These Are The Worst Cars Ever Made In Automotive History
No car company sets out to make a terrible car, but somehow, these horribly designed cars keep popping up throughout history. Either the design is off, or the engine doesn't function properly, or the gas mileage is miserable. If you take a look back and examine all of the absolute lemons that have been created and sold in the past, you can learn a thing or two about buying a car in the present.
Let's take a look at these terrible cars so we can know what to look out for the next time we think about making any kind of automotive purchase.
The Cadillac Fleetwood Was Just Way Too Awkward
The Cadillac Fleetwood lasted 20 years in the market, which, all things considered, is a very long time. Even though it stuck around, it never quite found its footing. The car had a bad reputation for stalling, jerking, and making awkward noises.
Cadilac used the name "Fleetwood" to refer to cars with longer wheelbases than the DeVille and Series 62 Models. These cars were produced until 1996, but that year, only 15,109 units were produced by Cadillac, less than half of the 1993 production number.
Don't Remind Us About The PT Cruiser
For some reason, Chrysler decided that it would be a good idea to release a car with a retro look to it. While that idea may not have been totally awful, Chrysler also though that it would be ok to create a car that performed like it was around 50 years old.
The PT Cruiser failed to catch the eye of the consumer, who preferred more modern-looking cars and better overall performance. Around the same, time Ford tried to relaunch the Thunderbird to a similar lack of interest.
The Pontiac Aztek Was Never Anybody's Favorite
Car lovers started throwing shade at the Pontiac Aztek almost as soon as it was announced. Basically, the design of the car made absolutely no sense. The body of the car was made out of plastic, which just isn't safe for anybody.
Pontiac put some features into the vehicle that elevated the price of the car. As soon as people found out how expensive this car was, they ran the other way. Nobody wanted to pay big money for an ugly, unsafe car.
The Ford Pinto Tended To Explode
If you're thinking, a car is a car, how bad could a car really be? It's time for you to meet the Ford Pinto. This car was an absolute nightmare for Ford. The Pinto was supposed to be the future of compact cars, but the problem was, the model had a knack for exploding whenever it was hit by another vehicle.
Ford refused to fix the problem, instead preferring to pay any victims, we mean buyers, and end production of the vehicle.
The Mustang II Had Several Flaws
The Mustang II was based on the same idea as the Pinto. This car was supposed to be a coupe that handled the road like a roadster.
Unfortunately, like the Pinto, the Mustang II was basically one big mistake. It just didn't perform as well as other coupes or other roadsters. Upon its release, critics called the Mustang II the poor man's AMC Gremlin, a similar car that offered better performance. That being said, the Gremlin wasn't all that popular either.
The Peel Trident Was Just Wrong
This car looks like something straight out of The Jetsons. This car, if you can call it a car, was first introduced to the world in 1964 at the British Motorcycle Show. The vehicle was created to be an "occasional two-seater." By 1966, the Peel Engineering Company ended production on whatever this was supposed to be.
These cars still pop up on televised auto repair shows every now and again, but for the most part, they've disappeared from our collective consciousness.
The Smart Fortwo Couldn't Cool Down
Smart Cars are a good idea in theory, especially in places where parking is limited and fuel is expensive. These tiny cars came with their own set of problems, though. The Smart Fortwo was built with its engine in the back and cooling system in the front.
That means that any passengers would get quickly cooked by the car's engine. It was just way too hot in there. The heating and cooling problem proved to be too much for casual consumers, causing sales to plummet and almost bankrupting the brand.
The 2004 Chevy SSR Was All Show And No Performance
Chevy really went all out when it came to the design of the SSR. It turns out, SSR stands for "Super Sport Roadster." Unfortunately, the SSR refused to live up to its name. It was slow, sluggish, and it only looked good on the outside.
The car's body was too heavy for its engine, resulting in a sluggish performance that many critics described as lazy. Just as quickly as this car was released, it was put to rest.
