Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Poll: What nationality's carmakers build the better car?

Jun 20, 2007 8:25AM PDT

For the average consumer, what nationality's carmakers build the better car?

American (Why?)
British (Why?)
Chinese (Why?)
French (Why?)
German (Why?)
Italian (Why?)
Japanese (Why?)
Korean (Why?)
Swedish (Why?)
Other (What is it?)

Please remember to be considerate of other members when posting your opinions and replies. Thanks!

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Japan or Germany "WHO KNOWS WHERE A CAR IS MADE"
Jun 20, 2007 5:17PM PDT

Here in the U.K. we have Toyata factories,Nissan factories,BMW (mini) factories etc.
I personally own an Honda Jazz ( japanese ) and a Smart 4-2 ( German ).
Ive had no problems with either car, but i think the main consideration to be made is that neither of my cars are mass produced.I have owned vauxhalls ( opel ) and fords which are both nice cars,but there seems to be lack of quality control.
We just need to look at the best cars in the world, and they are nearly all hand made.
So i dont think its a case of where a car is made, but how it is made.

- Collapse -
Japan
Jun 20, 2007 5:42PM PDT

Toyota
Nissan
Mitsubishi
Honda
Cheap and very nice cars ^^

- Collapse -
WE make the best; So buy a Toyota, Honda, Japanese, Korean
Jun 20, 2007 6:12PM PDT

"American" cars are often built elsewhere, but Asian cars are built here (quite often), because of the domestic American political realities. Ref.: Consumer Reports; Wall Street Journal "today", 6/20/07 concerning Toyota.

- Collapse -
Here's a clue as to car merit & desirablity....
Jun 20, 2007 6:26PM PDT

Of all the new car purchases, the brand of car that the new owner would buy it again if he/she were given that chance by a large margin (97% approximately vs 91%, over some fancy sporty model/brand & other cars being way lower).... The TOYOTA PRIUS. I believe that's in the Consumer Report. And yes, it runs on gas or electric or both, the engine turns off at stops, it's a full hybrid & not just some pseudo/semi or partial hybrid, gets 59 in the city according to EPA, is a mid-size car, RETAINS ITS VALUE VERY WELL, slices through the wind like there is NO WIND, AND IT HAS PLENTY OF POWER & PEP FOR PASSING, MERGING INTO TRFFIC, ETC. Oh yea, chicks dig them (& so do guys).

- Collapse -
Japanese
Jun 20, 2007 5:50PM PDT

I live near a steep grade of the freeway. Most of the cars that
didn't make it up the hill were GM. I see it all the time.

I don't know about you, but the main thing I want in a car is
reliability. Toyota gives you reliability, performance and
comfort. My 1997 6 cyl. Camry (199,000m) still scoots like
a police cruiser and has only been in the shop for brakes.
My 1990 Corolla made it to 250,000 before I stressed it too
much one night.

I'd buy an American vehicle if they could match the quality.
I'm a patriotic veteran, after all. I just hate being stranded
in the middle of nowhere or in the middle of gangland, bottom line.

- Collapse -
American Cars are starting to get it!!!!!
Jun 20, 2007 7:06PM PDT

I have a 2005 GMC Envoy...Gas guzzler but, easily the most comfortable vehicle I have ever driven...It has every bell & whistle a car could have (for all us gadget geeks)I needed a big vehicle bc I am always hauling tons of stuff from here to there not to mention the fact that I have a wife, a 14 month old (rear dvd invaluable), and I am a big guy

- Collapse -
what nationality makes the better car
Jun 20, 2007 9:24PM PDT

Toyota - reliability, mechanically, gas use, servicing - I used to buy fords but they can't even come close to toyotas.

