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Cars Drivers Should Avoid & Never Look Back

Vukasin Herbez July 11, 2019

33. Pontiac Aztek

Introduced in 2000, the Pontiac Aztek was a good idea, on paper at least. The mid-size crossover model with sharp new styling, a decent engine lineup, and plenty of interior space was a modern concept at the time. The plan was sound, except for one thing, and that was the design.

Somehow, the Pontiac designers managed to draw and push to production one of the ugliest cars ever made. Just look at it. Even from a distance and 17 years after the first Aztek saw the light of day, it is still a car with a design that makes no sense whatsoever. The pure ugliness of the car and poor fit and finish quality sealed the fate of the Aztek.

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32. Renault LeCar

The French company, Renault, thought it would be a great idea to send its new supermini they called the Renault 5 to America. But it was painfully slow with a strange design. Also, it was small and badly put together. Soon, the Le Car became the subject of jokes and most drivers considered it to be the worst choice in the compact car class.

Renault struggled to sell them and eventually pulled out of the market. Despite the success of the Renault 5 in Europe, the Le Car is considered a terrible failure in the eyes of American car enthusiasts.

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31. Ford Pinto

Introduced in the early ’70s, the Pinto was popular due to its low price, nice design, and a long list of options. They equipped it with economical four and six-cylinder engines, and the overall quality was decent. So what was the problem?

Well, while engineering the car, Ford somehow left out any protection to its rear-mounted fuel tank. Unfortunately, the lack of this feature in the Pinto was apparent when people started getting killed in fiery crashes due to the leaking fuel tanks.

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30. Chevrolet Cobalt

The Cobalt is still a common sight on American roads since it was one of the most popular and affordable compact cars when it debuted. So, why are car customers are running away from them now? The problem was a faulty ignition switch they used in the Chevrolet Cobalt and other models.

In some cases, during the drive, the car would shut down completely, causing the driver to lose control and eventually crash. So, when this problem was apparent, people started disposing of their Cobalts for safety reasons.

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29. Cadillac Cimarron

Back in the ’80s, GM decided to introduce a small Cadillac with a lower price to attract more customers. But the problem was that Cadillac didn’t have a small platform, so they turned to Chevrolet. They borrowed the modest Cavalier chassis along with the small and slow four-cylinder engine.

The sales were poor since Cadillac was under fire from brand loyalists for ruining their image. All over the industry, the Cimarron was a laughing stock. To this day, it is one of the worst examples of downsizing ever.

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28. Oldsmobile Cutlass Diesel

Back in the late ’70s, in an attempt to introduce a more fuel-efficient power plant, Oldsmobile introduced the 4.3-liter V8 diesel engine as an option for the Cutlass line. And soon, this model was subjected to an enormous amount of recalls and engine swaps.

Simply, the 4.3-liter had the tendency to explode and shatter during normal driving. The passengers weren’t hurt, but the car was unusable and good only for scrap. Soon, buyers realized that buying an Olds with such a unit was a big mistake.

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27. Volkswagen Passat TDI

Volkswagen sold its diesel-powered cars in America for some time with several models on offer. Buyers loved the economy and smooth running of those 2.0-liter turbo diesel engines, but then the “Dieselgate” happened. Apparently, Volkswagen was caught cheating on emissions tests.

Although they said their diesel cars were a cleaner alternative, they were polluting the environment more than regular gasoline-powered cars. This massively backfired on Volkswagen, so their customers started disposing of their diesel-powered Passats. And that forced the company to stop selling them in the USA.

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26. Cadillac ATS

The ATS is a great car. It has a modern design and is quality built. Also, it has power, style, and an attractive appearance. So why is it such a sales flop? Well, this has nothing to do with the car itself but with the marketing and the car class. Sedans are on their way out of the car industry’s focus, slowly being replaced by SUVs.

Even though the ATS is a good proposition in its class, it is not interesting to modern buyers. So, Cadillac is discontinuing the model, closing their production lines, and laying off workers. That may be bad news, but it shows the direction the industry is heading.