The Lincoln Blackwood Lasted Less Than One Calendar Year
The Lincoln Blackwood was released in 2002, but if you're having a hard time remembering it that might be because it was taken off the market less than a year after it was introduced to the market. The Blackwood was a crossover project between Lincoln and Ford. The two companies decided to create a luxury pick-up truck. Consumers just weren't having it.
There was nothing wrong with this car, just nobody had any need for a luxury pick-up.
The Lamborghini LM002 Never Made Any Sense
Lamborghini's first mistake in designing and releasing the LM002 was thinking their consumer base wanted to take their car off roading. Before being released to the public, Lamborghini marketed the LM002 to the American military with their "Cheetah" prototype.
We don't think anyone buys a Lamborghini to go play in the mud, though. Lamborghini stuck by their beliefs, producing 382 of these off road super luxury vehicles between 1986 and 1993. It became known as the Lamborghini truck.
The 1975 AMC Pacer Wasn't Good For The Average Joe
The 1975 AMC Pacer did not help reverse the poor fortunes of the American Motor Company. Released at the height of the '70s compact car craze, the Pacer was the king of the hill when it came to size and fuel economy.
Getting behind the wheel of one, however, turned out to be pretty dangerous. Critics were quick to point out the Pacer's poor performance and difficult handling. In other words, the car might have been fun for race car drivers, but not consumers who just wanted to get to and from work safely.
The Maserati Biturbo Didn't Do Anything Good For The Brand
In the early '80s, Maserati was under new ownership who wanted to released a "more affordable" sports car under the brand name. The result was the Biturbo, a car which many blame for Maserati leaving the American market in 1991.
Surprisingly, Maserati kept making Biturbos overseas until 1997. In 2002, the brand finally returned to the United States. The Maserati Spyder, priced at $89,000, helped the company return to prominence, with over 800 orders placed (high for a luxury model) before it was even shipped.
The Ferrari Mondial 8 Wasn't Meant To Be
The Ferrari Mondial 8 was produced for two years starting in 1980. In that time there was a rumor that every single model's system failed. That's how bad this car's reputation was. It was replaced in 1983 by the Mondial QV.
At the time of its release, the Mondial 8 wasn't met with the worst reviews. It was called "impressive" and "respectable." It was only after the car was on the road for about a year that the truth came out. In a retrospective, Time Magazine listed it as the eighth worst car of all-time.
The Chevrolet Chevette Couldn't Get With The Times
Under the hood, there was nothing wrong with the Chevrolet Chevette. At the time Chevy commissioned the sub-compact car to be made, Americans were energy conscious, preferring fuel efficient and smaller cars. By the time the car finally came out, however, big trucks were making a comeback.
Chevrolet initially predicted that 275,000 Chevettes would be sold, including 150,000 from import sales. By 1976, those same predictions were cut in half. By the end of the '70s, the Chevette became the best selling small car in America, which sadly wasn't enough to save it.
The Trabant Was The Poor Man's Volkswagon's Beetle
When the Berlin Wall went up, Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany. Volkswagon existed in the west and was flying high on the success of the Beetle. East Germany refused to buy cars from the west and came up with the Trabant.
The problem was too many features were missing from the Trabant to make it worth driving. There were no seat belts, the hood needed to be opened to refill its gas tank, and there was no fuel gauge or tachometer on the inside. Yikes!
The Triumph TR7 Cost A Fortune To Maintain
From 1974 until 1981, the Triumph TR7 haunted roads in the Unites States and the United Kingdom. Well, it was supposed to come out in 1974, but production delays pushed back its actual release to 1975 (United States) and 1976 (United Kingdom), which was the first sign of trouble.
Early models were littered with maintenance problem, turning the sports car into one of the more expensive vehicles to own. By 1980's redesign, a lot of these issues were gone and car enthusiasts were starting to come around, but it was too late for the general public to care.
