The fat lady has finally sung. The Truth About Cars (TTAC) and its faithful readers have identified the Ten Worst cars for sale in America in 2007. We began with a list of 136 reader-nominated vehicles. Our writers narrowed the field of bad dreams down to 20 finalists. By popular vote, you selected the ten most odious automobiles. And the winners are after the jump (we need the page views).
10. Saturn ION - The lame duck ION waddles off the field of battle without achieving any glory whatsoever. From its Frankensteinian proportions and ditchwater dull detailing, to misaligned panel gaps visible from low earth orbit, to a Playskool-inspired dash made of recycled plastic swords, to engines so coarse they might as well been stickered for agricultural use only, the ION was a born loser. If only Saturn has followed its own advice to re-think American. - SM
9. Chrysler Aspen Its OK love your SUV. Just not this one. The Chrysler Aspen is a cynical repackaging of the Pleistocene-era Dodge Durango, complete with an arthritic suspension and interior appointments youre best advised not keep. Its ugly, slow (even with a Hemi underhood) and badly built. Its no wonder Aspen customers are lined-up none deep. - SM
8. Chevrolet TrailBlazer / GMC Envoy / Isuzu Ascender / Saab 9-7X - These four remaining examples of the GMT-360 platform are old school SUVs in strictest sense of the term; anyone whose education involved spending endless hours at a desk nailed to the floor in a drafty, cheerless classroom will know what I mean. Were talking Trabant-class fit and finish and Yugo-compatible interior design. Although there may be a good reason to buy one, you can hear the competition singing anything you can do I can do better. And by God, theyre right. - AD
7. Hummer H2 - According to its detractors, the H2 represents everything thats wrong with SUVs. We agree. The H2s immense charisma has vanished as quickly as hopes for rapid fire nation building you-know-where. All that's left (automotively speaking) is a huge, slow, thirsty, ungainly five-year-old truck based on an eight-year-old platform. Sure, the H2 is great off road as long its a double wide path. Meanwhile, you might as wear a freshly-bludgeoned baby seal as drive this big rig. How great is that? - JB
6. Hummer H3 - The H3 is a 4700lbs. truck with a 220 horsepower five-cylinder engine. For those of you who dont count rivets for fun, the H2s baby brother is thirstier than Lindsay Lohan fresh out of rehab, slower than continental drift and rougher than Class VI rapids. Its gangsta style portals severely limit visibility and the back seat is adult aversive. Hell, its not even available in Jackass Yellow. No, you take it off-road. Im buying a Grand Cherokee. - JB
5. Chevrolet Uplander - Last years worst of the worst is finally making its exit. Good riddance to bad rubbish. Chevy's dead van walking never fooled anyone with its SUV-wannabe styling and piss-poor platform. The only remnant of GMs po-faced assault on the minivan market can't hit the ash can of automotive history soon enough. - FW
4. Dodge Nitro The Nitro is the answer to a question nobody asked: who wants a rough-running, gas-guzzling, hard-shifting, sloppy handling, cheaply adorned, pavement bound, neutered Jeep? Comic book styling cant overcome the Nitros fundamental lack of fundamentals. Its a four-wheeled testament to Chryslers brand mismanagement and thoroughly inept product development. - WM
3. Chevrolet Aveo - From its tinny-sounding doors to its penalty box interior, the Aveo screams cheap more loudly (and persistently) than an amphetamine-crazed parrot. Normally slow means frugal. Not here. So whats the point? Now that GM has proven they cant build a decent small car in the U.S., perhaps theyre trying to demonstrate that they cant build one in Korea either. Done. - FW
2. Chrysler Sebring - The Sebring is a born rental car. Its hideous in a deeply bland sort of way. Its cabin, handling, acceleration, and ride quality (or complete lack thereof) are to driving pleasure what hair shirts are to eczema sufferers. The fact that Chrysler is contemplating killing the Sebring less than a year after its launch confirms it: this is an automobile even its mother cant love. - RF
1. Jeep Compass Jeeps recipe for disaster is both simple and comprehensive: laughable aesthetics, second-rate road manners, poky performance and interior materials pulled from the bottom drawer of Chryslers parts bin. But the Compass mortal sin- for which weve slated it before, from which it can never be redeemed- is the fact that this re-skinned all wheel-drive Dodge Caliber wears the storied Jeep badge. For shame. - WM
And there you have it: ignominy on wheels. With your help weve named and shamed the Ten Worst cars sold in America in 2007. Heres hoping their manufacturers appreciate a little TTAC tough love. If not, well, theres always next year!
