Toyota (and Honda, to a lesser degree) are in the catbird seat right now. Their cars don’t break (ignore the Tundra and Tacoma) and when they do, they’re cheaper to repair. They get comparatively good gas mileage; they look good enough. Their features and comforts have been more than sufficient for years.

Despite bailouts and perpetual promises, American cars still struggle with reliability and economy. Hyundai and Kia regularly remind us that no, there’s more to reliability than being from Asia. And German cars do what they’ve always done—provide a more engaging driving experience that is fun to lease, worrying to own.