The Morgan Plus 8 Was A Gas Nightmare
Made by British manufacturer Morgan, the Morgan Plus 8 is credited with saving the company. That doesn't mean the car was without any quirks, though. In the United States specifically, the car was fitted to run off of propane, the only way it could pass emissions tests at the time.
So what were the results of running the car on propane instead of traditional fuel? It felt sluggish, making 30 miles per hour feel like 60 miles per hours.
The 1998 Fiat Multipla Left Us All Scratching Our Heads
Designed as a minivan, the Fiat Multipla left consumers scratching their heads when it was released in 1998. The car brand planned to use the new model as the heir to the throne of the Multipla name. Instead, it was the downfall.
The biggest problem was that the 1998 Multipla just made no sense. It looked like Fiat took several different car designs, smushed them together, then crossed their fingers for good luck. In its inaugural year, only 426 of these strange beasts were sold.
The 1947 Davis D-2 Divan Never Took Off
Only in Hollywood would a car company come up with the Davis D-2 Diva. The strange, and we're guessing futuristic looking(?), car was designed by the Davis Motor Company in Southern California. Thankfully for everyone involved, it never found its way to the market.
The auto maker's owner was notorious for shady business practices and overestimated the supply he needed of the vehicle. Investors, in turn, became increasingly upset waiting for their return. Eventually, they abandoned ship, sinking the D-2 Divan for good.
The Zundapp Janus Always Looked Like It Was Backwards
Perhaps the most absurd car on this list, the 1958 Zundapp Janus holds a special place in our confused little hearts. When its doors are open, it's impossible to tell which end is the front, and which end is the back.
The car was designed by a motorcycle company trying to make a splash in the car industry. Wanting to stand out, the put the doors to the Janus in the front and back. And if that wasn't bad enough, the car could only reach a top speed of 50 miles per hours, which is great if you prefer driving in the slow lane.
The Ford Edsel Didn't Meet Expectations
You know what they say in marketing: under promise and over deliver. Unfortunately for Ford, the exact opposite is what happened with its Edsel sedan when they presented it as the "car of the future." Consumers found the Edsel to be underwhelming and overpriced. Whoops.
Today, the name "Edsel" is synonymous with "commercial failure." Especially since it was named in honor of Edsel B. Ford, the son of company founder Henry Ford. Edsels were only manufactured from 1958 through 1960.
The Suzuki Samurai Got Horrible Reviews
Although the Suzuki Samurai has its fair share of die-hard fans, it was completely torn apart by Consumer Reports in 1988 when the esteemed publication called it "dangerously unsafe" for roads. Consumer Reports actually demanded that Suzuki recall the vehicles due to its findings.
Although it was later discovered that the magazine had tweaked its testing method to boost the possibility of rollovers, the brand never recovered from the public condemnation. In 2012, Suzuki withdrew from the American auto market.
The Saturn ION Had Too Many Issues
The Saturn ION was sold by Saturn under the GM Delta platform from 2003 and 2007. Its automatic transmission was problematic because of a "shift flare" which was a disorienting shift pattern that ended up scaring some drivers. When the transmission downshifted on a downward incline, as the driver released the gas pedal, it created a lurching sensation.
The ION also had trouble with transmission failures, with keys becoming stuck in the ignition, and with a problem where the engine wouldn't shut off. No big deal, right? GM ended production of the ION in 2007.
The Chevy Bel Air Didn't Live Up To The Hype
Some people still have high opinions of the iconic Chevy Bel Air, but in reality, this model was one of the worst cars that Chevy ever put out. Some Bel Airs were up to snuff, but the 1955-57 model was just terrible.
The '55 Bel Air was just a generic, mass-produced money grab. The car performed ok, but it wasn't anything special. Maybe people gave it more credit than it was worth because it was sporting a shiny chevy logo.
