What are your 10 least favourite cars?
Discussion
And why? Not all of these are "bad" cars but I have just never liked them for one reason or another. So in no particular order:
1) Austin Metro/Maestro - one of my best friends had both of these in sixth form and all I can say is that they were marginally better than getting the bus but had just as little cred and both seemed very dated against the competition almost as soon as they had been launched. The MG versions can have a bye and it's not an Austin Rover thing, as I didn't mind the Montego and like Rovers in general. I guess a tidy Austin Metro would have some FOTU cred but the Maestro was never cool and never will be.
2) Ford Escort mk5 - old Fords are generally more fondly remembered than contemporary Vauxhalls but I think some people forget just how bad these early 90s Fords were. I had been a fan of Fords in the 80s, so went to look at a facelift mk5 as an "upgrade" from my 1.1 (first car). It was a red 1.8 LX, so looked the part with its body-colour bumpers, boot spoiler and sporty wheel trims but it was just awful to drive and the seat frame was collapsing despite it being only 5 years old.
3) 1st gen Mercedes-Benz A-Class - my first Mercedes-Benz experience and a very disappointing one with build quality being pretty poor and few redeeming features other than the badge.
4) Peugeot 307 - Peugeot were flying high in the 1990s with a range of very pretty and great driving cars, so this "turd" of a replacement for the much loved 306 was a bit of a surprise.
5) Vauxhall Corsa (D?)/Vectra C - I often defend Vauxhalls (particularly from the 1990s), as although they were often dynamically inferior to their Ford counterparts, they looked decent, had better engines and often nicer interiors but I just can't defend these two mid-2000s Vauxhalls. Horrible, cheap interiors, ugly and just horrid to drive.
6)1st gen Kia Soul - many modern Kias are pretty decent cars but I just can't stand the 1st gen Soul, the definition of NVH.
7) BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe - kind of sums up everything that is wrong with modern BMWs to me. It's not RWD, it doesn't have any nice engine options and it doesn't even look good. I can forgive the current 1-Series a bit more, as it does at least offer competitive practicality for the class.
8) More a type of car than a specific one but the "premium" SUV coupe as epitomised by BMW/Mercedes ie BMW X4/X6, GLC/GLE Coupe. They look awful to my eyes and eliminate the biggest advantage of an SUV ie the boxy, practical rear.
9) Lamborghini Urus - this is about as far as you can get from the Lamborghini that I dream of owning. A horrible, vulgar thing and the Audi RS Q8 is both cheaper and cooler in my view.
10) I really dislike the Tesla Model Y but accept that it is probably quite a decent car, so any of the bland Chinese Evs really (MG/BYD/Jaecoo).
So what are your 10 least favourite cars and why?
1) Austin Metro/Maestro - one of my best friends had both of these in sixth form and all I can say is that they were marginally better than getting the bus but had just as little cred and both seemed very dated against the competition almost as soon as they had been launched. The MG versions can have a bye and it's not an Austin Rover thing, as I didn't mind the Montego and like Rovers in general. I guess a tidy Austin Metro would have some FOTU cred but the Maestro was never cool and never will be.
2) Ford Escort mk5 - old Fords are generally more fondly remembered than contemporary Vauxhalls but I think some people forget just how bad these early 90s Fords were. I had been a fan of Fords in the 80s, so went to look at a facelift mk5 as an "upgrade" from my 1.1 (first car). It was a red 1.8 LX, so looked the part with its body-colour bumpers, boot spoiler and sporty wheel trims but it was just awful to drive and the seat frame was collapsing despite it being only 5 years old.
3) 1st gen Mercedes-Benz A-Class - my first Mercedes-Benz experience and a very disappointing one with build quality being pretty poor and few redeeming features other than the badge.
4) Peugeot 307 - Peugeot were flying high in the 1990s with a range of very pretty and great driving cars, so this "turd" of a replacement for the much loved 306 was a bit of a surprise.
5) Vauxhall Corsa (D?)/Vectra C - I often defend Vauxhalls (particularly from the 1990s), as although they were often dynamically inferior to their Ford counterparts, they looked decent, had better engines and often nicer interiors but I just can't defend these two mid-2000s Vauxhalls. Horrible, cheap interiors, ugly and just horrid to drive.
6)1st gen Kia Soul - many modern Kias are pretty decent cars but I just can't stand the 1st gen Soul, the definition of NVH.
7) BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe - kind of sums up everything that is wrong with modern BMWs to me. It's not RWD, it doesn't have any nice engine options and it doesn't even look good. I can forgive the current 1-Series a bit more, as it does at least offer competitive practicality for the class.
8) More a type of car than a specific one but the "premium" SUV coupe as epitomised by BMW/Mercedes ie BMW X4/X6, GLC/GLE Coupe. They look awful to my eyes and eliminate the biggest advantage of an SUV ie the boxy, practical rear.
9) Lamborghini Urus - this is about as far as you can get from the Lamborghini that I dream of owning. A horrible, vulgar thing and the Audi RS Q8 is both cheaper and cooler in my view.
10) I really dislike the Tesla Model Y but accept that it is probably quite a decent car, so any of the bland Chinese Evs really (MG/BYD/Jaecoo).
So what are your 10 least favourite cars and why?
Edited by Starsky80 on Monday 6th July 10:26
Edited by Starsky80 on Monday 6th July 11:39
2007 Toyota Avensis. Company car. Comfy seats, but handled like a boat, had a plastic steering wheel, and the dealer broke something every time it was serviced.
2016 Mondeo. Also a company car. Huge outside, not huge inside. Slow and thirsty. Awful seats - gave me a bad back for months. Digital dash cut out more than once while driving. Awful dealers.
Apart from those I've been lucky.
2016 Mondeo. Also a company car. Huge outside, not huge inside. Slow and thirsty. Awful seats - gave me a bad back for months. Digital dash cut out more than once while driving. Awful dealers.
Apart from those I've been lucky.
Can't agree on the 307, we had one for a bit and it was a comfy, simple and pleasant car.
It's quite hard to think to cars I actively hate, because I do love cars generally and can appreciate them all in different ways. I struggle to have anything possible to say about a Urus, either as a car or three image it projects, so probably that.
It's quite hard to think to cars I actively hate, because I do love cars generally and can appreciate them all in different ways. I struggle to have anything possible to say about a Urus, either as a car or three image it projects, so probably that.
Starsky80 said:
And why? Not all of these are "bad" cars but I have just never liked them for one reason or another. So in no particular order:
3) 1st gen Mercedes-Benz A-Class - my first Mercedes-Benz experience and a very disappointing one with build quality being pretty poor and few redeeming features other than the badge.
It was the car put forward by accountants to introduce Mercedes to the mass market. It was a brilliant concept with tons of leg room even in standard SWB variants. But quality was KWALITY with a Kaptial K. My Dad had one and we had a box in the boot for bit of plastic trim and covers that we couldn't work out where they came from!3) 1st gen Mercedes-Benz A-Class - my first Mercedes-Benz experience and a very disappointing one with build quality being pretty poor and few redeeming features other than the badge.
Starsky80 said:
More a type of car than a specific one but the "premium" SUV coupe as epitomised by BMW/Mercedes ie BMW X4/X6, GLC/GLE Coupe. They look awful to my eyes and eliminate the biggest advantage of an SUV ie the boxy, practical rear.
The bustlebutt cars. A true triumph of style over taste and rapidly being copied by other manufacturers. The original X6 and Merc GLE were gopping, they've aged so badly, and have a really negative drug dealer image. Original buyers seemed to be middle aged hardmen. Am I being unfair? Have you ever sat in the rear of an original X6? At a powerfully built 5ft7.5" my head touches the roof. Not touches the headlining, but firmly up against the roof.MikeM6 said:
Can't agree on the 307, we had one for a bit and it was a comfy, simple and pleasant car.
It's quite hard to think to cars I actively hate, because I do love cars generally and can appreciate them all in different ways. I struggle to have anything possible to say about a Urus, either as a car or three image it projects, so probably that.
The specific one that I drove was an early diesel one from Aberdeen back to Manchester. The seats were not comfortable (usually a Peugeot strength), bits of trim were falling off and it just felt dull and lifeless. I later drove a later 307 SW and in fairness it was better but working in the motor trade in the mid-2000s, we took a fair few in trade and they always had issues/broken trim and just felt really cheap and nasty. Perhaps there were worse Peugeots but this felt like a bit of a turning point from Peugeot being a well-loved, almost "premium" brand in the UK to something cheap, low quality and unexceptional. I think perhaps Peugeot are only just starting to get their "mojo" back, as they have some really stylish cars on sale today but perhaps in the UK at least, the damage has already been done and the horse (or perhaps it should be lion) has already bolted?It's quite hard to think to cars I actively hate, because I do love cars generally and can appreciate them all in different ways. I struggle to have anything possible to say about a Urus, either as a car or three image it projects, so probably that.