- Collapse -
German
Jun 20, 2007 9:47PM PDT

I think the best cars are german, because you can see it in every way. I mean, the first car I'd look at is the Bugatti Veyron. Bugatti is owned by Volkswagen AG. The Veyron is the fastest, most powerful car in existance today, and for a couple more decades, if not forever. And although it is that powerfull, it still has the AC, radio, and all of the luxuries. Next you'd like to look at the Mercedes Benz. Their cars are definitely the most luxurious, challenged by none other. The S-Class, is practically capable of driving on its own, and can make your phone calls, etc. It really has probably all of today's technologies incorporated, and they're extremely economical and environmental friendly. Many other german manufacturers are also renowned for the quality - BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, etc. The Smart, one of the smallest cars is a german car and very safe. It was driven into a concrete wall at 70mph, and the doors could still be opened and closed!

Of, course, I still think that there are many other great manufacturers out there. Mazda from Japan is great, and I also like British cars, such as the McLaren, Volvo, Jaguar. Others like Land Rover, Vauxhall(which has been developing the hydrogen car), the Bentley, MINI and the famous ROlls-Royce are all british. Italian cars are great too. There is, of course, the Ferrari, and Lamborghini(although it, too is owned by Volkswagen AG), and the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and the Fiat.

- Collapse -
What's the definition of a good car?
Jun 20, 2007 10:18PM PDT

My addition to the discussion is about the meaning of a 'good' car. I think car's are 'emotion' for 75% and the rest are rational thoughts about fuel economy, daily costs and so on...
My advice is to buy a car that you personally like in all it's aspects, rather than buying the best 'deal' or the most reliable car according to benchmark tests. If you love a car, than you will maintain it the best you can and enjoy yourself each time you drive it!

I prefer BMW because they make car's that are designed for 'freude am fahren' and that's what it's all about in my opinion. Kind regards.

- Collapse -
American of course!
Jun 20, 2007 10:44PM PDT

American of course !
Why would I condemn my county's American car idnustry that provides decent jobs with benefits and a retirement system to hundreds of thousands of workers and their families and millions of others in their supply chain firms of suppliers for parts?

The American car firms still have engineering talent and no amount of ignorant comments by gullible people negates that.
These types of discussion board are 70% ignorance maquerading as fact most of the time.
So many of these comments are not true. (Focus is not a Mazda)
(The later years Escort was a Mazda: do your research) ! !


People are so damn gullible by any old myth or salesman who bad mouths another brand to make a gullible person buy something. People should do real research before buying something; talking to a salesman IS NOT research. Listening to some guy in a club is NOT research.

- Collapse -
Not quite
Jun 21, 2007 6:48AM PDT

Last time I checked, all the foriegn companies that make cars in the US provide decent jobs with benefits and a retirement system for hundreds of thousands of workers and their famillies and millions of others in their supply chain. The last two ads I saw on TV talking about where cars are built were Suburu and Hyundai, and both plants were in the US, and one even had a zero landfill rating. Then if I look to news about US car companies, I hear about plants getting shut down and jobs being cut while these "foreign" companies are opening up shop in the US. A vast majority of the parts on my civic came from the US, and it was assebled here. Most of the Japanese companies have US corporate offices, and brands like Lexus are "American".

Maybe if the domestics acually listened to the consumer and cared about making a quality product, then they wouldn't be in that place. When it comes down to it, we know FORD cares more about money than making good cars (Firestone tires blowing out, exploding gas tanks, cars catching on fire, flames shooting out of the tailpipes on the brand new diesel trucks). If they realized that if they care about quality, then the money will come rolling in.

- Collapse -
not ture ; just TV hype and lies paid for by ads agencies
Jun 22, 2007 11:05PM PDT

Oh not ture !
You too have been brainwashed by the Toyoto and Nissan ads on TV saying they are doing good for the Americans by building their plants where there are no jobs.
Yeah sure, what baloney.
They build them there so they can hire anyone desperate for a job who wont think long term and then Toyota fires them if they ge tinjure don the job
Retirement? no such thing
Retiree health benefits? no such thing
job protection? no such thing

Basically, Japanese firms are exploiting American rural labor to build their fortunes in almost 90% automated factories and discarding the workers who suffers any work related injuries. The workers are starting to realize and are starting to organize.
and then think Same for German MB building plant in rural Alabama

- Collapse -
A Number of Factors
Jun 20, 2007 11:02PM PDT

Japanese rank highest because:
1. They have the best hand-eye coordination skills of any ethnic group on the planet. In other words, they are better using their hands to assemble a product.

