Here at CarBuzz, we really, really love cars. Big cars, small cars, fast cars, slow cars, weird cars; if it has four wheels (or doesn't), and you can pilot it, we're fans. We spend a lot of time here praising different vehicles, while also giving our fair share of critiques. It's kind of our thing. However, we've rarely shown love to the states that have produced some of our absolute favorites, so welcome to a new series we're hoping to start, where we go state by state, taking a look at the greatest cars ever produced in each one.Obviously, there is a lot to explore, but rather than pick an obvious state like Michigan or California to start, we've decided instead to focus on a lesser-appreciated – if not equally important – car-producing state of Ohio. The 17th state to join the union, Ohio, is the 34th largest state by land area, flanked on four sides by Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan, and it's been producing cars since just about the dawn of the automobile. Over that time, it's produced vehicles in every segment, from beloved family haulers to cutting-edge supercars, and we've chosen our 10 favorites below. You've done good, Ohio. You've done good.In this article, we explore the 10 greatest cars ever produced in each state; some of these are nameplates, while others are singular models. Not all of them have been produced solely in these states for their entire lives, either, but longevity, impact, and production significance have swayed whether we've given a vehicle to one state or the other. They've been placed in order according to when they were first produced in Ohio. Jeep CJ (1947 – Toledo Assembly) 1980 Jeep CJ-5 front, three-quarter Established Toledo as Jeep’s permanent manufacturing home Kick-started the American off-road and 4x4 recreation movement Laid the foundation for every civilian Jeep that followed The Jeep CJ is an American icon, and it would have been nothing without the good people of Toledo, Ohio. In the early 1900s, Wills-Overland built its first factory there, which would eventually turn into the Toledo South Assembly Plant, cementing the city as the home of Jeep forevermore. As most of us know, the company didn't come into fame until WWII, when the Willys MB Jeep became one of the vehicles that helped the West win the war. In 1944, the CJ (Civilian Jeep) was conceived as Willys looked toward peace-time production, and it was an immediate hit.It was the world's first mass-produced 4x4 vehicle, and it quickly became a hit with farmers, explorers, contractors, and just about anyone else who wanted a vehicle that would go anywhere and do just about everything. Over 1.5 million were produced over 6 main generations, with each one becoming a little more civilized than the last. By the time it was discontinued in 1986, it had cemented its place in history as one of the greatest vehicles ever made, and perhaps one of the greatest machines America has ever produced. All thanks to you, Toledo. Chevrolet Camaro & Pontiac Firebird – First Generation (1966 – Norwood & Lordstown) 1968 Pontiac Firebird Convertible Top Down Black Front Angled View Brought GM into the pony-car fight with Ohio-built firepower Some of the most collectible early models were assembled here Ohio became a base of GM performance heritage When the pony-car war flared up in the mid-1960s, GM was late to the game and had to come up with something fast. The result was the two F-Body performance cars, the Camaro and Firebird, and they couldn't have been more perfect belligerents. The Camaro arrived first, and it was unveiled to the press in a crazy secret display with the Ford Mustang dead in its sights. The Firebird was a bit of an afterthought, with designers only given a few months to modify the Camaro to the Pontiac brand.However, when both hit the scene, they had their own separate identities, engines, and characters that turned them into instant successes. Both were predominantly produced in Ohio, the Camaro at Norwood Assembly outside Cincinnati and the Firebird at Lordstown Assembly outside of Youngstown, although they were also produced in California. However, we're giving them to Ohio, because this state laid the foundation for these legends that are still beloved today, despite GM killing both of them. Ford E-Series (1974 – Lorain & Avon Lake) 1962 Ford Econoline Van 3-Speed front 3/4 The most important commercial van in US history A workhorse built in Ohio for nearly all of its production run The current generation has been on sale since 1992 Where research meets the right dealBrowse This ModelIt's impossible to talk about America over the last half-century without talking about the Ford E Series, or Econoline. First introduced for the 1961 model year, it was meant to be little more than a durable workhorse, with myriad body and powertrain options that evolved over the four generations. However, the design always remained relatively simple, something that contractors, small business owners, construction workers, and everyone else adored the vehicle for because it has remained stout, durable, and supremely reliable.It's simply always been a great van, and at a certain point, Ford realized it didn't want to mess with a good formula, so it built the fourth-generation in 1992 and kept it on sale essentially unchanged ever since. Originally produced at the Lorain Assembly in Lorain, Ohio, from its inception until the plant closed in 2005, it's been made at the Ohio Assembly in Avon Lake, Ohio, ever since. America wouldn't be what it is today without this van, so it's easy to say Ohio currently produces one of the most important vehicles of all time. Honda Accord (1982 – Marysville Auto Plant) 1987 Honda Accord Liftback side low First Japanese car ever manufactured in the States The bestselling Japanese nameplate in the US for nearly two decades The second generation was the first to be made in the US. The Honda Accord was an important model for the company, as it had to follow the massively successful Honda Civic, which showed the world this small, upstart Japanese automaker could go toe-to-toe with the best automakers in the world. Another hit, but the company wanted more, and this meant it needed a manufacturing base in the US. Marysville, Ohio, was picked for the location, and it opened just in time for the introduction of the second-generation Accord to roll off the assembly line and become the first Japanese car ever produced in the US.This allowed the company to eliminate shipping costs and further tailor the model to American preferences while continuing to keep the car's exceptional build quality. Of course, the car basically sold itself, as there have been very few others that can compete with its combination of comfort, reliability, affordability, and style. Today, it continues to be made at the Marysville Auto Plant, creeping