The Chevy Vega Fell From Grace
The Chevy Vega received plenty of attention and praise when it was first introduced. It was even named the 1971 Motor Trend Car of the Year! That good reputation quickly unraveled though, as the 1971 Vega was riddled with problems. From a tendency to rust, to being unreliable, to engineering and engine problems, the car was a disaster.
Even though GM put the vehicle through a slew of design upgrades and recalls, it was just too much of a stain on the company's reputation and production ended with the 1977 model.
Chevy's 1980 Citation Was A Crime
The Chevrolet Citation was a frontrunner for compact cars entering the 1980s auto market. It initially sold well -- 800,000+ in its first year alone -- and was even named Motor Trend's Car of the Year in 1980. As a replacement to the disastrous Nova, the company had high hopes for the Citation.
Consumer Reports dashed that hope, however, when it declared that the car was so poorly designed that it was actually dangerous. Sales plummeted immediately, and Chevy stopped making the Citation by 1985.
The Plymouth Prowler Didn't Have Enough Power
Like many automobiles released in the 1990s, the Plymouth Prowler was not destined to become a classic. Although its designers took a look back at the days of hot rods for the Prowler's appearance, they apparently overlooked a key feature of hot rods: horsepower.
The Prowler's 3.5 liter V6 packed just a measly 250 horsepower. In 1999 the Prowler got a boost in power with 253HP, but a manual transmission wasn't even an option. Chrysler stopped producing the vehicles in 2002.
A Car With Three Wheels?
The Reliant Robin is a compact car produced by England's Reliant Motor Company. It's actually the second most popular fiberglass vehicle in England, despite its odd appearance and tendency to flip over due to its three-wheel design.
The Robin never took off in the United States, and many American drivers are surprised the first time they see one! A Reliant Robin was featured in an episode of Top Gear, in which host Jeremy Clarkson famously flipped the car with every turn he made (which he later admitted was a staged move).
The Dodge Omni Made A Big Splash
In 1977, Chrysler was in bankruptcy protection. But when the company released the Omni, sales of the tiny hatchback almost single-handedly brought Chrysler back. That doesn't mean the Omni was a good car, however.
Consumer Reports gave it a "Not Acceptable" rating, citing difficulty with maneuvering. Time magazine found similar faults with the Omni, and Chrysler responded with some tweaks to the vehicle. People bought the Omnis up like crazy, despite all their issues. Between 1977 to 1990, Chrysler produced almost three million of them.
The 1968 Ambassador Destroyed AMC's Reputation
As the first American car to offer air conditioning as a standard feature, AMC's 1968 Ambassador sedan was poised to be a huge hit. The company churned out lots of them to meet the demand they expected upon release. Unfortunately, this incarnation of the Ambassador was poorly engineered and one of its first models received a "Not Acceptable" rating from Consumer Reports.
Ouch. This complete failure crippled AMC's reputation as an independent automaker, and the company was eventually bought out by Chrysler in 1988.
The Elcar Made Zero Sense
The Italian company Zagato produced this zany electric microcar called the Elcar (known as the Zele in European markets). Zagato was known for collaborating with manufacturers like Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin to produce some amazingly gorgeous cars.
The fiberglass Elcar, on the other hand, was not considered an attractive car. Only in production from 1974 to 1976, it had a low top speed and a range of just 10 miles in weather below 40 degrees! And with a recharge time of eight hours, the Elcar never took off.
The Aston Martin Lagonda Looked Like An Aligator
The 1970s were some interesting years, and this vehicle that was introduced in 1974 is a perfect example of just how odd the decade was. The Aston Martin Lagonda is a luxury four-door vehicle built by the English company Aston Martin from 1974 to 1990. Only 645 were ever produced.
With a hefty price tag, the Lagonda failed (by a long shot) to meet expectations. Bloomberg Businessweek called it one of the 50 ugliest cars of the last 50 years, and Time magazine included it in its "50 Worst Cars of All Time" list. Time called it a mechanical "catastrophe" and said that its novel electronic instrument panel would have been impressive if it had actually worked.