2. They have a sense of pride in what they do. Each piece they produce represents both the individual and the company. By extension their country as well.

3. They have no ridiculous regulations like Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, unions or the lack thereof etc. They keep their mind on getting the job done.

4. Everyone who works for a company is treated the same--whether janitor or top administration. This creates a "team" atmosphere and a sense of worth which transfers from the individual to the product.

They still leave US made cars in the dust.

- Collapse -
What are you asking really?
Jun 20, 2007 11:04PM PDT

Are you asking which car gives you the best value for money? because that would be french.
or are you asking which car features the most fun and innovation because that would be japanese....
or are you asking which car manufacturing country is builds the best because thats the germans, or is it the most regal because thats the british,
or is it the most comfortable because thats the americans,
the italians build the worst but design the best
the swedish build the safest
the koreans and chinese hmmmmm well they are learning fast.

at the end of the day you pays the money n makes your choice. personally i spent 50 on ebay and got a french 60mpg car that just keeps on going and 1000 on a *** beast that doesn't know what a breakdown is. happy motoring all

...and remember your stopping distances "only a fool breaks the 2 second rule"

- Collapse -
heres mixing cars and controversy
Jun 24, 2007 3:04AM PDT

At the end of my post I typed something that appears now as ***, i am sure i typed "***" is there something offensive about abbrieviating japanese. I am English but i get called Brit or limey and various other names. The only offensive abbreviation i can think of is for pakistani's and I understand why with them. Honestly the constituants of the british isles have been shortening names and taking the mick out of each other for years and the rest of the world should lighten up, there's nothing derogatory or offensive to be found.
Having read more on the posts here it would be nice to see if india can give us a quality product. whilst bettering the life of the people who build them. We don't want them cheap at the expense of human rights.
It's quite funny reading some of the posts as most seem to be written by consumers, and/or patriots. if i am the only mechanical technician here then only my point of view is valid lol.
So here's the last thing i have to say on it all... Best car at the moment...lexus. best car of all time Rolls Royce. Best 4x4 probably toyota, best 4x4 of all time land rover. For those patriotic die hard americans, stop polluting the earth with gas guzzlers build better quality bodies so they resist the great british weather, then sort out the useless soft suspension. You do have the money and the ambition to be the best but you have so much pride and love for money you forget to do the little things like stop poverty in the states and rebuild new orleans. We brits would love americans more if only a few more of your leaders practiced what they preach. Chrysler and jeep are growing in popularity here so anythings possible if you try.
Have a nice day.

- Collapse -
No Australian cars?!
Jun 20, 2007 11:15PM PDT

Where is the aussie car option, we aussies export heaps of cars. I would have thought that we make more cars than say... the swedish.

Australian cars are built to very high quality standards. We win, even if the poll doesn't say so Silly

- Collapse -
Simple, anything BUT american.
Jun 20, 2007 11:19PM PDT

The best quality cars are made in Germany. Best quality for the price in Japan. The worst cars in almost all areas are American. With the possible exception of Russian cars, but who the hell buys Ladas?

Here's my ranking of the major countries (based on quality and nothing else).

9. Russian
(Lada just isn't even a car, they are very cheap boxes of crap though).

8. American
(they fall apart after a few years, can't turn when in speed because of ****** suspension, most of them look either moderate or bad, they all have low quality plastic in them, and it's put together badly. The biggest problem with American cars is really that they thing that bigger means more luxurious, and it just doesn't. Also, most of them are insanly bad for the environment).

