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IMO,
1. Dodge/Chrysler
2. Hyundai
3. Acura

Now for my reasoning.

1. Dodge/Chrysler: Think 5 years ago and what they offered. A pitiful neon, boring sedans, and a lackluster minivan. Move forward 5 years and you got the SRT4(although its not popular on this board)/300C/Pacifica/Charger/Magnum/Crossfire. They have the nicest lineup for an american car company IMO.

2. Hyundai: What did you think about them 5 years ago? Nothin. Not really on the car radar. Now you've got 300% improved quality. The Sonata will turn out to be a good seller. The Tiburon is popular and a lot better than its predeccessor. The Tucson and now bigger Santa Fe are going to be good cars. The Santa Fe is acutally on Consumer Reports new Top-Tier vehicles along side the Acura TL and other more expensive cars.

3. Acura: What did Acura offer 5 years ago? Not much except for the TL and Integra. Acura being the luxury line its supposed to be, the integra really didn't fit the luxury image. The RL was outdated and boring. The CL was a poor seller. The NSX is outdated and currently still outdated. Now the RSX is a much more luxurious integra, although its still not the right car for the company's image. The new TL is an amazing car thats winning awards everywhere. The TSX and MDX are popular cars. The new RL is much nicer and more innovative that its predecessor. The future of Acura is also looking promising with the dropping of the RSX and the new flagship sedan that is said to being developed as we speak (large v8 sedan).

What's your top 3 most improved car companies and your reasoning behind them?

 
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Dodge

 
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dodge (new HEMI line, srt line, ram trucks have gotten better,new viper is more civil)


cadillac (i dont know where to start, from granny cars to v-series sex in a few years, who wouldnt want an XLR, CTS-V or a STS-V?)


nissan (350z, altima, maxima, infiniti line (anything G35))

 
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I have to say Nissan.They have the big full size Titan and the new midsize Frontier.They also have the new Z and are also coming out with another new car,sorry i don't remeber the name.With all thats going on they have redesigned all their cars and trucks and looks like they will recover from lagging sales.I have to say Dodge also,love they look of their new trucks and cars including the Charger.

 
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1) Hyundai-huge jump in desireability and quality

2) GM-although struggling financially, I think they finally get the point. Cobalt, G6, new caddies, they are all huge improvements. The downside is that this company has such a large product line that it is going to take a while before they look impressive across the board

3) Mazda- 3 and 6 hugely popular

 
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yea nissan turned it around IMO

 
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1) Nissan.

2) Acura.

3) Mitsubishi.

 
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Well improved in what way?

1.) GM

2.) CDX

3.) Hyunday

reasoning later

 
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1.) Toyota

2.) Hyundai

3.) Dodge

 
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5 years ago....Mitsubishi was steadily losing money

Today- Mitsubishi is steadily losing money

 
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Chrysler
Caddy
Hyundai

300/300C and Crossfire. Two vehicles that are obviously the benefits of the DCX merger.

Cadillac has an all new line-up that looks unique and is RWD except for their luxo boat, which still outsells the 7 series, the DTS. If they put their V badge on everything, it will be a great sales year for Caddy.

Hyundai. They've got the chubby but Italian drawn Tiburon, decent sedans and a new small SUV. They keep coming up with new models and have been improving their image continuously.

Nissan and Acura both get the runner up awards. Nissan has improved significantly by offering more of what they used to have, sportscars and touring cars. They also have new trucks that are REAL trucks. Acura has a great line-up, even if most of it is FWD. They've introduced new models too. The only reason that I think Caddy and Chrysler beat these two is because Caddy and Chrysler weren't in that much of a slump before. They have become old people's cars and only recently have they been rejuvinated.

 
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Toyota? I wouldn't say they're the most improved. They've always been on top.

 
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I'd say they're the least improve company... Oh well, it also takes work to stay on top!

 
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I think dodge has done well too. However, the hemi is not something that attributes to this. it's just a marketing ploy.

hyundai definitely as well. their quality has definitely increased, now they just need to find something sportier than the tiburon.

