As we've reported in the past, cars have really risen to a level not seen before. Quality is through the roof, safety is mostly neck and neck, and in some cases the vehicles even look a bit too similar.
As one Top Gear episode pointed out -- and I am paraphrasing here -- it's like the automakers forgot to make their own unique product and instead made the same car.
That said, there are some distinguishing characteristics when it comes to deciding which vehicle is for you. Some manufacturers have spun certain elements in their favor.
Take, for example, Volkswagen who is more than happy to point out the "power of German engineering," even though some of its U.S.-specific products are built in Mexico or Tennessee. **NOTE its careful choice of words?
In one of its latest commercials, VW shows an owner shutting his door to a Jetta, which makes that hefty THUNK sound.
In this bit below I am just waiting for the Shamwow(!) guy to pop his head out and say "You know the Germans always make good stuff."
Though it does seem silly, JD Power -- which remains a source that many buyers look into -- has its own Initial Quality Survey that is catered towards the first 90 days of automotive ownership. Maybe it would be MORE accurate to classify it as "perceived quality."
All things considered, let's get down to brass tacks:
Could something simple, like the way a door closes, SELL YOU on a car?
The Power of German Engineering is easy to hear in the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, just watch your head.