closer and closer to the 50-year mark, and really calling into question what constitutes "buying American" in 2025. Jeep Cherokee XJ (1983 – Toledo Assembly) 2000 Jeep Cherokee Mk2 XJ Black Front Angled View One of the pioneers of the unibody SUV Almost every XJ ever made came from Toledo A massively influential design that helped shape modern crossovers Ask just about anyone for a list of the greatest SUVs of all time, and we bet you'll hear the Jeep Cherokee XJ. Introduced in 1983, the model basically invented the crossover, introduced with a unibody design that helped lower the weight and improve on-road manners. However, it still kept its solid axles front and rear, could be paired with one of the greatest inline-six engines of all time, and had a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.Then there was the design, one of the best we've ever seen on an SUV, becoming the blueprint by which every off-road-focused SUV has aspired to since. Despite being sold under three different companies, it proved to be a beloved model throughout its life. The Toledo Assembly plant was its home throughout its entire run, and we couldn't think of a more fitting place for this rugged model to be made. We only hope the upcoming Cherokee can fill its big shoes. Jeep Wrangler (1986 – Toledo Assembly) 2020 Jeep Wrangler front 3/4 Every Wrangler generation has been built in Toledo Improved on the CJ in nearly every way An off-road icon that's become a symbol of freedom What can we say, Ohio is the land of the Jeeps. When the CJ kicked the bucket, the Wrangler was there to take its place, slotting right in without any time off. The first generation kicked off in 1986, and it sported the same body-on-frame design with solid axles and a drop-top roof with removable doors. There was nothing else like it on the road then, and barely anything else like it on the road today, as it symbolizes freedom in a way that just isn't seen in our increasingly safe landscape.Toledo is where it's always called home, with millions rolling off the assembly lines, especially once the monumental Wrangler Unlimited was introduced during the JK generation. The current JL is the best it's ever been, with modern tech, styling, and performance that would make the Jeeps of the Wrangler's past proud. Nearly 40 years old, here's to another 40 years more. Chevrolet Cobalt SS (2005 – Lordstown Assembly) 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Coupe Supercharged Red Front Angled View static A shockingly capable and affordable performance compact Supercharged, turbocharged, and NA versions An underrated GM product before the floor fell out on the company Now, we don't think anyone out there would say the regular Chevy Cobalt deserves to be on this list, as it was middling at best. However, there was one version of it that deserves serious praise, and that's the Chevy Cobalt SS. Now, there are three different versions of the SS: a supercharged, turbocharged, and naturally aspirated version. The NA version is whatever; we don't really need to talk about that, but the other versions were worlds better, especially the turbo.This FWD car used a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, putting out 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque to a 5-speed manual transmission. With upgraded suspension, brakes, tires, and even launch control, the car proved to be one of the most affordable and exciting performance cars of its time, even lapping the famed Nürburgring faster than the M3 (well, one of them, at least). Produced in Lordstown, it may just be the coolest car to ever roll out of the factory. Honda CR-V (2007 – East Liberty Auto Plant) 2007 - 2009 Honda CR-V front 3/4 One of the bestselling SUVs in America Produced in the US since its third generation Reliable and affordable The CR-V has been a plain old great crossover since its introduction in 1997. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, just a plain old solid crossover with great reliability at a low price. It was originally produced in Japan but Honda always wanted to increase its American manufacturing footprint, which is why the third generation finally made its way over in 2006.It grew in size and gained a more aerodynamic shape; however, it did lose some of its quirkiness in the process. It's been produced here ever since, and has only improved throughout that time, but it's never lost sight of what made it great in the first place. Today, it's better than it's ever been, with a hybrid variant and better comfort than ever. Acura NSX – Second Generation (2015 – Honda Performance Manufacturing Center) 2019 Acura NSX front, three-quarter orange Hand-built hybrid supercar engineered in America The pinnacle of Honda technology One of America's lone supercars Perhaps the most exciting vehicle on this list is the second-generation NSX. Everyone loves the first, as it was the world's first daily-drivable supercar with that excellent 90s styling and performance. When the second was announced, the world had high hopes, especially us Americans, as the company said it would be hand-built right here in the US at the Honda Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio.It arrived with bold looks, a twin-turbo V6, and a mid-engine design, but the company surprised us by throwing in some extra electric motors to make it an AWD hybrid. It kind of stunk that there was no manual or RWD version, but the car did prove to be exciting, fast, and again, very easy to live with every day. From 2016 until 2022, it constantly flew under the radar, especially the rare NSX-S, and we can't help but think it's going to be a future classic very soon. Acura Integra Type S (2023 – Marysville Auto Plant) 2024 Acura Integra Type S front 3/4 A 320-hp, manual-only performance sedan Revival of the legendary Integra Type S Attractive, and likely not long for this world The Integra Type S is the revival of a model that many enthusiasts have only ever read about, and it's about as good as we ever could have hoped it would be. When the company revived the Integra, we knew we were in for something special, though the company was coy about whether the Type S would return. When it did, we were happy to see the company did all the right things, borrowing from the Civic Type R, giving it 320 hp, an advanced FWD design, one of the best manual transmissions in the business, and killer looks.Look, we know that the FWD part will scare away many potential buyers, as will its rather high price, but it really is better than the numbers say, delivering one of the most raw and pleasurable driving experiences you can find anywhere on sale today. Built in Marysville, Ohio, here's hoping people start buying them to keep it around as long as possible.Sources: Honda, Jeep, Ford, Chevy, Acura
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