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25. Honda Insight

Honda wanted a piece of the action in the hybrid car segment, so they introduced the Insight. Interestingly, it was a direct copy and competitor to the Toyota Prius. Even though the Prius managed to win thousands of owners and become the dominant model in its segment, the Insight failed miserably.

In fact, it sold in just a few thousand examples. What’s the reason? Well, the Insight was less powerful, slower, and uglier than the Prius, so people just didn’t want to have anything to do with it. Unfortunately for Honda, the Insight was a major disappointment.

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24. Chrysler 200

The 200 has a cool design and modern looks that are great accomplishments in a class filled with interesting designs. However, the quality is not great and the reliability score is less than average. Also, the rear passengers have a problem with comfort and the 2.4-liter four-cylinder is not a particularly fast or powerful engine.

The automotive journalists have published a lot of articles to explain why the 200 failed to hit its mark. They discontinued the car after the 2017 model year. But many drivers hope Chrysler will replace it with something truly remarkable to repair their damaged reputation. In the meantime, you should ignore this car.

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23. Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer was a car that defined the SUV segment on the American market. Initially, it was a successful model, but then the public realized this car was potentially deadly. So, nobody wanted to have anything to do with it.

The early ’90s models had a tendency to roll over. Apparently, the Explorer wasn’t stable at sharp turns and at high speeds. And sadly, that caused numerous crashes, deaths, and injuries.

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22. Chevrolet SSR

In the midst of the mid-2000s retro craze, the Chevrolet development team came up with a crazy idea to produce a nostalgic two-seater convertible pickup with muscle car performance. The result was the SSR, a vehicle that looked unlike any other car on the market. But not necessarily in a good way. The 1950s-inspired design didn’t work well, so the SSR looked just plain odd.

Despite many efforts to make the SSR appealing to their intended audience, Chevrolet only sold around 24,000 of these oddballs. The result was a painful realization that they needed much more than a wild imagination to make that concept work.

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21. Volkswagen Phaeton

This car was one of the most expensive flops in recent years and a clear case of misjudgment from Volkswagen. They built a luxury sedan as a company that specializes in economy models. And they used a Bentley Continental platform, big engines, and upscale features.

But the market wasn’t ready for a brand that gained fame with affordable models to introduce a luxurious land barge. So unfortunately the Phaeton failed worldwide despite being a fantastic car. Even though it is affordable on the used car market, people just don’t want to buy it.

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20. Suzuki Kizashi

This car was an interesting proposition with good mechanics, decent looks, and powerful engines. While all that looked rather good on paper, it couldn’t translate to high sales figures. That was because of bad marketing, as well as a rather bizarre recall due to the possibility of spiders weaving webs in the fuel tank.

Also, the Kizashi usually sold within Hyundai and Subaru dealer networks, so buyers simply chose brands they were more familiar with.

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19. Hummer H2

When they first introduced the Hummer H2 in the early 2000s, it was considered over-the-top for customers who were looking for attention. Also, it was for drivers who didn’t care about fuel efficiency or the environment. However, since then, the Hummer H2 has lost much of its appeal.

In fact, the general car-buying market realized it was just a big wagon without any off-road abilities. Also, it doesn’t have much usable space, a terrible fuel economy, and questionable styling.

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18. Cadillac ELR

Cadillac’s brave attempt to break into the luxury EV market didn’t pay off since their customers ignored the ELR. Although the car was cool-looking and luxurious, it came in a rather limited range. Also, it had a high price and strange marketing.

In addition, they presented the ELR at the same time when Tesla started producing the more practical and cooler Model S, Sadly, the ELR’s fate was sealed in just a couple of years on the market.

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17. Kia Cadenza

The days of big sedans are numbered. If you look at the modern car market, you will see that SUVs had taken over. Kia learned that the hard way when they introduced the Cadenza a few years back.

Although the car was decent in all aspects, it was just nothing special. Perhaps it was even too boring for the average buyer to notice it. Also, the SUV craze killed it after just a few years. The result was annual sales figures below 10,000, which was just pathetic.

