The World's Most Hated Cars
Some cars make you wonder what the designers were thinking. Maybe they were too ambitious. Maybe they just ignored common sense. Either way, these cars became legends for all the wrong reasons—mocked, ridiculed, and meme-worthy. Buckle up because we’re taking a ride through automotive history’s biggest “what were they thinking?” moments. How many of these have you hated on before?
1. Toyota Prius
Few cars have sparked as much debate as the old models of Toyota Prius, essentially from the early 2000s. Those models were known for slow acceleration, lackluster design, and, some argue, a certain holier-than-thou attitude among owners. Thankfully, the latest models launched in 2023 and later are proving that Prius has overcome some of that hate.
Rutger van der Maar on Wikimedia
2. Chrysler PT Cruiser
The PT Cruiser had a bold mission: bring back vintage charm with modern practicality. Unfortunately, the execution missed the mark. Critics couldn’t get past its awkward, bulbous design, and owners found its lackluster performance equally uninspiring. Despite a niche fan base, the PT Cruiser mostly remains a cautionary tale in automotive styling.
3. Nissan Juke
Some cars turn heads for the right reasons. The Nissan Juke? Well, people were mostly turning to get a second look at its unusual front-end design. Its bug-eyed headlights and curvy shape were, let’s say, unique. Though undeniably different, the Juke proved that bold doesn’t always mean beautiful.
4. Smart ForTwo
On paper, the Smart ForTwo made sense. It was a tiny, city-friendly car for urban commuters. In reality, it was impractical, underpowered, and alarmingly vulnerable on highways. With limited storage, questionable safety, and a jerky transmission, the Smart ForTwo showed that smaller isn’t always smarter.
5. Hummer H2
The Hummer H2 roared onto the streets, a beast born from military DNA and consumer ambition. It dominated roads, guzzled fuel, and drained wallets. To some, it was power incarnate. To others? Just an unnecessary indulgence. Critics and environmentalists alike targeted the H2 for embodying wastefulness and excess in the automotive industry.
6. Pontiac Aztek
If the Pontiac Aztek had debuted in today’s crossover-heavy market, perhaps its story would’ve been different. Instead, it arrived in the early 2000s, looking like an SUV that had been redesigned mid-production by a committee. A mix of awkward angles and mismatched proportions doomed it to infamy, though it did find some redemption as Walter White’s ride in Breaking Bad.
7. Yugo GV
When the Yugo GV hit American roads, its biggest selling point was its price tag. Unfortunately, that’s about all it had going for it. The car was slow and prone to falling apart (sometimes literally). It quickly became the punchline of automotive jokes, securing its place as one of history’s most infamous flops.
8. Cadillac Cimarron
Cadillac’s attempt to break into the compact car market resulted in the Cimarron, a vehicle that looked expensive but felt suspiciously like a low-budget sedan. That’s because it was. Under its Cadillac badge was a dressed-up Chevrolet Cavalier. Unsurprisingly, buyers weren’t fooled, and the Cimarron became a cautionary tale about cutting corners in luxury branding.
9. Ford Edsel
Few cars have failed as spectacularly as the Ford Edsel. Marketed as the next big thing, it arrived with an odd front grille, a steep price tag, and branding confusion that left buyers cold. Despite massive hype, the Edsel flopped so hard that it turned into a case study in failed marketing. That’s a legacy no car manufacturer hopes to achieve.
Phil Parker from Leamington Spa, UK on Wikimedia
10. Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Is it an SUV? A convertible? A fever dream of an overambitious design team? The Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet was a rare misstep in an otherwise successful lineup. While Nissan deserves credit for thinking outside the box, the final product felt too impractical to attract SUV buyers and too bulky to appeal to convertible fans. It was a solution to a problem no one had.
11. Fiat Multipla
Some cars get called “ugly,” but the Fiat Multipla practically redefined the word. With a bizarre, double-layered headlight design and an awkwardly wide stance, it looked like a styling experiment gone terribly wrong. Surprisingly practical inside, it still couldn’t escape its fate of being labeled one of the strangest-looking cars ever made.
Guillaume Vachey from Chalon sur Saone, France on Wikimedia
12. Chevrolet Corvair
The Corvair could have been a classic if not for one damning detail: safety concerns. Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed accused it of dangerous handling flaws, leading to public distrust. Though later tests questioned the severity of these claims, the damage was done.
13. Ford Pinto
The Ford Pinto’s rear-mounted gas tank design led to deadly fires and crashes, earning it a permanent place in automotive infamy. The controversy over Ford’s handling of the issue only made things worse. Later recalled, it was a compact car with an explosive reputation.
User Morven on en.wikipedia on Wikimedia
14. Renault Dauphine
Speed demons, look away! This was a car that took “slow” to a new level. The Renault Dauphine was underpowered and painfully sluggish for many drivers. You can call it an example of “French frustration” rather than “French elegance.”
15. Subaru 360
Subaru’s first attempt at the U.S. market wasn’t exactly a success. The 360 arrived as an affordable import but forgot one small detail: meeting basic safety standards. “Cheap and cheerful”? No, it was fragile and terrifying. Branded a “death trap,” it vanished from showrooms almost as fast as it arrived.
16. Range Rover Evoque Hybrid (2020)
Luxury SUVs are expected to be both stylish and reliable. The 2020 Range Rover Evoque Hybrid nailed the first part but not the second. There were reports that the car had software glitches, and some owners found mechanical failures in a few models.
17. AMC Gremlin
Some cars are sleek, some are sporty, and then there’s the AMC Gremlin. With a rear end that looks like it was chopped with a hacksaw, it hit the market as a cheap alternative to imports. Driving it wasn’t much better. Today, it’s either nostalgic or laughable, depending on who you ask.
18. Saturn Ion
Saturn aimed to stand out with the Ion, but not always in the right ways. The center-mounted instrument panel was distracting, the interior felt cheap, and its CVT transmission was plagued with issues. Even loyal Saturn fans struggled to defend it. So, the Ion became one of the brand’s most notorious failures.
19. SsangYong Rodius
It takes a special kind of design to win the “Ugliest Car” award, and SsangYong Rodius did it effortlessly. Somewhere between a minivan, an SUV, and an unfortunate accident, its mismatched proportions baffled critics. Still, it had space and utility, if only you could get past the looks. Most people couldn’t.
20. Morris Marina
The Morris Marina was meant to be an affordable, practical British sedan. Instead, it became a running joke. Outdated even when new, it suffered from rust, weak performance, and a complete lack of excitement. The car wasn’t just bad. It was the kind that made you wonder if the designers had given up halfway through.
