Is It Already Too Late? Japanese Automakers Move To Shake Boring Reputation

Clearly, 'boring' sells.

There really isn't any reason the Japanese automakers can't make exciting cars, but they routinely dumb down performance.

The Miata is a classic example. It needs a lot more power but Mazda engages in the idiocy of equating underpowered with "balance" whatever in hell that is.

The Acura NSX was an attempt at excitement but the styling--though not ugly--was in many ways generic and the performance was game changing for a Japanese car, but Corvette, Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini didn't give the NSX a second thought.

The Honda S2000 was another attempt at excitement, but the 4 cylinder was thrashy and had to have the holy hell revved out of it to get the performance that a Honda could have given it without the NVH

The ScionToyoBuru is just the latest in the "we wanna be exciting but we're to afraid to give the car some balls" thinking so prevalent among the Japanese companies.

When they do create something exciting (Datsun 240Z / Celica / RX7) they lose sight of the core values that made the original iconic and turn them into something they weren't, watch sales collapse, and then blame the market rather than themselves.

Typo alert:The Honda S2000 was another attempt at excitement, but the 4 cylinder was thrashy and had to have the holy hell revved out of it to get the performance that a Honda V6 could have given it without the NVH.

Sexy

Don't know where you live but where I'm from Nissan doesn't really have a reliable reputation but they definitely have a reputation for being exciting the Maxima, Z, GTR and G have been amazing even the FX.

Honda and Toyota having been working to be exciting yet profitable which has killed many amazing cars.

call 1-800-Heroin-Kills

Everyone that owns a Nissan, and myself, has never had a problem with any of their cars, ranging from a Infiniti G20 & G37 Coupe to an Altima and 350Z.

Hell, I know a family that is still using an old early-mid 80s truck all the time without any major repairs.

I don't think it's too late. Just a few good products away form a better image. One of the problems is that they seem to only want to add excitement into the halo cars and everyone else gets boring stuff. They need to filter down some excitement to the $20k-30k range where the bulk of sales will be. They just can't sell that many NSXs.

Mattdarringer, your comments are juvenile and ignorant. The very products you criticize are proven successes. You sound like a bitter car salesman who is trying, in vain, to compete.
Just wondering what you are trying to pedal that is so much more engaging to drive?

Toyota stopped making any exciting cars in the early 90s. Honda lost it after they killed the S2000 and made the Civic boring to drive, while still having time to waste money on the Ridgeline and the Crosstour.

Mazda's have always been pretty entertaining to drive, Mitsubishi's have as well when they weren't having mechanical problems.

Subaru's have always been fun to drive, they simply needed more power and an occasional trip off paved roads to get there.