Japanese brands dominate list of top cars in U.S.

Waterbury Republican-American ^ | March 2, 2006 | Dee-Ann Durbin (A.P.)

[RayChuang88]

I'm not surprised that the Honda Civic took best honors for small car given the fact that the new 2006 model got a Gold Star crash rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Thanks to Honda's ultra-modern crash research facility in Japan, today's Honda cars are safe enough that if you drive a Civic and get broadsided by a full-sized SUV like a Ford Explorer or Cadillac Escalade chances are good you will survive the accident.

[KarlInOhio]

They are a bunch of asain car fanatics, and these findings are worthless.

I'm sure that the bosses at GM and Ford have similarly dismissed Consumer Reports and are happily producing cars as before.

I think the Big 2 will have to improve quality and then, like the Korean manufacturers breaking into the market, give impressive warranties. Maybe 5 years/60000 miles or even 7 years/84000 miles would show that they are confident in their quality.

Without Japanese competition, American cars now would be like Pintos and Vegas "improved" by an additional 25 years of cost cutting.

[brownsfan]

"I guess all Consumer Reports subscribers could be tree-hugging leftists too..."

I don't have any data, but my guess is that the majority of subscribers are leftists. Just a guess.

I don't know the subscriber base, but I think the slant of the editors is obvious. And we all know that polls and statistics can be manipulated any way you choose.

BTW, I think Ford and GM make cars that aren't as good as the Japanese, but I also think they are close on some models. This is like throwing an anchor to a drowning man.

[.cnI redruM]

"The Horror!" Kurtz gasped as he expired.

[1rudeboy]

I use Cuban cigars to light my KOOLs.

[B Knotts]

I'm sure the Titan is an OK vehicle, but it only comes in one wheelbase, and there's no diesel engine available, as far as I know.

The domestics still have the Japanese beat in the full-size pickup category, IMO.

[Dr. Luv]

"Where I live in middle america, a 30,000 dollar car is half the price of a decent house and a third of the price of really nice house."

For 30K here in NYC, you get two shingles and a doorstop...

[wallcrawlr]

you too 'eh

my dad lives by that mag


he even extols the CR virtues of the top pick peanut butter...ugh!

[RockinRight]

I have a Mitsibishi Galant. I love it. Every bit as reliable and enjoyable as a Camry or Accord and cost a couple grand less.

[RockinRight]

Takes a bit more of this for a Porsche or Audi:

$$$$

[jdsteel]

This report is a bunch of crap because it is well known that consumer reports is notoriously bigoted against the big three. The same minivan with a asain badge off the same assembly line when badged as a Mercury got much lower rankings. They are a bunch of asain car fanatics, and these findings are worthless.

Exactly. Mr.-lib-Nader got his start putting down American cars, and he's never stopped doing so.

[isthisnickcool]

Correction, they are a charity under 501(c), 527 or 4947(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue code.

[ecomcon]

This is like throwing an anchor to a drowning man.

That is exactly the unspoken desire of that "Consumers Union" publication.

[1rudeboy]

It will continue in this fashion until the hippies die off.

If I was a VP of Marketing for Ford in Dearborn, I would reply, "Hippies buy cars also."

Then I would fire you on the spot.

[brainstem223]

Buy an extended warranty for the oddie, the transmissions have a history of failing.

[mikey565]

I don't have any data, but my guess is that the majority of subscribers are Republicans. Just a guess.

[Fresh Wind]

I'm not surprised that the Honda Civic took best honors for small car given the fact that the new 2006 model got a Gold Star crash rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

And so did Ford, Mercury, SAAB, and Subaru. All other Hondas (except the Pilot) are bad news in rear enders, which kept them out of the Gold and Silver awards. Same with Acuras. Maybe next year...

[RockinRight]

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