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16. Mitsubishi i-MiEV

If you think that the Mirage is bad, just wait until you hear about the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric model. The move to introduce an all-electric car was a smart move for Mitsubishi since this segment was promising. But if you want to sell cars, you have to offer something substantial to buyers and Mitsubishi failed to do that. The i-MiEV is painfully slow to recharge. In fact, it takes between seven and 21 hours to fully recharge the batteries.

That’s essentially forever when you compare it to other electric cars on the market. Also, when you do recharge it, the drive is terrible. The interior is outdated, cramped, and just not nice. The car, in general, is undeveloped, clumsy, and painfully slow. In comparison to other electric cars in its class, like the Nissan Leaf, the i-MiEV looks like an unfinished prototype.

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15. Cadillac L62 Engine

Back in the early ’80s when fuel efficiency and cost savings were the most sought-after imperatives in the car game, auto manufacturers were experimenting with various different engines and drivetrain options. So Cadillac decided to install a fancy electronic cylinder deactivation system on their gasoline V8s. That meant when cruising around town, the car will use only four cylinders. The car would deactivate the rest electronically.

That stopped the fuel delivery and shut down the spark plugs. When the driver needed more power, the car would activate two more cylinders, making the engine a V6. Then when the throttle was pushed to the end, all eight cylinders would fire right up and deliver full power. However, as soon they delivered the first engine, the problems started. Simply, the electronic system was terribly unreliable, so the engine tended to get stuck in one mode, and most often as a four-cylinder.

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14. Sterling 825

If you don’t know what the Sterling 825 is, nobody can blame you. They once marketed it as the next big thing in the luxury segment on the American market. But sadly, the Sterling is now a forgotten brand that didn’t make its mark. Soon, it moved to the margins of automotive history. The Sterling had an interesting story. It was basically a British company they established in the late ’80s with Honda’s capital and Rover’s design.

But after the introduction of the 825 in 1987 and promising sales numbers in the first few months, problems showed up. The Sterling was poorly put together. Also, the electronics were troublesome and some cars even developed rust issues. Honda tried to improve the production process but there wasn’t much they could do. So, by the early ’90s, the Sterling was gone yet nobody was sad about it including Honda.

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13. Honda CRZ

When they presented it in 2010, the CRZ was an innovative compact hybrid-powered coupe. It looked like a spiritual successor to the legendary CRX. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even close, with the 1.5-liter engine producing barely 130 HP. Along with the heavy hybrid add-ons, the CRZ was slow and didn’t handle as it should.

So, needless to say, the Honda guys were disappointed. They marketed the CRZ as the successor to the light, nimble and lively CRX of the ’80s. However, it wasn’t even close. Above all else, it had a high price for its class, which left many buyers angry.

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12. Lexus 200 CT H

Lexus insists it is a brand that can beat German cars in the luxury game. And sure enough, it tries hard to do so. However, sometimes the failure is obvious, like in the case of the CT 200 H. Marketed as a premium compact hatch with a performance edge, the CT 200 H is nothing more than a Prius in fancy clothes.

This means it is painfully slow and dull to drive, making it embarrassing at a stoplight. This is not something people want to buy. In fact, every magazine that tested the 200 CT H was disappointed with its slow performance and poor driving dynamics.

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11. 1980 Chevrolet Corvette C3

In 1970, the hottest Corvette delivered 435 HP. But in 1980, the hottest Corvette produced a disappointing 180 HP. And in California, it was even 10 HP less due to stricter emission standards. So, what happened in just 10 years and where did all those horses go?

When the recession, emission standards, and safety regulations appeared, they killed almost all the performance of the legendary Corvette. Unfortunately, the 1980 Corvette a dinosaur with old technology under its plastic skin. Also, it had a lazy engine and an outdated interior. Unfortunately, it still looked like business, but the years caught up with it and the disco era was over.

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10. Bricklin SV-1

The SV-1 was the brainchild of automotive entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin. The Bricklin company produced it from 1974 to 1975 with less than 3,000 cars. For a short while, they marketed the SV-1 as the most advanced American sports car. However, as soon as the first cars started rolling down the assembly line, it was clear the SV-1 was not what people expected it to be.

