American vs Japanese Cars: What's the Difference?
We all have our preferences for car brands, but is there any major difference between American and Japanese automakers anymore?
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
In the U.S., General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler spring immediately to mind (though Chrysler is now owned by the Dutch conglomerate
Stellantis
). Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and Nissan are the most popular brands in Japan.But what separates these cars besides their nameplates? The truth is, at this point, not much. Thanks to the exchange of ideas across the Pacific, cars are built the same way in each country, using the same materials and components, and offering similar features.
Still, each brand has its reputation, and design trends are different in Japan than they are in the United States.
Jerry
took a closer look at the vehicles coming out of these two countries to give you the low down on any significant differences.American vs Japanese car brands: who’s responsible for our modern wheels?
The automobile was not invented in the U.S. or Japan. It was first produced in Germany by a man named Karl Benz (yes, that Benz). Americans caught on pretty quickly though, and the mass production of cars was first carried out in the U.S. by Mr. Henry Ford.
Japanese car manufacturing didn’t start until the 1930s, but companies like Toyota and Honda started revolutionizing the industry from the get-go.
Toyota’s production system picked up and tightened things where Ford left off, while Honda and Toshiba developed the tech that would eventually give us fuel injection, in-car navigation, and rearview cameras.
It’s clear to see that at this point, each nation’s automotive industry is indebted to the other. Cars from both countries are filled with ideas and technology developed in the U.S., Japan, and all kinds of other places around the world. So why do still talk about them like they’re different?
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What separates today’s American and Japanese cars?
Over the years, the U.S and Japan have developed reputations in automaking. Toyota, Subaru, and Honda, for example, are widely known for building reliable and fuel-efficient cars.
Those characteristics have evolved into notoriety shared—though not always earned—by all automakers from Japan.
On the flip side, American brands like Ford and GM have developed reputations for building powerful, affordable, and safe vehicles.
Again though, these brands don’t always live up to this positive image, while at the same time, they’ve given Japanese automakers a run for their money in efficiency and dependability.
On top of this, we haven’t factored in the impact of newcomers like Tesla and Rivian shaking things up with their EVs or the fact that all these brands build cars in Japan and the U.S.
American vs Japanese cars: insurance costs
Needless to say, determining the quality of a car is more complex than knowing the country the car company is headquartered. The same thing goes with car insurance.
While American automakers tend to have slightly lower rates than Japanese brands, the difference in coverage costs comes from your choice of provider. For cheap car insurance quotes fast, go to
Jerry
. Jerry can collect quotes from top insurance companies, like Travelers, Nationwide, and Progressive, in seconds! The average Jerry user saves $887 a year.
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