Which automakers do you hold in the highest regard, and why?

[germeezy1]

I know that GM is often not the automaker held in high regard by many posters, and I was curious as to which automakers you the GMi posters hold in high regard. Please elaborate, and explain as to why you consider these companies to be notable in many ways. For those of you that hold GM in the highest regard tell us about why you hold GM in high regard or your 2nd or 3rd choices.

[vcs2600]

How about General Motors from approx 1920-1970?

[Hitman1970]

2d Ford- Kept the muscle car alive while the other two gave up on it for almost a decade. Bill Ford's ability to realize he needed someone from the outside to right the ship.

3d Chrysler- The functionally dysfunctional company that won't die! Maybe the Sign of the Cat should have been Chrysler's tag line to represent its nine lives.

4th Hyundai- Despite a few truthiness issues (HP and MPG) a company that has made the largest leap in quality and product within a ten year time span. They keep scaring the crap out of Toyota by being just like them but more hungry!

[GeneralSTL]

Ford - For the same reasons Hitman mentioned above, but also for their ability to take the fight to the J3 where it matters most: quality and mpg. I remember being so impressed with Mike Rowe's commericials of the outgoing Fusion exclaiming, "Ford has quality that can't be beat by Toyota and Honda" and how their hybrid Fusions mpg bested that of Toyota. Any idiot knows the core of the J3's strength lies in quality (perceived or not) and mpg, and those commericials were the first and only I've ever seen from a domestic mfg. that directly attacked those strengths head-on. Marketing at it's best.

[roy219]

New Flyer Industries: While this company isn't categorized as a traditional automaker, I'll rank New Flyer, a Canadian coachbuilder, as the motor-vehicle manufacturer I hold in the highest regard. As noted in my signature, I do not own a automobile for personal use nor do I have any intention of ever doing so. When I'm not walking, jogging, or bicycling, my most frequent mode of transportation is a Chicago Transit Authority bus. New Flyer is the supplier of CTA's most recent additions to the bus fleet: D40LF, DE40LF, DE60LF, DE60LFR. These low floor designs are very customer friendly and more pleasant to ride than CTA's older Novabus and Optima buses.

In terms of automakers I'd recommend to family and friends who are consider purchasing or leasing new cars: my top picks are Honda and Subaru because their automobiles offer the best overall combination of reliability, driving enjoyment, user-friendly design, safety, initial purchase price, and operating/ownership costs. Honda is also my favorite brand of motorcycle.

[germeezy1]

I once held Hyundai in even higher regard until a Hyundai dealership came under my dealer group's umbrella, and I began to have first hand exposure to the products. Yes they have came far in a short amount of time but in my opinion much of that is through plagiarism, and not any widespread innovation of their own. I recently perused the Hyundai lineup, and I came away with the fact that their cars are literally a myriad of other cars put together as one. From Buick blue interior ambient lighting that is not utterly divergent from that featured in a Lacrosse to a user interface that is not utterly divergent from Audi's MMI system.

If Chrysler could fix the dealer group, and provide a level of service that should be expected with vehicles that easily top mid luxury money they would truly be a force to be reckoned with. Their LX / LC platform vehicles are simply very good, and Chrysler is evolving at a rate right now which in some ways leads GM, and Ford. I also applaud in some ways a resurgent, and renewed Honda because they certainly had faltered and a renewed Honda will keep Toyota among others honest.

[Bravada]

Saab (obviously), Mazda and, until recently, Fiatsler.

[germeezy1]

Saab (obviously), Mazda and, until recently, Fiatsler.

You have well thought out commentary, and I would be curious as to why Mazda, and Saab are held in high regards as well as why Fiatsler has recently fell outside of your good graces. I am not sure if the Saab 95 center stack, and center console in your avatar symbolized your love affair with Saab.

[calgaryhhr]

I had held Volvo in high regard up until recently. I always appreciated the brand for their high level of understated sophistication, design and technology. I liked their product lineup from compact hatchback through large sedan and wagon offering including a coupe convertible and into the midsize and fullsize SUV's. They really had one of the most complete vehicle lineups in North America. They had very compelling products that ranged from entry level all the way to opulent. One of my favorite cars of recent time is the final version of the V70r (not the later R-design vehicles.)

Unfortunately, Volvo decided to drop their wagons from NA which really disappointed me. I really like the XC60 though.

[germeezy1]

I had held Volvo in high regard up until recently. I always appreciated the brand for their high level of understated sophistication, design and technology. I liked their product lineup from compact hatchback through large sedan and wagon offering including a coupe convertible and into the midsize and fullsize SUV's. They really had one of the most complete vehicle lineups in North America. They had very compelling products that ranged from entry level all the way to opulent. One of my favorite cars of recent time is the final version of the V70r (not the later R-design vehicles.)

Unfortunately, Volvo decided to drop their wagons from NA which really disappointed me. I really like the XC60 though.

Notwithstanding the R design XC60 especially in Passion Red the decisions made recently also have tempered my like for Volvo especially with their decision to eliminate the narrow angle Yamaha V8 from the lineup. To this day we still wax poetically about our old Ocean Race XC90 V8, and how very good it was in many ways as well as it's safety aspects.

[JBsZ06]

Marchione empire....

Chrysler,fiat, dodge, srt,alfa Ferrari, maserati

Clearly Italian flair, bluster and bravado...

The products are interesting and the corporate philosophy goes against traditional thought and yet still works great....

Beyond what many would consider conventional wisdom and yet transcends greatness

[ryannel2003]

I love BMW's and they have consistently built fun, sporty cars that have become quite luxurious in the past 15 years. I myself prefer all BMW's E46 and prior, but the newer cars are great as well. Expensive to own yes, but the quality is quite impressive and even the higher mileage cars feel solid.

Honda's are another favorite. Well built, reliable as the sun, and the older ones were quite stylish. Cars like the 90's Civic, Accord and Prelude's are all good looking cars. The newer Accord is also my favorite car in its class.

[germeezy1]

I love BMW's and they have consistently built fun, sporty cars that have become quite luxurious in the past 15 years. I myself prefer all BMW's E46 and prior, but the newer cars are great as well. Expensive to own yes, but the quality is quite impressive and even the higher mileage cars feel solid.

Honda's are another favorite. Well built, reliable as the sun, and the older ones were quite stylish. Cars like the 90's Civic, Accord and Prelude's are all good looking cars. The newer Accord is also my favorite car in its class.

If we isolate brands I would most likely until fairly recently put BMW just behind Cadillac as my brand of choice, and in some ways depending on class I actually prefer BMW.

[bballr4567]

Personally, for me its Nissan. I dealer admire the GT-R and the 370 would be in my driveway if I could fit in the damn thing. They make funky products but they at least have the balls to go for it and most are successful aside from the Leaf. In fact, the new Pathfinder has jumped to the top for my wife's new vehicle thanks to GM not going far enough (her words) with the Enclave and Acadia.

If GM would take a little more risks these days, they would be #1. As of now, they are #2. Add in an ATS coupe and Im at #1 again. Its that close for me.

[free_energy0]

BMW: Ultimate Driving Machine is a long term marketing line that actually rings true, unmatched powertains.

Honda: best powertain guys other than BMW maybe, eager chassis dynamics even in the low end cars, widespread 3 pedal options.