What Is The Biggest Mistake The Japanese Car Companies Are Making Today?

it is too quite nice and attractive, in real it looks like a toy.
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Too much FWD. Lagging in dual clutch transmissions. Catering too directly to the voice of the consumer (who is an idiot).

I'd have to say your headline is a mistake. After all, Japanese care manufacturers are generally stellarly successful. Have secured enormous market share, both here an abroad.

You also make the mistake in assuming that all Japanese car manufactures are operating in a similar manner, and therefore, have a a single "biggest mistake" shared.

Y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't have any real news, and you were just stirring the pot to incite flame wars, posts, clicks, etc.

Agreed. A pointless post to egg fanboys to yell at each other.

Shouldn't this be called "Autoforum" instead?

"vile human being"?....surely you jest? ;)

Can you point out, in any of their immigration laws, how they're restrictive? In reading them I don't see any that are too hard or unreasonable. You should read them yourself. FYI, China is hardly homogeneous. You'd know that if you just read some more.

nonofyobus, for point #2 you'll be interested to know that Turbo's general response to this is that the USA was won in "war" by Europeans so that's fair and now Caucasian people have a right to the land. He's mentioned that several times here. He doesn't realize how wrong that is on so many levels.

Turbo, you did not point out in any of their immigration laws where it makes it difficult to immigrate to any of those countries?

And you keep on posing about how low the immigrant population is in China. Two things:

1. China has such a huge population that any almost any amount of immigration will have a small effect on overall % of immigrants compared to natives.
2. How many people really want to immigrate there in the first place? Not nearly as many as in Western countries.

You'd never make is as a statistician, even though you are a mathematician. How screwed up is that?

On the contrary, I find that currently, Japanese manufacturers are not following the formulas that made them great in the first place. Their own arrogance has brought them to a place where brands from the US and Korea have caught up and in some cases passed them. I can't think of one Japanese car that I would buy right now. Nothing interests me, to be honest. The Koreans are doing good work, as are the Americans. Why? Because they have been underdogs for so long that they are forced to listen to the market and deliver. Contrary to what was stated above, the Japanese are not LISTENING so they will ultimately SEE and FEEL what it's like to have to clammer back to the top. It will happen, but they will have to work at it.

Too conservative styling wise...playing it safe, afraid to loose share.
Have become plain vanilla players...lost their edge and momentum. Only Nissan (aka French/Japanese love child) showing any signs of daring to be different.

"brands from the US and Korea have caught up and in some cases passed them"

Hahahahahahahahahahaha...my eyes!!

"The Koreans are doing good work, as are the Americans. Why? Because they have been underdogs for so long that they are forced to listen to the market and deliver"

You will want to take US out of that equation if critics are forced to resign because they can't make a decent commentary about piss poor products!!

Paying people like semperlexus and BlackDynamite to troll for them.

OMG, whats with all the deboosting?

The deeboosting comes from only about to guys with multiple pseudo accounts that boost anything pro Toyota weather it's true or false so just ignore it like the rest of us.

"OMG, whats with all the deboosting?"

- Toyota fanboys with multiple accounts lashing out at the slightest hint of anything negative. Sorry bunch of folks if you ask me.

Lexsucks complaining about people with only one opinion? That's pretty rich.

My opinion will change when they build vehicles that aren't dull appliances(or at least one vehicle). The other people with one opinion will never change. Look at it this way. How can someone look at Toyota's current line-up and be a fan of what they see? Only a blind fanboy could ignore the boredom that is Toyota.

My stalker is back. LOL!!

Did the comments hurt your feelings? Awwwwww

Are you going to add anything that deals with the actual subject of this thread? Or are you just going to continue to insult me?

You know when your only contribution to this thread, isn’t about the subject of this thread, but attacking someone who is talking about the subject of this thread, it makes you look like an insecure whiny crybaby. And also a fanboy. Plus you are corny as hell. Not even remotely funny.

Keep Stalking buddy.

Are you serious?

1) Only a fool would answer a question asked by someone who is clearly disrespecting them.

2) Your question is so stupid and juvenile that it isn’t even worth answering.

3) What the hell does your (Juvenile) question have to do with the subject of this thread?

Grow up man. You come across like a insecure immature teen.

For me since I have a bias against these care in their current generations would have to be the loss of the roots. The cars used to be light, peppy, and they had a lot of sporty offerings that were affordable and fun:
-Mitsubishi Eclipse
-Honda Civic Si
-Toyota Corolla/Matrix XRS
-Toyota Celica
-Toyota MR2
-Nissan Sentra SE-R & Spec V

I left out nameplates such as 3000GT, Supra, S2000 cause they were a little out of the "affordable" range. All these cars in previous generations were fun to drive. Even the Matrix/Corolla XRS with 180hp in a 1.8L with a 6 speed stick to row. All gave plenty of high revving enjoyment.

To me in today's world of course there is the added weight of safety systems and strength and components. But there is no inspiration in the designs, or apparent desire to create these types of cars anymore. The current Sentra looks like a piece of oragami gone wrong in comparison to even the last generation which had much nicer lines and more sporty attitude. The Civic of today with the double decker dash, HUGE sloped windshield, and power that is not quite on par with other makers of performance models is lackluster and less appealing.

I actually saw one of the older hatchback Si's (early-mid 2000's) on the highway the other day, it looks more modern and in place than the current Si does, and it stands out.

