked supercar that screams like the old guard and gives a GT3 a run for its money, both in performance and thrills.

This is the definition of an American car sticking it to the European stalwarts. And praise be, it's available in right-hand drive! Just make sure you swap out the Euro-spec exhaust for the shoutier, less restrictive and prettier American item.