Their idea was to produce a safe-yet-fast sports car with the name SV-1 for Safety Vehicle One. Bricklin designed the car with big bumpers and numerous additional features like warring sensors. It also came with power Gullwing doors and an integrated roll cage, making it heavy and not agile. It also came without any cigarette lighters. Power came from the 360 AMC V8 engine, which wasn’t powerful. Later the company turned to the 351 Ford V8, but it still couldn’t deliver any real performance. The public praised the SV-1 for its dedication to safety but criticized it for its lack of performance. Its heavyweight, high price tag, and poor build quality killed this car, ranking it among our list of flops.

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9. 1975 Chevrolet Vega Cosworth

After the debacle of the Chevrolet Corvair in the ’60s, the company was reluctant to enter the compact market again. But since the segment grew, Chevrolet didn’t have a choice. They presented the new Chevrolet Vega as a 1971 model. The Vega was a compact modernly-styled model with three basic body styles, a two-door coupe, two-door sedan, and a practical three-door wagon.

The front end closely resembled the design of the 1971 Camaro with a similar grille, headlights, and bumper. In 1975, Chevrolet even introduced an interesting although not-so-successful Vega Cosworth model. It featured a high revving 2.0-liter four-cylinder twin-cam motor that delivered 110 HP. Although it wasn’t particularly fast or strong, the Vega Cosworth was attractive with an interesting black and gold paint job and unique wheels. Still, it rated as one of many sales flops of its time.

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8. Pontiac Fiero

In the 1980s, everybody expected another GTO from Pontiac. However, they got a small sports car that was similar to something Italians would build. It was a bold move for Pontiac to introduce a compact rear-wheel-drive car with the engine positioned in the center and pair it up with a five-speed manual transaxle gearbox.

For the standards of the day, this was the most advanced American production model. Car customers were hyped by the appearance of the Fiero for its cool, modern design and advanced technology. The initial response was more than they expected. In 1983, sales figures were over 130,000 cars. Pontiac didn’t develop the Fiero, and early models were badly put together. The engine power wasn’t good great and the interior was cramped. GM responded by upgrading the car, and by the end of the ’80s, the Fiero was a sports car with 150 HP from a 2.8-liter V6 engine. Unfortunately, safety hazards made it one of the worst American sports car flops.

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7. Merkur XRT4 Ti

During the ’80s, Ford attempted several approaches in order to revive its performance image. One of them was the introduction of the Merkur XR4Ti model. This was basically a British Ford Sierra packed with a special aero package, a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and other improvements.

Ford envisioned it as a hot hatch with rear-wheel drive, racing credentials, and better driving dynamics than its front-wheel-drive competitors. Unfortunately, the Merkur XR4Ti proved to be unsuccessful since it was expensive, ranking among sales flops as the American market did not understand Ford’s vision.

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6. Plymouth Prowler

The hot rod culture is one of the key pieces of overall American automotive culture. However, no company ever dared to present a factory-built hot rod until 1997 when Plymouth presented the Prowler. It was a retro-futuristic roadster with a V6 engine and a unique look.

They imagined the Prowler as a follow-up to the Viper. Fortunately, the Prowler was a hit on the show circuit, and Chrysler understandably wanted to capitalize on that. Despite having some initial success, the car proved to be a failure and now ranks as one of the biggest sales flops. Customers expected V8 power instead of V6 power.

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5. 2004-06 Pontiac GTO

Pontiac got the message with the success of the GTO Concept in 1999. But the biggest problem was that they planned to discontinue the Firebird/Trans Am so there was no appropriate platform or design to base the GTO on. Pontiac and General Motors didn’t have the time or money to invest in a new platform, so GM looked to its subsidiaries, finding the perfect car in Australia. Holden, GM’s Australian branch, produced a rear-wheel-drive muscle car called the Monaro. It sat on a modern chassis with a sleek two-door body just like the original GTO. It also had an independent rear suspension and disc brakes. GM’s plan was to import the Monaro to the USA and rebadge it as a GTO.