IMO, honda. the S2000 has done well, and they have moved in the right direction with the 8th gen civic (it looks). they have also improved the RSX in the acura line. i think they are also doing awesome in the hybrid department. 3 hybrid vehicles, including a hybrid accord that is actually faster than the regular V6 accord.


for those who are saying GM.... why? that company, i hate to say, is dying, and in 5 years they could go under. they set themselves up to fail. they are across too many car lines and cross-share on too many platforms. they lose too much money to paying benefits to past employees, and are looking at cutting another 25,000 jobs and closing plants. in 1982 they had 900,000 employees. today they have 115,000. (minus another 25,000 soon). honda and toyota are even considering raising their prices to help bolster GM sales.

 
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nissan and mazda's images have both changed drastically in the past 5 years, IMO. mazda used to have the protege and 626, now they have the 3 and 6, respectively. with nissan, the cars have that signature grille, the designs are good, and they are powerful. and they came into the truck market with a truck that is better than most out there.

maybe if the ridgeline gets popular, and the 8th gen does good, in 5 years my answer would be honda.

 
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1. hyundai- use to sell cars like domestics, bad quality and cheap price. Now they switch to japanese philsohpy of quality, but kept the cheap price.

2. Daimler/chrysler- Daimler took a failing domestic, cleaned house in management and turned it into a company that actually made more money then the mercedes branch last quarter.


3. Mazda- They went from a company that almost went bankrupt and restructuring. To a company that is profitable, that makes sporty cars, who don't want boring honda's and toyotas.

 
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1. Diamler/Chrysler - The Chrysler name has literally been turned into a brand that shows distinct styling and exciting cars. They had (mostly) total crap during the previous decade. The 300/Crossfire/Firepower concept say it all.
2. GM (Especially Cadillac, Chevrolet and Saturn) - A recent surge of new, exciting product lines and promising a lot more to come, such as the CTS: Can you say previous-gen BMW M5, 25k off MSRP? and Saturn Sky. I've read a few magazines and journals that keep saying GM has a serious amount of new product coming soon, but none of them are allowed to say anything about it except "wow".
3. Nissan - totally revived their brand image as a "sporty" carmaker, with attractive offerings in many categories such as the 350z/G35, the new M35/M45 and the Xterra/Frontier. The only complaint I have about them is quality-wise, they still can't compare with Toyota/Lexus, no matter what anyone says.

 
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Don't tell me you really believe this? This is all just good PR.

 
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Because of this

GM Sneak Preview

and expecially this

Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS)

Some of those vehicles are no longer in production and replaced with better ones, so dependability will go up.

 
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yeah.... "just" PR.....

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...26/049198.html

http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/10/Auto...a_prices.reut/

http://msnbc.msn.com/ID/8142612


it may or may not happen, but it's being talked about.

 
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the problem is none of this fixes their financial problems. it's too little too late. as I said, a company that goes from 900,000 to 115,000 and soon to be 90,000 employees is not someone I consider most improved over the last 5 years. their financial problems mainly stem from the fact that they are spread too thin over too many platforms and brands, and have not been able to keep a variety to keep sales up. also, they continue to offer many benefits to past employees. in fact, they pay benefits to more FORMER employess than they do PRESENT employees. they are desperately grasping for life. selling cars at greatly discounted rates may sell cars, but it makes little money. did you know that GM has to basically give up about $1700 for EVERY CAR SOLD just to pay for benefits to past employees? within the next 5 years that figure is expected to jump to $2500.

they were spread too thin, didn't keep with the times, and set themselves up to fail financially. To be honest, they could very well go under in the next 5 years. just because they sell cars doesn't mean they are making money. people need to remember that.

 
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actually, only toyota is considering doing this. Honda has flat out said they wouldn't.