7. Korean
(I don't really know that much about Korean cars, so i'll just stick them here because i don't like the interior quality of Kias).

6.French
(The french cars aren't very good in quality, but they are cheap, and the quality is acceptable, some of them even look good, so they get 6th).

5. Italian
(Now this is not about style, where they would be much better, but especially Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lamborghini have a history of bad quality, but much of that have bin bought by German carmakers, which means what? total quality everywhere).

4. Brittish
(All you need to do is look at the interior quality of the Aston Martins and you know what i mean. Sweeet).

3. Swedish (volvo)
(You just can't break some of these old Volvos, they just keep driving, so that has a certain quality to it).

2. Japanese
(Japanese cars are dependable and affordable, a perfect combination, and that's also why Toyota is now the number one car company).

1. German
(German cars are ultimate quality, and at the same time most of them have luxurios interiors. If you buy a german car you just know that it wont break down on you, it'll last forever. The german car is basically a volvo that also looks and feals good).

- Collapse -
Japanese
Jun 20, 2007 11:27PM PDT

By far, Japan cars take the prize with honda, toyota, nissan and mazda. With quality of veichles, good prices and far better fuel economy then the rest makes these cars obviously the choice buy for consumers. The only veichle that comes to mind that can compete fuel economy wise with a car like a civic is a volkwagon jetta TDI.. which get unreal mileage however.. huge price difference. As for german made cars they are the best.. period. What kind of car can compete with a line up like BMW, Lamborghini, Audi, Porsche and Volkswagon for power, speed, quality, comfort and incredible design? Only 2 draw backs are they are ridiculously expensive; and besides volkswagon, their fuel economy is pretty much out the window with the use of v8, v10 and v12 engines. Top of the line cars tho!(Y) XD

- Collapse -
Reminder
Jun 20, 2007 11:41PM PDT

oh by the way.. for all those who read this.. lamborghini is german now. They were bought out by Volkswagon AG. The same company that owns Volkswagon and Audi. Thats why the new 2007 Audi S8 sports the v10 engine from the lambo gallardo boared out to 5.2l from the 5.0l engine. This happens to be my personally favorite car out there. I want one so bad. Price tag keeps me waiting.

- Collapse -
What nationality's car makers build better cars?
Jun 20, 2007 11:43PM PDT

It speaks volumns to me for Honda that I have owned my Civic EX for 14 years and have around 112,000 plus on it. It was made in Canado though. I have never owned any other car more than 5 years. The only work that has been done on this car is really just maintenance. It's probably cost me the least of any car I have ever owned. It's still tight all the way around and doesn't sound rickety like American made cars I have owned in the past. I have looked at other new cars and I still want my Civic. I just don't believe there is a more reliable, economical and good looking car on the road. There is only one thing I would change and that would be to make the front seats more comfortable, especially the driver's seat.

- Collapse -
best car builders
Jun 20, 2007 11:43PM PDT

If you want to know who builds the best cars just look in a Consumer Reports magazine the Japanese they have been the best for the last twenty years.

- Collapse -
Honda and Toyota
Jun 20, 2007 11:44PM PDT

According to a bar graphic on consumer reports, Honda and Toyota are the most relyable car makers. VolksWagon was last; with over 80% of thier new cars needing major repairs within the first five years. I know a guy that just bought a VW (2006). He has taken to the shop for repairs 3 times already. Just proof that the report on consumer reports is not wrong.

While we are talking about quality and relyability, Ford is said to now be making vehicles that are as high quality as Honda and Toyota. But that report just came out so I own a Honda Civic.

- Collapse -
How about what's best for the economy?
Jun 21, 2007 12:02AM PDT

I'm sorry, when did it all get lost on people that just because a few import cars are made in America, that the money stays in America.
Profits from the cars go to the country of where the company has it's corporate offices. You cannot tell me that if even just 25% of the people buying imports, that our economy would not be better. I have owned nothing but American cars, Fords to be exact, and have never, I repeat never, had a problem that happened before it's time, e.g. rebuild the transmission after 125,000 miles.

