10: 1988-1994 Ford Tempo
The Ford Tempo is another car that achieved a moderate level of success but still lost Ford a boatload of money. Anyone who drove the Tempo when it was brand-new realized the car was a lemon out of the gate. The Tempo represented an entry-level car that Ford could market against the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. Feature-wise, the Tempo had an edge on the competition, and its interior dimensions gave it the feeling of a “bigger” car.
But when it came down to the numerous recalls the Tempo faced, consumers were not impressed. Various build quality and reliability issues started to creep up on Ford, earning the Tempo a less-than-stellar reputation with critics. With the onslaught of recalls and repairs, Tempo lost Ford and consumers a fair amount of money.