But things didn’t work out as they planned. The first year for the modern GTO was 2004 and the car received universal praise from the buyers and the car press. Under the hood was the LS1 5.7-liter V8 with 350 HP, delivering enough performance to be one of the hottest American cars for 2004. The target sales figure was 18,000 and Pontiac sold almost 14,000, which was considered a success. Pontiac presented the 400 HP 6.2-liter engine, delivering better performance in 2005. Although it had a 0 to 60 mph time of just 4.6 seconds, sales started to decline to 11,000 and threatening to rank it among flops in 2006. The car didn’t excite customers like the original GTO. The design was restrained and not aggressive. Although it was fast, as an overall package, the new GTO didn’t appeal to drivers, which was the main reason for its early demise.

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4. Suzuki Samurai

The Samurai sold well in the states from 1985 to 1989. But then a harsh Consumer Reports article brutally interrupted its career. It stated that the Samurai was a small death trap on wheels. The article explained that this little SUV was prone to roll-overs that had been the cause of many accidents, including some with fatal outcomes.

Suzuki sued Consumer Reports claiming that this wasn’t true, and the case dragged on for 10 years. Eventually, they settled out of court. Although some independent reporters proved the little Samurai was a bit unstable, it was not as catastrophically lethal as Consumer Reports claimed. Unfortunately, the damage was done and they withdrew the Samurai from the U.S. market, even though they continued to sell it to the rest of the world. Today, you can find the Samurai here and there, and the controversy about its stability could add value at some point.

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3. Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

If you think the industry has invented all the car classes it possibly could, you’re wrong. There’s always room for more concepts. One of those was Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. If you’re not familiar with this car, that’s because Nissan only offered it for sale from 2011 to 2014. Also, they limited production to small numbers.

Nissan realized SUVs were getting more luxurious and people were seeking a more personalized product. The company decided to go a step further and present a convertible SUV. It would have the advantages of an SUV in terms of ride height, comfort, and usability with the luxury and open-air feel of a convertible. Despite the almost bespoke nature of this car and dependable Nissan technology, the CrossCabriolet flopped.

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2. Acura ZDX

Honda’s luxury division, Acura, is famous for its elegant cars, powerful engines, and quality. But did you know the company is also famous for the strange and ugly model called the ZDX? Acura offered it for just three years as its attempt to present the combinations of a sedan, a crossover, and an SUV. It ended up being none of the three.

Despite the smart technical layout, decent power, and interior features, car buyers simply didn’t like the ZDX. By the time they discontinued it, Acura managed to sell just 7,200 of them.

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1. Fiat 500X

The Fiat 500 is a cute little car, especially if you have the Abarth version. The 500L is bigger and a bit more practical, but it’s not particularly nice or dynamic to drive. Sadly, the 500X is even worse. It looks like a compact SUV, but it doesn’t have anything going on. Although it is a two-wheel-drive vehicle, it’s sluggish and odd-looking.

For those reasons, it isn’t a surprise that the 500X is a flop. It’s a terrible value for the money and doesn’t offer any real advantages over other cars. Also, it’s no surprise that Fiat has withdrawn the 500X from the U.S. market, as well. These are the top 40 cars everyone should avoid by any means. Have you ever owned or driven one of them? If so, you understand the disappointment and frustration they brought to their owners.

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Cars Drivers Should Avoid & Never Look Back

33. Pontiac Aztek

32. Renault LeCar

31. Ford Pinto

30. Chevrolet Cobalt

29. Cadillac Cimarron

28. Oldsmobile Cutlass Diesel

27. Volkswagen Passat TDI

26. Cadillac ATS

25. Honda Insight

24. Chrysler 200

23. Ford Explorer

22. Chevrolet SSR

21. Volkswagen Phaeton

20. Suzuki Kizashi

19. Hummer H2

18. Cadillac ELR

17. Kia Cadenza

16. Mitsubishi i-MiEV

15. Cadillac L62 Engine

14. Sterling 825

13. Honda CRZ

12. Lexus 200 CT H

11. 1980 Chevrolet Corvette C3

10. Bricklin SV-1

9. 1975 Chevrolet Vega Cosworth

8. Pontiac Fiero

7. Merkur XRT4 Ti

6. Plymouth Prowler

5. 2004-06 Pontiac GTO

4. Suzuki Samurai

3. Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

2. Acura ZDX

1. Fiat 500X

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