Zetec-S said:
Vauxhall Corsa, had the (dis)pleasure of driving a couple over the years as hire cars. I can only assume the people who bought them have never driven a Fiesta.
In fairness the Fiesta was one of the better-driving cars in the class but I thought the first two Corsas (B/C) were on a par with most other stuff e.g. Polo in the class to drive. They fixed the driving experience of the Fiesta in the mid-90s but that basic shape that came out at the end of the 1980s was still in production until the early 2000s and looked pretty dated (the original Corsa had come and gone in that time) compared to the Corsa C, was cramped in comparison and felt pretty cheap inside and with a propensity to rust. It was the next Corsa (the one that looked like it had melted in the sun) that felt really subpar to me and at least subjectively inferior in quality/build. The mk7 Fiesta (one that came out at the end of the 2000s) was the killer blow for the Corsa but it has to be said that the Fiesta is now dead and gone and the Corsa is still going and appears to still be selling well! I have to say that it looks pretty decent. I haven't driven one and am not a fan of that Stellantis 3 cylinder petrol engine however, so would probably lean towards the VAG offerings.Sporky said:
2007 Toyota Avensis. Company car. Comfy seats, but handled like a boat, had a plastic steering wheel, and the dealer broke something every time it was serviced.
2016 Mondeo. Also a company car. Huge outside, not huge inside. Slow and thirsty. Awful seats - gave me a bad back for months. Digital dash cut out more than once while driving. Awful dealers.
Apart from those I've been lucky.
Yeah, that last Mondeo was rather disappointing. I've never owned a Ford but have enjoyed driving them and thought that I would give a 2.0 Ecoboost one a try when I bought my last car, as it was competitive with the Golf that I was also looking at and offered a bit more power for the money but it felt very poorly resolved compared to the Volkswagen, so I stuck with the VW. Previous iterations of the Mondeo have been very good cars in my experience, so that came as a surprise.2016 Mondeo. Also a company car. Huge outside, not huge inside. Slow and thirsty. Awful seats - gave me a bad back for months. Digital dash cut out more than once while driving. Awful dealers.
Apart from those I've been lucky.
Not driven the Avensis but I expect quite bland/underwhelming.
Starsky80 said:
The specific one that I drove was an early diesel one from Aberdeen back to Manchester. The seats were not comfortable (usually a Peugeot strength), bits of trim were falling off and it just felt dull and lifeless. I later drove a later 307 SW and in fairness it was better but working in the motor trade in the mid-2000s, we took a fair few in trade and they always had issues/broken trim and just felt really cheap and nasty. Perhaps there were worse Peugeots but this felt like a bit of a turning point from Peugeot being a well-loved, almost "premium" brand in the UK to something cheap, low quality and unexceptional. I think perhaps Peugeot are only just starting to get their "mojo" back, as they have some really stylish cars on sale today but perhaps in the UK at least, the damage has already been done and the horse (or perhaps it should be lion) has already bolted?
Fair enough, we all have different experiences of cars and different expectations. I had never thought of Peugeot as premium though. It was always a budget brand alongside Citroen, Ford and Vauxhall to me.MikeM6 said:
Starsky80 said:
The specific one that I drove was an early diesel one from Aberdeen back to Manchester. The seats were not comfortable (usually a Peugeot strength), bits of trim were falling off and it just felt dull and lifeless. I later drove a later 307 SW and in fairness it was better but working in the motor trade in the mid-2000s, we took a fair few in trade and they always had issues/broken trim and just felt really cheap and nasty. Perhaps there were worse Peugeots but this felt like a bit of a turning point from Peugeot being a well-loved, almost "premium" brand in the UK to something cheap, low quality and unexceptional. I think perhaps Peugeot are only just starting to get their "mojo" back, as they have some really stylish cars on sale today but perhaps in the UK at least, the damage has already been done and the horse (or perhaps it should be lion) has already bolted?
Fair enough, we all have different experiences of cars and different expectations. I had never thought of Peugeot as premium though. It was always a budget brand alongside Citroen, Ford and Vauxhall to me.Edited by Starsky80 on Monday 6th July 11:50
Starsky80 said:
Yeah, that last Mondeo was rather disappointing. I've never owned a Ford but have enjoyed driving them and thought that I would give a 2.0 Ecoboost one a try when I bought my last car, as it was competitive with the Golf that I was also looking at and offered a bit more power for the money but it felt very poorly resolved compared to the Volkswagen, so I stuck with the VW. Previous iterations of the Mondeo have been very good cars in my experience, so that came as a surprise.
