I was inspired by Tex

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The rules are simple. Name an automaker and pick 1 vehicle that defines each brand. Curious to see what folks agree and disagree on

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Ford - F-150
Tesla - Model S
Porsche - 911
Mercedes-Benz - S-Class
BMW - 3-Series
Jeep - Wrangler
Honda - Civic

 

Buick - LaCrosse

 

To me, the long gone Rivera defines the Buick brand but maybe it's too far in the past to qualify.

 

Really? Roadmaster, Park Avenue or LeSabre.

 

Also good ones. Better than Lacrosse IMO. Lacrosse is more current though but not iconic.

 

Not at all. Any automaker, defunct or not. The key is when you think an automaker what is the iconic car that comes to mind. Porsche and 911 seems to be the easiest of the bunch.

I'm still trying hard to think of the 1 vehicle that defines Toyota. many to choose from. Bugatti, is it the Veyron or the 57C Atlantic etc..

 

Yeah I agree. A Lacrosse is a modern day LeSabre. My favourite Buick ever is the 2 door 2 seater they had. Can’t remember the name now. (I guess it ain’t an iconic name)

 

Lexus - Lexus RX
Toyota - Camry
Chevrolet - Silverado
BMW - 3 Series
Audi - 5000
GMC - Yukon Denali
Hyundai - Pony
Dodge - Ram + Caravan
Ford - F150
Acura - Integra
Nissan - I dunno

 

I'd say the Accord.

Among modern Buicks, yes, but nothing ever defined the brand like the late-60s Electra 225......which managed to out-Cadillac even the Cadillac sedans that were built on the same platform. The boat-tail early-70s Riviera drew a lot of attention, but did not have the same level of pure luxury and comfort, and was built with cheaper materials inside and out.

Cadillac...Escalade.

Tesla....Model 3

Mazda......Miata

Toyota......Camry. (agree with Jill)

Nissan.....Rogue

Lexus...RX350 (agree with Jill)

The 5000 was a flop...and the object of a media investigation. I'd say the A4 came to most-define the brand.

The 5000 was also quite poorly built. It was a long time ago, but I still remember the test-drive....rattles/squeaks and loose-fitting parts up the kazoo.

Excel was what first defined the brand......the late-90s/early 2000s Sonata when the brand finally began moving away from junk at that time.

 

^^ I agree Cadillac - Escalade and Mazda - Miata. Lexus I'd argue transitioned from LS to RX when the 2010 RX debuted. So yes I agree, RX defines Lexus.

Why do you think Accord over Civic defines the brand?

 

Sometimes automakers kill the models that once defined them - for instance Acura Legend, Cadillac Fleetwood/Deville, Infiniti Q45, etc.

 

I can see the Legend being the car that defined Acura for sure, good choice.

Infiniti so dull now. What happened :/
Both the Q45 and G seemed to define and redefine Infiniti until Johan got his paws on the brand

 

At least with Caddy, once they were defined by the Deville, but now they are defined by something else - the Escalade, so at least they found a new identity. Acura and Infiniti never found a new identity and their brand recognition just keeps going down.

 

DeLorean - DeLorean

 

The Civic, in the early-mid 1970s, with its carburated CVCC engine that ran like crap but met 1975 emissions without a catalyst, first got the American public interested in Honda. But it was the larger, more comfortable, and more useful Accord that got Americans to flood to Honda showrooms and buy the brand in force....yes, for big dealer markups because of the Japanese import-quotas. The Accord-cult lasted for decades, but, today, has been greatly overshadowed by the Tesla Model 3.