> Sure, we can point at the extremes and find differences, but I am not talking about that, I am focusing on what the vast majority of consumers look for or need in a car.
You don't really need to look for extremes, though. Even jumping up one brand "level", you see differences in the "details". I (generally) won't buy anything below the Nissan/Toyota/Honda level, and usually the middle range car (eg. Nissan Maxima). At that level, you start to see all the little things that make driving a pleasure; lumbar support, heated steering wheel, etc. You tend not to get those details when you move one level down, and they can make a pretty big difference when it comes to enjoyment.
Mitsubishi, Buick, Mini, Chevy, Dodge, etc all fall below the Nissan/Toyota/Honda level in my mind. That doesn't mean all their cars are worse than all of Nissan's cars; it just means my experience tells me that aren't "made as nice" (the details I mentioned).