Not driven the Avensis but I expect quite bland/underwhelming.
Yup. I briefly had a previous generation Mondeo before that one, and it was fine. Not I-get-the-fuss great, but perfectly good. Not driven the Avensis but I expect quite bland/underwhelming.
The Avensis was just joyless. Nothing quite wrong with it (apart from the awful steering wheel and crap satnav), but I resented it. I had a Fabia estate before it that was enormously better in every respect.
10 is quite high especially if you're going for ones you really dislike and have driven/owned.
Few things come to mind that I've driven though.
Nissan Juke - Just everything about it is terrible. Ride, power, visability, size, space, looks. Hateful.
Mercedes A Class - Crap interior, dull to be around and in, infinitely worse than all it's competitors and not as affordable. Proper, why would you buy that when x exists type car.
Fiat 500 - Don't get them. Unless your 4 they're just a bit rubbish. Jittery and cramped.
Audi TT - Specifically mk1/2 just what? Ugly, cramped and a bit dull to drive compared to it's competitors. Fortune to repair and a disaster to be in if you're taller than 5ft7 or have legs.
Few things come to mind that I've driven though.
Nissan Juke - Just everything about it is terrible. Ride, power, visability, size, space, looks. Hateful.
Mercedes A Class - Crap interior, dull to be around and in, infinitely worse than all it's competitors and not as affordable. Proper, why would you buy that when x exists type car.
Fiat 500 - Don't get them. Unless your 4 they're just a bit rubbish. Jittery and cramped.
Audi TT - Specifically mk1/2 just what? Ugly, cramped and a bit dull to drive compared to it's competitors. Fortune to repair and a disaster to be in if you're taller than 5ft7 or have legs.
Not sure if I'm saddened or heartened to find many of my favourite cars on the list of others least favourites. If I posted my 'list' people would think I was being deliberately 'edgy' or controversial so I won't, but having owned a load of admittedly older metal including many BMW, Mercedes, Jaguars and a few Porsche, my favourite cars owned remain a 54hp Cinquecento Sporting, a 750l Fiat Panda, a diesel drop top 'original' new Beetle with 180k miles or so, my 34hp 1200 '72 Beetle and my StreetKa and my current diesel Mini...
...you appreciate my problem...
...you appreciate my problem...
biggbn said:
Not sure if I'm saddened or heartened to find many of my favourite cars on the list of others least favourites. If I posted my 'list' people would think I was being deliberately 'edgy' or controversial so I won't, but having owned a load of admittedly older metal including many BMW, Mercedes, Jaguars and a few Porsche, my favourite cars owned remain a 54hp Cinquecento Sporting, a 750l Fiat Panda, a diesel drop top 'original' new Beetle with 180k miles or so, my 34hp 1200 '72 Beetle and my StreetKa and my current diesel Mini...
...you appreciate my problem...
Have owned most of those cars (not the Panda or classic Beetle), so none of them would be on my least favourite list....you appreciate my problem...
J4CKO said:
Alorotom said:
I dont have 10, but do have 2:
1) E39 5 series - hateful thing, moved it on within a couple of weeks after buying based on PH hype (mine was a 530)
2) Chrysler PT Cruiser - made me feel seasick with its wallowy suspension
Mate, you just admitted to have a PT cruiser....1) E39 5 series - hateful thing, moved it on within a couple of weeks after buying based on PH hype (mine was a 530)
2) Chrysler PT Cruiser - made me feel seasick with its wallowy suspension
Starsky80 said:
biggbn said:
Not sure if I'm saddened or heartened to find many of my favourite cars on the list of others least favourites. If I posted my 'list' people would think I was being deliberately 'edgy' or controversial so I won't, but having owned a load of admittedly older metal including many BMW, Mercedes, Jaguars and a few Porsche, my favourite cars owned remain a 54hp Cinquecento Sporting, a 750l Fiat Panda, a diesel drop top 'original' new Beetle with 180k miles or so, my 34hp 1200 '72 Beetle and my StreetKa and my current diesel Mini...
...you appreciate my problem...
Have owned most of those cars (not the Panda or classic Beetle), so none of them would be on my least favourite list....you appreciate my problem...
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