SANTA MONICA, Calif., and LOS ANGELES -

Just in time for the Fourth of July, TrueCar.com has released its list of vehicles most likely to be purchased as our nation celebrates its birthday.

According to the site, it seems Americans feel more patriotic around Independence Day, as the data shows last year’s most-sold cars during the period of June 27 to July 10 were either American brands or cars assembled in the U.S.

“Last year around the Fourth of July, the American new-car buyer chose to purchase vehicles that were built in the USA or had an American nameplate,” said Kristen Andersson, senior analyst at TrueCar. “Made in the USA is a strong statement that resonates with consumers, as evidenced by the vehicles most purchased around the Fourth of July holiday.

“Due to the massive product improvements over the last few years by the domestic automakers, it is no longer a coincidence that American buyers would gravitate toward these vehicles,” she said. “Some of this could be a result of the lack of inventory from the Japanese earthquake, but the data shows that American car buyers are open to buying a car made in the USA.”

Nine of the top ten cars that made the TrueCar.com list are currently assembled in the U.S.; and the tenth, the Chevrolet Equinox, is expected to be assembled in Spring Hill, Tenn., during the second half of 2012.

According to TrueCar.com, the top ten cars purchased during the Fourth of July period in 2011 were:

1. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2WD Extended Cab
2. Chevrolet Cruze 4-door Sedan LTZ
3. Nissan Altima 4-door Sedan I4 CVT 2.5
4. Ram 1500 2WD Regular Cab 120.5” ST
5. Chevrolet Equinox FWD 4-door LTZ
6. Ford F-150 2WD SuperCab 145” XLT
7. Chevrolet Malibu 4-door Sedan LS w/1LS
8. Toyota Camry 4-door Sedan I4 Auto SE
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee RWD 4-door Laredo Altitude
10. Ford Escape FWD 4-door XLT

10 Best American Cars

And in keeping with the Independence Day theme, Total Car Score has released its rankings of the 10 Best American Cars for 2012.

Earning the top spot is the 2012 Cadillac CTS luxury sedan. Overall, the rankings reflect the strength and quality of the domestic auto industry, Total Car Score noted, and represent nearly every car category.

“The Detroit Big 3 have quickly rebounded to produce some of the highest rated cars on the market, and America clearly hasn’t lost its grip on the large SUV or high-performance sedan segments,” said Karl Brauer, editor in chief and chief executive officer of Total Car Score. “All three manufacturers made the Top 10 list with at least one ‘tuner’ version of their mainstream sedans, confirming Detroit muscle is alive and well.

“Kudos to Cadillac for earning the top spot with its CTS luxury sedan, the top scoring domestic model on the market,” Brauer added. “General Motors also captured six of the top 10 spots with hits from Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and a total of three Cadillac models. Ford’s Taurus SHO and Flex represent the Blue Oval’s best, while two versions of Chrysler’s venerable 300 sedan confirm its continued appeal.”

The “Total Car Score” is one comprehensive number assigned to a vehicle that represents an overall industry assessment from major automotive authorities, the company said. All vehicles are model year 2012 with at least five source ratings that comprise the Total Car Score.

“It’s worth noting that while no compact domestic models made the list, Ford’s 2012 Focus was less than half a point behind the 300 SRT-8,” Brauer said. “With a growing emphasis on small cars and high fuel efficiency, it’s likely we’ll see a domestic economy car in next year’s Top 10 Best American Cars list.”

The full list of Total Car Score’s 10 Best American Cars is as follows:

1. Cadillac CTS, with a Total Car Score of 86.49
2. Buick LaCrosse, 85.01
3. Chevrolet Traverse, 84.87
4. Ford Flex, 84.44
5. GMC Acadia, 84.18
6. Cadillac CTS-V, 83.65
7. Chrysler 300, 83.29
8. Ford Taurus SHO, 83.22
9. Cadillac SRX, 83.01
10. Chrysler 300 SRT-8, 82.59