It seems to me it's easy for people to be blinded by their paradigms. When I was a child 'Made in Japan' meant poor quality goods - poor design, poor materials - cheap to buy, but not very good. Flash forward to the 21st century and 'Made in Japan' means exactly the opposite - well designed, well built and, in the case of the auto industry, so well done the North American auto industry was 'on the ropes' until they 'stepped up' with better designs and better quality - some of which actually challenges the Asian auto makers.
Of course, the recent troubles of Toyota (alleged unintended acceleration and Honda (parts supply problems due to the earthquake) have allowed a little breathing room for Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, but coming fast on the outside is Korea. It wasn't that long ago the Pony was Hyundai's entry into the North American market, and there are many people today who remember it for what it was - cheap to buy, but not very good. See the first paragraph for a history lesson on how Japan turned that around, and be aware Korea is doing it even faster.
This isn't about Hyundai or Kia being that good (though by most indications they are), but more about paying attention to current indicators of quality, and less about the good experience you had with your Honda Civic. By focussing on the Civic, you may miss an opportunity - so keep your head up, look around, and check with current, objective sources. That applies to cars, electronics, and life in general.
