What are quality indicators in cars?

There are many ways to determine the quality of a car but it just depends on what type of car you are looking. If you are talking about build quality or the use of high quality materials typically American cars are at the bottom of the scale. GM for example is known for using cheap looking Tonka truck style plastics with relatively large gaps between the pieces and the industry standard for automotive interiors has always been Audi. But even though GM’s interiors have been known to be a little 1980’s it doesnt mean the cars don’t last. So it just depends on your priorities since different types of cars have different factors for quality sometimes. German cars are known for their vault like construction, stability at high speeds and technology. They also communicate very well with the road and many of there cars have set industry standards. Japanese brands are known for their superior overall quality for the price paid, economy, and the introduction of expensive technologies into the average car. And the American brands are known for volume sales, steep discounts, and the ability to build a car that most pple can afford. But when choosing an American car you have to pay attention to some things such as making sure they have acceptable features for the model year. For example every 2007 model car should have simple things like ABS STANDARD since it is a very old technlogy. But what most companies strive for in terms of quality is reducing the space between body panels (panel gaps), advancements in safety technologies like side curtain airbags or knee airbags, road noise, and a highly polished and quality feeling interior with higher grade materials and asthetics.