And Toyota has just been neutered, discontinuing an affordable sporty coupe like the Celica and replacing it with a hip lineup like Scion that only old women and high school teenies roll around in was not the best solution to me. And taking a fun to drive 6 speed 180hp 1.8L VVTL-i engine and replacing it with a lowly 2.4L that achieves 174hp was just abysmal. How you can replace a current generation with something worse is beyond me, especially when you try to market it as the sporty version.

I said it long ago that Toyota would do well to make TRD in-house and offer TRD models of it's lineup. Something more than wheels and strut bars, add a little power to the cars. A Toyota Corolla/Matrix TRD that came from the dealer with a bolted on TRD supercharger would have been mint, but instead you had to pay $2,500 for the box and then pay someone to add it on. Oh and it would void your warranty.

Sorry for my bias, but there is a lot more the Japanese makers can be doing to raise eyebrows. Are they selling well, sure. Are they reliable, sure. Which is all some people need to make a purchase, and that's fine. But I do not wish to drive something that blends in to the beige and be painted a "sheep" for going with the safe choice.

"What Is The Biggest Mistake The Japanese Car Companies Are Making Today?"

- Making lame cars and designing cars based on people who dont care about cars and know nothing about cars. Japan is the new U.S when it comes to making dull vehicles. There really isn't anything that makes Toyota vehicles more attractive than GM vehicles.

Here is a problem with some of the argument here. If Toyota had not the unintended acceleration problems,the corrosion problems on trucks etc. it would still be the #1 car maker by an increasing wider margin.All of you,including myself, on this sight are enthusiasts.We make up a relatively small portion of the buying public.Toyota had built up an incredible loyalty to it's products.The same philosophy that all the other Japanese carmakers have been striving to achieve. Making a bread and butter car for the masses sells more cars then all of the enthusiast fun to drive cars everyone here talks about. I think Toyota has used sporty cars as really just a marketing ploy from time to time to get people to buy their mainstream cars. Mitsubishi has made some great cars in the past as well and still makes the Evo in an undiluted form until 2013.But they have not been very successful in the US. They have now decided to really concentrate on "green" cars for the future.Honda still has a great loyalty to it's cars.Acura I'm not so sure about.True the interiors have not kept up with "new" American quality interiors coming out now. I would not count the Japanese out just yet. There is a lot more competition now but they are a very capable country.They will adapt to the market place and I predict you will see an improvement in the interiors. Toyota is coming out with the FT86(unfortunately watered down a bit).Subaru has a great design for the new Imprezza and it's own version of the FT86. Suzuki makes a great sedan now with the Kisashi. It has a quality interior and it handles very well. If they could just figure out how to market it they will be on to somthing.The bottom line is volume sales,not enthusiast sales.

The bottom line is getting a car in which I like. And Toyota doesn't build any. I don’t care how many of them they sell to other people. High Sales numbers doesn't all of a sudden make a car more attractive to me. If that were the case I would have bought a GEO Metro years ago. Cars that sell the most are usually the most boring. Is that what they want their claim to fame to be?

High sales numbers is the weak argument to justify a car purchase. 99.99% of the folks that buy those cars are thinking something like this; "I don’t really know jack about cars, so I’ll just purchase the same car that I see everyone else driving". And this is the measure that some folks use to determine vehicle superiority? Sad!

It isn’t only Toyota, but they are by far the dullest when it comes to the Japanese makes.

Even Hondas are nicer than the Toyota's. I'd Consider a V6 Accord Coupe. Name a Toyota that is just as desireable? Nissan has the 370z, Maxima, and Altima 3.5. Mitusbishi has the Lancer EVO and Ralliart. What the hell does Toyota have? The Matrix? LOL!! Boring cars are good for sales, and that is about all they are good for.

I'll admit that my Matrix is boring and dull. I did not buy it out of want, but pure necessity. Good MPG, AWD, Hatchback design. It did not come in a stick which really bothered me and my only alternative was a Subaru. But for the money, I did not feel a Subaru was worth the higher price tag for a similar product.

My next car will definitely be something that I find appealing and fun, again admitting my Matrix is totally an appliance. I need a stick, I need either a wagon or hatch, and I want some performance. Unfortunately Volvo no longer produces the R or a V50 turbo with a stick, and are not bringing the V60 anytime soon. I refuse to buy an SUV, so my options at this point are limited and I'm waiting till 2012 as a ton of new models are coming out.

FYI I've had almost 130,000 miles of nothing but regular maintenance. I guess there is something to be said for ridiculous reliability.

I think the Japanese Car Industry in general suffer from the same problem: Lack of fun factor. I mean, they make good reliable, well buit cars, but WHY can't they put SOME effort in making them more connected to the road? comfortable but not SO soft?I Think all drivers will welcome a car that responds better to their command, while having all the qualities that made them so popular over the years.

I dont like the way they drive. I feel like I am going to fall asleep when driving an "eastern" vehicle. There is a huge lack of excitment. their cars are just for point a-b. Now, of course if driving dynamics arent your thing, then they are perfectly fine. I drive 20 miles each way to work and get up on the highway, so my 335i sedan with a sport package is great for me. if I lived 2 miles away from work, it wouldnt really matter what I drove.
in the end, every car can have a case for it. Just drive what you like and fits your lifestyle.