A very thoughtful piece.

I consider it in this way: my now deceased two doors down neighbour had two cars, a Corolla 4WD wagon and a Ford Falcon sedan. Asking him which was better is a bit confusing. Apart from the fact that the Corolla was four cylinder and the Falcon six, and the Corolla manual and the Falcon automatic (if I had the same combination of cars, the Corolla would have to be automatic), my assessment would be. The pros of the Corolla: 1) made in Japan (my special interest), 2) fuel efficient, 3) as he used to do, if he was going away for the weekend, he'd fold down the back seats and put his golf clubs into it (I don't play golf), 4) it handles well as it has constant 4WD. The cons of the Corolla: 1) seating not as comfortable, especially on long drives, 2) less powerful motor. Pros of the Falcon: 1) more comfortable seating (it's nearest competitor, the Commodore, has firmer seating, while the Falcon is smoother, even dyed in the wool Commodore supporters have acknowledged this, and those who have switched from Falcons to Commodores have admitted they found the Commodore less comfortable, 2) more powerful motor, 2) smooth ride, 3) 60/40 split rear seat (can fold down to put golf clubs in but not as much room as wagon), 4) parts more readily available and servicing possibly cheaper. Cons of Falcon: 1) less fuel efficient (had fuel injection, though), 2) that model had a few issues with suspension and radiator.

Neither is superior but they are equal but different.