Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Let's look at it this way - when it comes to cars, people vote with their money. It's my money, I earned it and I spend it the way I want. Most are not car people, so long as they get from A to B and their new car has all the dumbed down gadgets and gizmos they can show off to their neighbors, they could not give a shizzle. Some will be sheeple, who want to please others and so they'll go out and buy what everybody else is buying to be in the same "club".
There is, IMHO, no such thing as the "best car" - there will always be a compromise. Amongst car enthusiasts, there will always be strong opinions and affiliations with one brand or another.
The Germans, under tight and continuously changing EU regulations, have always been looking to design high output engines using as little fuel as possible. Much like the French, Peugeot in particular, the Germans build top notch diesel engines, but there is always a compromise between performance, fuel economy, longevity and technology.
The Japanese, on the other hand, have focused on simplicity and sticking with what works. For comparison sake, a '16 Camry in my neck of the woods with 1AZ-FE 2.0L engine that utilizes SFI technology and produces 145 hp and 140 ft-lbs of torque. A '16 Passat with the 2.0 TSI BlueMotion, on the other hand, utilizes TSI (direct injection and turbo charging) and produces 217 hp in the base model, or 276 hp in the all-wheel-drive 4Motion version - both with 258 lb-ft of torque. Yes, one is more advanced than the other, but that doesn't make the other is inferior. Different strokes for different folks.
That is my opinion too. Different targeted market.