The Yugo GV Wasn't Very Attractive
One Autotrader review of Yugo as a brand said, "it's generally agreed that the Yugo is one of the single worst cars ever sold in the United States." Manufactured by a Yugoslav company called Zastava Automobiles, the petite vehicles have long been the subject of ridicule in the US.
The GV model series is the one that was sold in America, and it's especially loathed. It has been included on numerous publications' "worst cars in history" lists, including Car Talk and Time magazine
People Called The Citroën Pluriel 'A Teapot On Wheels'
The French-produced Citroën Pluriel was panned by Top Gear Magazine, which declared that the vehicle is "about as useful as a chocolate teapot." The publication also added the supermini convertible to its "13 worst cars of the last 20 years" list.
Reviews indicate that the Pluriel is glitchy and problematic, boring to drive, and many people describe it as cheap-looking. Citroën withdrew the Pluriel from production in July of 2010.
Mitsubishi's Mirage Wasn't Anything Special
Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi started producing the Mirage in 1978. After a hiatus, they began manufacturing the vehicles again in 2012. The fact that it's still being produced doesn't mean that the Mirage is a good vehicle, however.
US News had this to say about the latest year's model. "The 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage ranks near the bottom of the subcompact car class. While it's affordable, the Mirage’s glacial acceleration, poor ride quality, cheap cabin materials, and uncomfortable seats all drag down its appeal."
The Trabant Was A Disaster Waiting To Happen
The East German car manufacturer VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau produced its Trabant model from 1957 to 1990. Known as a "spark plug with a roof," the cars nonetheless have a soft spot in some auto buffs' hearts and are sought-after by collectors.
As Wikipedia describes it, the 1980 Trabant had "no tachometer, no headlights or turn signals indicator, no fuel gauge, no rear seat belts, no external fuel door, and drivers had to pour a mix of gasoline and oil directly under the bonnet/hood." Doesn't sound very luxurious.
The 1967 Renault 10 Didn't Leave A Lasting Impression
The French Renault 10, with its rear engine and air conditioning, was wildly popular in the United States in the 1960s. However, the 1967 model was seen as a failure for problems with handling and braking.
In a review of the Renault 10 that year, The Enthusiast Network had this to say: "one serious fault we found is its sensitivity to the wind. Even playing with the tire pressures did nothing to improve its instability." Production of the 10 was ended in 1971.
The Mercedes CLA Wasn't Worth The Cash
You'd probably expect any Mercedes Benz to be pretty high-quality, given their hefty price tags. The CLA is a more budget-friendly model but doesn't have that famous Mercedes quality.
In Consumer Report's first review of the CLA, it said, "This coupe-ish sedan is certainly intriguing, but it begs the question whether a lower-cost car that dials back traditional Mercedes qualities will dilute this esteemed brand." The CLA has made it on the publication's "worst of" list nearly every year since its debut.
The DeLorean DMC-12 Didn't Sell As Well As You Might Think
The DeLorean DMC-12 is synonymous with the 1985 film Back to the Future, which is where many people were introduced to the iconic car. But don't let its fame or impressive appearance fool you: DeLoreans are often called expensive failures.
Deloreans are known to have many issues with their electrical systems, which leads to general reliability problems. Additionally, the cars are underpowered and have poor build quality. There's still a huge demand for the, though. In 2016 DMC in Texas announced that it was making 300 replica models.
The Dodge Royal Never Got Its Crown
The Dodge Royal was anything but royalty. Consumer Reports' review of the 1957 model was a laundry list of problems plaguing the sedan, from "disastrous" water leakage in the trunk and cabin to a tendency of parts to rust and fail.
Chrysler's reputation was marred by the Royal's many problems and it took years to rebuild itself as a reputable automaker. The Royal was discontinued for the 1960 model year.