- Collapse -
Not quite the whole picture
Jun 21, 2007 6:56AM PDT

So all the money made by the US division of all these foreign car companies doesn't stay here? If that was true, the US division wouldn't be able to exist because they would have no money to do anything and to build new plants. Not to mention that all the jobs these companies provide as they continue to open up plants as domestic companies shut down plants or lay off workers has a huge impact on the economy. The Lexus branch of Toyota is even considered an American company.

These new US plants bring in more domestic suppliers, which are most likely US companies at the same time that companies like Delphi have no money and are laying off workers.

- Collapse -
why bother about the profits ,be concerned over the cost
Jun 23, 2007 3:54PM PDT

what cost you say? The cost in American jobs, namely those done by the hundreds of subcontractors that truely make American goods, AMERICAN. If you go to a car store and look at the content portion of the sticker, you might be surprised to learn that on several Ford products the domestic content indicates that a good portion of the car was made or sourced somewhere else. As one example, the current Mustang has just 65% local content. Put another way, Ford chose to make the other 35% from non-American parts and/or labor to construct the vehicle. That's about $7,000.00 of the average $20,000.00 retail cost of the car that went to jobs outside the U.S. That other money is much greater than the profit Ford makes per Mustang. In a worse example, the Fusion, and its siblings, the Mercury Milan and the Lincoln MKZ, are only 30% American content, with the 70% percent of the vehicle's parts and labor sourced in MEXICO! Imagine the number of American jobs that cost. On the other hand, a look at the Toyota Camry shows a %78 percent American content listed on its sticker, In fact, Toyota employs 368 AMERICAN subcontractors to their products here, that translates into thousands of employed people empowering them to afford to send their children to college, pay their mortgages on time, afford a second vehicle,in short, keep our economy strong by supporting local businesses with their take home pay, thanks to Toyota.Imagine how many more millions of paycheck dollars would fuel our economy if Ford sourced all its subcontractor parts and labor here instead of beyond our borders? Of course there will always be those who say: "but what about the profits?" I say why should you care about 2 to 6 percent of the purchase price leaving the country? You should be glad that 94 to 98 per cent stays here fueling our country's financial infrastructure. By the way, according to federal manufacturing guidlines, in order to classified as an American product, the finished goods should be of 75% local content, meaning that brand new Mustang,Fusion, Mercury Milan, or Lincoln MKZ you just bought or maybe own, is a FOREIGN car!

- Collapse -
Look, thats all nice and good
Jul 22, 2007 6:07PM PDT

I really agree, but the answers here are a bit more complex.

You want the jobs to come back to the USA? You want part manufactures to come back the USA? You want things to be American made?

Great! But here's the issue, no one is going to buy a more expensive 'whatever' if there is the exact same thing cheaper, made by another country. No one is going to buy a broom made in the USA for $20, when they can get the exact same thing from Mexico for $10. The same is true for any product, including cars. Why do you think the Chevy Aveo is make in Korea? Because people are willing to work for less, and there are less taxes.

So that has to change. And it can... but you are not going to do it. We must drastically cut taxes. But that means we have to cut government spending. Cut social security, cut medicare/medicaid, cut unemployment comp, cut everything. Why do this? Because if you cut taxes, you can pay people less money, and yet increase their take home pay. That can drastically cut labor costs, and make it cost effective to build stuff here.

That's just one thing that has to change. There are many others. Unions are going to have to take some pay cuts. Minimum wage has to be decreased, not increased. Costly regulations have to be relaxed or made affordable.

Are you going to do any of that? No. So instead we'll all just watch jobs slowly trickle to Mexico and Korea and Japan and on and on.

