30 Japanese Cars Auto Companies Messed Up Big Time

Cameron Eittreim October 15, 2021

4: 2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R

In the mid-2000s, there were all-kind compact cars catering to the tuning market. Whether it was the Dodge Neon SRT or the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. Nissan figured they’d throw their hat into the race. The Sentra SE-R had a good concept, but the end result was lacking in several areas (via Car and Driver).

For starters, the SE-R was more of an appearance package than anything. Nissan didn’t up the ante with any sort of performance enhancement. This meant that while the badge on the car read “SE-R”, there was no performance enhancement to speak of. The Sentra has never been considered a sports car, but Nissan missed the mark with this one.

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Nissan Cube Via Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

3: Nissan Cube

The thing with automotive design trends is that they don’t stick. Scion hit gold with the XB in 2004 but Nissan tried the same thing almost a decade later. The Cube didn’t connect with consumers on any level. Unlike the XB the Cube was just considered a knockoff of the earlier Scion car and no one went for it (via Axle Addict).

Nissan attempted to sell a couple of these horrible models to no avail. While the Cube had some unique dynamics the final product was lacking. The lethargic performance and lack of innovation left the Cube sitting on dealership lots. The car could have been so much more but Nissan dropped the ball on it.

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2: Nissan Murano Cabriolet

We have to give Nissan credit for pushing the envelope when it comes to design. The Murano Cabriolet was a unique-looking car. It wasn’t the first SUV to get a convertible top, but it was definitely the poorest selling. The egg-shaped design and the fact that it was a Nissan just didn’t sit well with consumers at all (via Jalopnik).

When you think of an SUV having a convertible top, this just isn’t the norm. Take the Jeep Wrangler, for instance, the removable top is like a badge of honor. On the Murano not so much, which meant that the sales were lackluster. The Murano Cabriolet will undoubtedly go down as one of the weirdest Nissan models.

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1: Nissan Juke

Finally, we’ve come to the Nissan Juke, a car that needs no introduction. The bug-eyed Nissan was supposed to reinvigorate the lineup but it didn’t do any such thing. The Juke was unlike anything else that was on the market at the time. The tiny styling of the car was reminiscent of a crossover SUV in a much smaller package (via EVO).

Nissan was attempting to attract a younger customer base with the Juke. Unlike the Kia Soul and other competitors, the Juke managed to cultivate a cult-like following. But as time went on, consumers moved onto other vehicles in the same segment. The Juke somehow continued on without a major refresh and it was ultimately discontinued.

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30 Japanese Cars Auto Companies Messed Up Big Time

4: 2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R

3: Nissan Cube

2: Nissan Murano Cabriolet

1: Nissan Juke

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