Are Toyota an Honda vehicles still preferred or better than and worth the price difference of their competitors considering the increasing number of their recalls? Are the recalls due to poor design, materials, installation, or quality control at manufacturing plants?
Even with considering the recalls, they are much better built cars that others.
Absolutely they are still better built. Most of their recalls arent as severe as the other manufacturers either.
When looking at recalls you have to keep in mind that one company called Takata forced the recall of millions of vehicles due to defective airbags. Initially they only recalled the driver side and then later they started recalling the passenger side and side curtain airbags. In cases like that, one manufacturer who is not Toyota or Honda but supplies the two forced the recall of millions of vehicles. It is worth noting that cars now have more complex electronics for reducing emissions and increasing gas mileage and the more complex you make something the more potential areas of failure you have in that system. That being said all manufacturers are facing the same set of conditions some are just refusing to issue recalls in order to avoid paying for free or reduced repairs. A recall is generally a sign of honesty, not poor workmanship/quality control in todays automotive world. If youre worried about quality issues I would look at Technical Service Bulletins.