- Collapse -
Japanese, then American
Jun 21, 2007 12:07AM PDT

I have no doubt that Japanese carmakers consistently produce a better product, but I question putting Germany second. In my admittedly limited experience, Japanese cars I've had have been flawless, while a 1979 VW had electrical problems that should have been avoided. I also owned a '73 Chevy that soured me on all GM products, not only because of the poor quality and reliability, but the attitude from GM reps that sums up best as "you bought it, you sap!" From what I've heard and read, U.S. automakers have vastly improved the product and I think they've passed Germany, on the average. They still produce some crap, but a lot less of it.
My observations lead me to believe a major problem Detroit has is using technology too soon and having problems with it. You won't get the latest tech glitz in a Japanese car, but what you get works reliably. Unless they've changed, the German cars I've had lag technologically. My '79 VW had points while a '76 Chrysler had electronic ignition. Trucks are another matter. Truck buyers typically aren't looking for glitz but for a workhorse vehicle, and Detroit seems to do a good job of providing that, but so does Japan and others. It's simply a different market with it's own requirements. SUVs may really be trucks, but they are produced for and sold to a "car" market and likely have the same issues as the cars from the same manufacturer. Don't expect an SUV to behave like or last like a truck.
Almost every post I read choosing American cars cites older ones. I remember when Detroit sold solid transportation rather than a living room with wheels. My father's '55 Chevy largely had the same equipment as my '59 VW beetle. The only equipment differences were the Chevy had a clock while the VW had an AM radio.
Finally, it's true that everybody builds vehicles all over the world and parts come from everywhere, so the differences have to be mostly in engineering and management. If the bottom line takes precedence, it's good for stockholders, but bad for buyers.

- Collapse -
Japanese
Jun 21, 2007 12:13AM PDT

Japanese car companies are technological leaders, not run by bean counters like American automakers who put short term profits first. Why does GM's Rick Wagner make $10 million a year in salary while his company loses $10 billion while Toyota's CEO makes only $900,000 in salary and his company makes $10 billion in profits. Where is a CEO today like Lee Iaccoca who took $1 in salary to save Chrysler in the early 1980s. Today's American CEOs put their yearly bonuses first ahead of what's good for the long term future of their companies.

Back in 1994 GM got a $140 million award from the Dept. of Energy to develop a hybrid vehicle. What did the taxpayers get for their money? Did it go to the bonuses of their CEO?

In 1992 SRI did a study on the prospects of electric and hybrid vehicles and concluded that hybrids would be too costly due to the need for an electric and gasoline propulsion trains. GM bean counters in 1992 saw that and said we're not going there. The engineers who run Toyota saw that as a challenge and rolled up their sleaves to make the cars cheaper. The Prius is one of the technological achievements of the 20-21st century

Pzev

- Collapse -
best cars
Jun 21, 2007 12:23AM PDT

I drive a Honda. It's my fourth one since 1988. My experience is they are bullet proof. I am old enough to remember when Honda, and Japanese cars in general, were throw-away junk. Today, I cast a vote for Korean cars. The reason is I have tracked these auto products and I have seem them evolve much the same as Japanese products, except they have covered the same ground in less than half the time. Also, they have avoided some of the mistakes of earlier Japanese manufacturers by going to school on them. Koreans are hungrier than Japanese, so they are coming on strong. The new product offerings, and the long warranties coming with them, in just the last two years have been very impressive. I think Korea is the source to watch going forward. On another note, I saw in the WSJ yesterday that Toyota has "hit a wall" in building manufacturing facilities in the US. There has been an inverse relationship between increased volume and product quality, just like every other manufacturer down through history. Turns out Toyota has not found that holy grail yet either.

- Collapse -
Chinese!? Haha!
Jun 21, 2007 12:30AM PDT

It seems the only thing that's coming out of China is spam and low quality products.

Anyway, I have had a Honda Civic now for five years. I have had no problems with it. So, I say Japanese cars.