 
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First, may I ask where you are getting your employment figures? Are you counting just U.S. employees? Or the entire corporation? Holden, Saab, etc?
GM will not fail. Yes they will downsize, become smaller and more nimble, but they will not fail. There will always be interest in providing financial backing to this company. As long as they show promise, they will never disappear. There are many many worse companies that shouldn't exist, but do. Things may get shaken up, but I doubt they will disappear. As we say at my office...she's a big ship, and she doesn't turn on a dime. This transformation will take time, ,but they will be better for it in the end. With their new products, I wold say they are headed in the right direction.

 
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1. Nissan
2. Chrysler
3. Cadillac

 
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1) Hyundai - Leaps and bounds ahead of where they were 5 years ago, and I suspect I'll be able to say this again 5 years from now. The Tucson could really give the CR-V and RAV4 a run for its money, and the new Sonata is excellent bang for buck.

2) Caddilac - It was already mentioned, but who wouldn't want a CTS-V, XLR, or STS-V? I've always been a boring car fan, but Caddy finally has something for those looking for excitement.

3) Subaru - Look at Subaru's MY 2000 lineup. The only even remotely good thing they had was the 2.5RS, and now look - the Legacy is fantastic, the WRX (and STi) are great for enthusiasts, they have greatly improved their core products (little SUVs/wagons), and they're moving upmarket with the B9 Tribeca.

I tell you what'd be more fun than this - a BOTTOM 3 automakers over the last 5 years.

1) GM - They need to just declare bankruptcy and get it over with. They will never die, but they need to rid themselves of some debt and reorganize big time.
2) Lexus - I've never been so bored by a line of cars in my entire life, and anyone that would have bought an IS or ES is buying one of BMW or Merc's more interesting offerings.
3) Honda - This is subject to change soon, but... Killing the enthusiast interest in the brand by producing a Civic that's worse in nearly every way to the MY 2000 cars. Let's not even start on the Si. From what I understand S2000 production is over soon, eliminating the only interesting thing in the brand. Redesigning the Accord in a polarizing way, slowing sales and drumming up business for the Mazda6, Altima, Camry, and friends. Various quality problems across the board - automatics in every model they sell, wheel and tire problems on TLs, transmissions in Civics, oil consumption issues in the K20, etc. I just expect more from them that we've gotten over the last 5 years, and I hope things improve starting in MY06.

 
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That's the truth man...imports are eaten the domestics up. Point and Period.

 
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Hyundai - Dodge - Nissan

 
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Nissan, Hyuandi, Cadillac. In no particular order.

And GM haha......they're selling cars at a loss right now. sad they make a gazillion different models yet the company is still turning to ****.

 
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Im a big Toyota fan but I must agree. I LOVE the IS300, and would take it over an comparable BMW, MB Etc. Its just dead sexy, reliable(like all Lexus) and has the 2JZ-GE inline 6. The rest of the Lexus line is boring and bland. I mean ES300, can you say Camry with leather and crap At least the new GS is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately the new IS is a step in the wrong direction, as its ugly as ****, and they got rid of one of the best Inline 6 cylinder engines ever built for a freaking V6

Oh and I'd rate MB as one on its way down. Mercedes quality has been going to complete **** in the last few years.

 
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my picks are Hyundai (quality), DaimlerChrysler (style and innovation), and Scion (a car line that i didn't think would make it past a few years like Daewoo or Geo)


GM cars maybe doing poorly but the truck lines are doing the best.. infact more people buy american when it come to SUVs and trucks.

But here are a few things to know
GM and Ford are the worlds largest companies and while both companies dont do well in america (at the moment) except in specialty cars like corvettes and mustangs, they are doing really well in western europe, russia, and austrailia. BTW GM owns a part of toyota, and is the financial backing to China's new car company called Cherry Which will hit stateside in less than 5 years... GM maybe cutting jobs in america but is expanding in the rest of the world. Also GM is the world largest financial credit company, so yeah they might loose out on the car sale but make the money back in intrest....Oh yeah i forgot to mention that Saturn uses a Honda engine in the SUV Vue. If GM dies it wont be for a long time.