They’re much better than they used to be, for the most part. The 80’s were pretty much the low point in the quality of American cars. Then pressure from the Japanese competitors forced GM and Ford to overhaul their engineering, production and design standards (although Chrysler didn’t seem to get that memo). These days, American cars hold their own in objective reliability evaluations, equalling or even surpassing the Japanese cars. It will likely take awhile for the tarnished reputation of American cars to recover. I, for one, now drive a Honda, after my Saturn (a GM product) crumbled around me. The engine on the Saturn lasted a trouble-free 170K miles, but the interior simply self-destructed.