Are These Really The Top 25 Cars And Trucks With Real Impact?

Acura Legend was huge as far as Japan has arrived, a good looking no nonsense straight forward product with a glass smooth engine that is what started this Japanese is doing it better thing. They rode the wave to bigger and better things for Japan, yes the Camry has to be their in the to 5 as to good name but Honda and the Acura division set the country on its ear with the Legends line that is my pick for the last 25 yrs as to good name and a must see car line in its era.
My picks as buzz names in cars the last 25 yrs where everybody knew something about them and where left curious and impressed>>
Legend
Camry
Miata
LS 400
BMW 7 series

same here, the accord made brandishing sales. and was the best selling car alongside with the camry. the escalade would have to be in it too.

Switch the Impact to the car that it became, the EV1. Get rid of the Aztek, CTS, Mustang (94???). I agree about missing an Accord and 3 series, and I would add the 97 RX300, and maybe 88 Chevy C/K pickup, 83 T-Bird, 83 Audi 5000.

Just my thoughts for the moment. I'm sure there are even better choices out there that I'm not currently thinking of. I do actually spend a lot of time thinking about this subject. I need to get to work.

tht just describes you.

pointless list.
what are the criteria?
'impact' is totally vague.

They're pretty much all cars that struck a nerve with the public in the U.S. Tons of people own or have owned Mustangs and Explorers religiously. The Scion xB sold so many so fast that they had to decrease production because they didn't want it to become so commonplace.

Every idiot "gangsta" wannabe, back in '99, wanted or owned a Lincoln Navigator or Lexus LS400 with oversized wheels and of course, left the original brakes on and installed pawnshop brand woofers and amps. Plus, the navigator was a big deal in music videos.

All of these cars created some sort of stir at one time or another.

Remember that "impact" doesn't necessarily mean "positive impact."

"Impact"? As in kinetic energy, 0.5M*V^2 ?

Anyway, since USA Today is about as reliable as summer rain in the plains of Spain, i would guess that they took a poll of what cars the reporters are driving today. Since no criteria are listed, then who knows what they used to compile the list. Is this all that journalism is these days, compiling random lists???

In my opinion, these are mostly one-dimensional cars:

Noted for sales:
Toyota Camry
Chrysler minivans
Ford Taurus
Toyota RAV4
Ford Mustang
Saturn SL
Ford F-150

Noted for innovation:
Toyota Prius
GM Impact

Noted for being an obomination of everything that an automotive engineer should hold dear:
Ford Explorer
Hyundai Excel
Hummer H2
Lincoln Navigator
Yugo (GV)
Suzuki Samurai

Noted for unique styling (good and bad)
Lexus LS400 (good)
Chrysler PT Cruiser (unique)
Pontiac Aztek (ugly)
Cadillac CTS (ugly)
Volkswagen New Beetle (unique)
Scion xB (ugly)
BMW 7 Series (ugly)

Noted for doing all things well, for a bargain:
Mazda Miata
Acura Legend
Mini Cooper


note to crazylarry and Htay: you are two of a kind. Would you please trade email addresses so you can insult each other directly? If you two have nothing factual and automotive-related to add, then stop wasting your time and ours on this forum!!!!

The LS was a carbon copy of the S class! No unique styling, but it does look good.

The 7 series had an impact because of styling and technology, it looked completely different to anything else on the road, and had idrive.

The Explorer had a huge impact as the best selling SUV, opening a new market for hundreds of new cars.

The Legend was a pioneer for being the first luxury Japanese brand, the LS for being the first true success.

eh the crv surpassed the explorer in sales, though the older explorer had bad tires.

Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz show 5.4 in their specs)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the (REPREHENSIBLE) Toyota/Lexus people.....