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If you want just one surefire answer to the question on whether you should purchase Japanese cars or European ones, you will be disappointed. There are several factors in favor of each manufacturer and no car really has it all. It all boils down to consumer preference; auto manufacturers do their best to satisfy their customers who have different needs and belong to different social classes. Let’s take a look at the various points in terms of performance and reliability, based on tests done by Consumer Reports. Performance Car performance shows how a vehicle handles and “behaves” on different road conditions and scenarios. Independent automotive testing companies do extensive performance testing on new vehicle models that are launched every year. Cars are tested according to acceleration, breaking, turning, handling, and overall driving performance. No model is exempted, and automakers from Japan, Europe, and North America—the top three vehicle-producing regions—are always in competition to make their models perform better and get higher performance test scores. The results of these tests show that some of the best-performing vehicle models come from European brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. An obvious difference these models have with their Asian competitors is that their engines have more power and acceleration. European models are also engineered differently, concentrating on the sturdiness in design and strength of form. Reliability There is a large number of auto users and enthusiasts who put a premium on a vehicle’s dependability over fancy driving skills. Getting their money’s worth means getting to use a car as long as they can without the car breaking down. This is where Japanese cars shine. Ask the auto experts what cars they think would still be on the road after a couple of decades and they would no doubt unflinchingly rattle off vehicles from Japanese manufacturers, particularly those of Toyota and Honda. Vehicles from Japan are known to be well-engineered when it comes to reliability, even though they may not collectively be as swift and easily maneuverable as European models. Vehicles made in Japan require less fussing over; even so they are able to run for a long period of time provided they are given the basic maintenance regimen, such as regular oil changes. In 2012, Consumer Reports released its annual reliability rankings. As expected, Japanese cars came out on top. The top three brands were all from Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota, Scion, Lexus) and its Prius C subcompact hybrid got the best overall score in reliability tests. The other Japanese brands who made it to the top 7 are Mazda, Subaru, Honda, and Acura. The best European brand was Audi, making it to No. 8. American brands fell behind. The reliability rankings are based on responses of Consumer Reports readers and their experiences with vehicles. Aspects such as engine failures, transmission problems, wind noise, and even if entertainment multimedia works were considered. Engine problems would weigh more heavily than a busted CD player, making the study a good way to pinpoint what auto manufacturers need to improve on in their vehicles. If you would like to have a car that would last you for years and years, then it’s a no-brainer: go for Japanese cars and you will surely go a long, long way.
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