The Most Embarrassing Cars To Drive

[Tom Geiger]

The Geo Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick is just the 2nd generation Samurai. They renamed it after the whole Consumer Reports Slander/Scandal.

Um no, The Tracker / Sidekick is a much larger and more refined vehicle than the Samurai. The world version of this one was called the Escudo / Vitara.

I rented a Samurai in Aruba in 1991 and thought it was fun to drive on the beaches there. I test drove one in NJ and discovered I'd never want to drive one in American traffic. So I went a model up and got the Tracker, which I've owned since 1991. Bigger vehicle, bigger more powerful engine, better suspension and air conditioning.

[Craig Irwin]

All automotive styling went to heck in a handbasket about 1973. (Just about the time the government started telling the manufacturers what they could and couldn't build)

[clovis]

You kind of have to wonder why they make some of these vehicles. It should cost no more to make a good looking car than it does to make an ugly one. No ?

I think that the car companies want to be edgy in their design, to try to attract new customers, and some do it so they can say they were first in a new style.

Either way, most of these smaller companies miss the mark by a mile, sign off on tremendously ugly stuff, and try to pawn it off to the consumer.

[Maindrian Pace]

How did the Aztec and the Town Car score the same number? Who were the 1,500 licensed drivers surveyed, hipsters on Mephedrone?

-MJS

[martinfan5]

The not so new , new Beetle , well for a guy anyways

[ToyLvr]

All automotive styling went to heck in a handbasket about 1973. (Just about the time the government started telling the manufacturers what they could and couldn't build)

I couldn't agree more!

Do you folks know what a Camel is? It's a horse that was designed by a committee....

[Ridge Rider]

All automotive styling went to heck in a handbasket about 1973. (Just about the time the government started telling the manufacturers what they could and couldn't build)

There's a lot of truth in that statement. I would not own any of these, but would not be embarrassed by any of these--unless I actually spent good money for them.

[Tom Geiger]

How did the Aztec and the Town Car score the same number? Who were the 1,500 licensed drivers surveyed, hipsters on Mephedrone?

Funny story... my grandfather bought a fully loaded Crown Vic as his last car. The article said the Town Car made the list because driving it you'd look like a retiree. My grandfather was a retiree, but he didn't want a Town Car because he didn't want to look like a limo driver!

[Ben]

What about the Nissan Juke? Or Puke as some of my friends like to call it!

You beat me to it!!!!!! That has to be the ugliest car ever made!!!!!! I call it a "Puke" or a Nissan "Joke"!

[Erik Smith]

[Harry P.]

Has anyone mentioned a Hummer yet?

Now there is a car I would truly be embarrassed to be seen in.

[Erik Smith]

Has anyone mentioned a Hummer yet?

Now there is a car I would truly be embarrassed to be seen in.

I get embarrassed just seeing somebody else driving a Hummer.

[Joe Handley]

So long as it's not one of those new Nissan vans!

[Deathgoblin]

How about the current Xb and XD from Scion? I liked the original Xb, but once they stretched it and changed the nose it wasn't cute and boxy anymore. The XD was always hideous. What they did to the Xb is actually why I like the Nissan Cube.

Never really had a problem with the Lincoln Town Car. I do have issue with the MKX. It's a Ford Edge with some extra chrome, but little else to make it stylistically different from the Edge. Not impressed. I do like the MKZ.

[Agent G]

Not impressed with any of Lincoln's current offerings.

I was considering a Cadillac XTS until I saw the MPG estimates, 14/19-22. I'm told in practise it is worse. Something about taking a V6 and squeezing 400+ ponies from it. Why not a small V8 Cadillac?

G

[sjordan2]

After several years in the European sports car community, having owned a number of Alfas and a Porsche, I was somewhat drummed out of the cool car corps when I bought a C4 Corvette, which would have embarrassed them. But I silently chuckled to myself, knowing that I had more performance value, and more reliability, than any of the other guys and for a lot less money. As for myself, I had hated pre-92 Corvettes for sloppy handling, but the major changes they made gave me a whole new perspective.

Edited August 10, 2013 by sjordan2

[Harry P.]

After several years in the European sports car community, having owned a number of Alfas and a Porsche, I was somewhat drummed out of the cool car corps when I bought a C4 Corvette, which would have embarrassed them. But I silently chuckled to myself, knowing that I had more performance value, and more reliability, than any of the other guys and for a lot less money. As for myself, I had hated pre-92 Corvettes for sloppy handling, but the major changes they made gave me a whole new perspective.

I don't think there's any Corvette I'd be embarrassed to be seen in.

[sjordan2]

I don't think there's any Corvette I'd be embarrassed to be seen in.

I don't think there's any Corvette I'd be embarrassed to be seen in.

If you'd driven the other European performance cars and then driven a pre-92 Corvette with lousy road manners, vague steering and inadequate brakes, you'd know what I'm talking about. Brute power with horrible driving characteristics. I was never bothered by the often-criticized cheap interiors, and I'm now a Corvette fan forever. My '94 was even more fun than a couple of V12 Ferrari 330s that I was able to drive often. Except GM has stopped providing parts for C4 and earlier Corvettes. Good luck finding body and glass parts which, though they look similar over the 12-year run, vary significantly depending on the model year of C4 Corvettes -- far more different than you'd expect.

Edited August 10, 2013 by sjordan2

[Austin T]

I don't think there's any Corvette I'd be embarrassed to be seen in.

Oh really now...

[Harry P.]

Oh really now...C6CorvetteFromHell0005.jpg

Factory Corvette, not some guy's clown car.

[Harry P.]

If you'd driven the other European performance cars and then driven a pre-92 Corvette with lousy road manners, vague steering and inadequate brakes, you'd know what I'm talking about. Brute power with horrible driving characteristics. I was never bothered by the often-criticized cheap interiors, and I'm now a Corvette fan forever.

I know all about the cheesy GM-grade interiors and sloppy handling, etc. But ever since I was a kid I've wanted a Corvette. Maybe some day... a '68 Marina Blue with a white interior...

[Austin T]

Factory Corvette, not some guy's clown car.

Kinda figured that's what you meant,but on a thread like this I had to mention the "Dragon Corvette"

[Harry P.]

Kinda figured that's what you meant,but on a thread like this I had to mention the "Dragon Corvette"

Pretty sure we're talking factory cars here, not aftermarket uh... "creations." Because you can take any car and turn it into an embarrassment if you have enough "talent" and a JC Whitney catalog...

[Agent G]

I had a '93 Corvette, for a while anyway. It was no sooner delivered and child #3 let us know she was arriving in a few months. I haven't been enthusied about Corvettes since then, until I saw the '14 Stingray. I just might have to have me one of them.

G

[Harry P.]

I had a '93 Corvette, for a while anyway. It was no sooner delivered and child #3 let us know she was arriving in a few months. I haven't been enthusied about Corvettes since then, until I saw the '14 Stingray. I just might have to have me one of them.

G

Oddly enough, the '90s Corvettes are the ones I like least of all of them. But I still wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen driving one!