Volvo and SAAB are peak. Solid, reliable, not the prettiest things out there but I'd absolutely trust one to get me there and back on a long journey. Who needs sophisticated gadgets and technology when you can have sophisticated engineering and reliability? Though modern Volvos are basically Chinese shit unfortunately and there do happen to be a few dud models like the 1800 series...
http://pigeonsnest.co.uk/stuff/crapstuff/pressed-steel.html
BMWs were nice until sometime in the 2000s, now they're a mockery of what they used to be back in the E30 era and it's sad. Audis and Mercs don't interest me (though the original quattro and the TT are nice), nor do Porsches. Volkswagens are alright and have generally remained consistent. BL/Rover Mini was better than BMW Mini IMO.
http://unixnerd.co.uk/
Peugeots and Citroens aren't as good as they used to be in their heydays, but they're much better than they used to be in the mid 2000s/early 2010s, and the engines in them have always been solid. The 106/Saxo is fantastic, no doubt about it. Sadly, I can't say the same for Ford EU, who (used to?) share the same factories: love the early Mondeos, the Focuses, Fiestas, even the Fiat 500-based KA, but what the hell are they doing these days chucking out these models? Renault ruined Mitsubishi. Fuck them. Did do some really ridiculous stuff like the Espace F1 and the Avantime though and the Clio was always pretty nice (though it's no R5).
Vauxhall, TVR and Lotus I don't even know what's going on with them anymore, but I hope they're doing well. Not a lot of people rate any of them. The Vauxhall Insignia is a nice model (and the PSA-era diesels are meant to be extremely efficient) but it seems like they stopped doing it. Land Rover can go to fucking hell, unreliable dogshit - though classic models are sturdy and reliable, anything besides that with their label on it is the exact opposite of reliability.
For Japanese cars on the other hand.. I have to go with Honda, Suzuki, Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi as my favourite car brands. Nissan is overrated and the only reason people obsess over them for is the GT-R. Toyota were always pretty good and if they ever bring back the MR2 in some form... they were silly to kill it off in the first place, it made a great entry-level mid-engine car much like how the MX-5 was so many peoples' entry into sports cars...
Mazda finally brought back the rotary for their hybrid which is an insanely good concept (and I've always loved the MX-5 since I was a kid). Whilst Mitsubishi are shit these days (these days their cars are just Renault rebadges), the GTO, FTO, Eclipse and Mirage were all great, if not as reliable as one would expect from a Japanese manufacturer in the 1990s...
Honda is Honda and Suzuki is Suzuki (the Jimny and Vitara are the best SUVs ever, and who can't forget the Escudo Pikespeak Edition). Moral of the story is, buy from a car manufacturer that also makes bikes, and you'll likely have a good time. (Also, Yamaha help out with some of Toyota's engines, for the record.) Daihatsus are cute (COPEN.) Subarus don't interest me but they seem pretty well built as one can expect.
Other than that? Hyundai are decent. r
Can't really comment on many others except to say the obligatory 'fuck GM for killing Holden', and 'fuck Tesla'.