[Shop-talk] camry hybrids

[John Miller]

> I can remember my older relatives insisting they'd NEVER buy a Honda or
> Toyota because 'the Japanese built garbage'. I think the Koreans were
> just a few decades behind them.

In California Toyota took over the Chevrolet-position as the 'default 
car purchase of the car-ignorant' somewhere in the '80s.

As far as I'm concerned Honda kinda elbowed them to second-banana a 
decade later and Toyota's never really caught up, though there's a fair 
bit to dislike about some of Honda's recent products as well.

Honda went through a decade of even worse material quality than Toyota 
though they've mostly recovered from that, and the current Civic is too 
fat and too weird (and I think it's suffered in the marketplace for it.)

But Honda usually manages to put a coat of polish on the driving 
behavior of their products that most other manufacturers can't manage. 
  Even truly hideous, ugly Hondas and Acuras usually drive really well.

John.