10. Saturn ION - The lame duck ION waddles off the field of battle without achieving any glory whatsoever. From its Frankensteinian proportions and ditchwater dull detailing, to misaligned panel gaps visible from low earth orbit, to a Playskool-inspired dash made of recycled plastic swords, to engines so coarse they might as well been stickered for agricultural use only, the ION was a born loser. If only Saturn has followed its own advice to re-think American. - SM
9. Chrysler Aspen Its OK love your SUV. Just not this one. The Chrysler Aspen is a cynical repackaging of the Pleistocene-era Dodge Durango, complete with an arthritic suspension and interior appointments youre best advised not keep. Its ugly, slow (even with a Hemi underhood) and badly built. Its no wonder Aspen customers are lined-up none deep. - SM
8. Chevrolet TrailBlazer / GMC Envoy / Isuzu Ascender / Saab 9-7X - These four remaining examples of the GMT-360 platform are old school SUVs in strictest sense of the term; anyone whose education involved spending endless hours at a desk nailed to the floor in a drafty, cheerless classroom will know what I mean. Were talking Trabant-class fit and finish and Yugo-compatible interior design. Although there may be a good reason to buy one, you can hear the competition singing anything you can do I can do better. And by God, theyre right. - AD
7. Hummer H2 - According to its detractors, the H2 represents everything thats wrong with SUVs. We agree. The H2s immense charisma has vanished as quickly as hopes for rapid fire nation building you-know-where. All that's left (automotively speaking) is a huge, slow, thirsty, ungainly five-year-old truck based on an eight-year-old platform. Sure, the H2 is great off road as long its a double wide path. Meanwhile, you might as wear a freshly-bludgeoned baby seal as drive this big rig. How great is that? - JB
6. Hummer H3 - The H3 is a 4700lbs. truck with a 220 horsepower five-cylinder engine. For those of you who dont count rivets for fun, the H2s baby brother is thirstier than Lindsay Lohan fresh out of rehab, slower than continental drift and rougher than Class VI rapids. Its gangsta style portals severely limit visibility and the back seat is adult aversive. Hell, its not even available in Jackass Yellow. No, you take it off-road. Im buying a Grand Cherokee. - JB
5. Chevrolet Uplander - Last years worst of the worst is finally making its exit. Good riddance to bad rubbish. Chevy's dead van walking never fooled anyone with its SUV-wannabe styling and piss-poor platform. The only remnant of GMs po-faced assault on the minivan market can't hit the ash can of automotive history soon enough. - FW
4. Dodge Nitro The Nitro is the answer to a question nobody asked: who wants a rough-running, gas-guzzling, hard-shifting, sloppy handling, cheaply adorned, pavement bound, neutered Jeep? Comic book styling cant overcome the Nitros fundamental lack of fundamentals. Its a four-wheeled testament to Chryslers brand mismanagement and thoroughly inept product development. - WM
3. Chevrolet Aveo - From its tinny-sounding doors to its penalty box interior, the Aveo screams cheap more loudly (and persistently) than an amphetamine-crazed parrot. Normally slow means frugal. Not here. So whats the point? Now that GM has proven they cant build a decent small car in the U.S., perhaps theyre trying to demonstrate that they cant build one in Korea either. Done. - FW
2. Chrysler Sebring - The Sebring is a born rental car. Its hideous in a deeply bland sort of way. Its cabin, handling, acceleration, and ride quality (or complete lack thereof) are to driving pleasure what hair shirts are to eczema sufferers. The fact that Chrysler is contemplating killing the Sebring less than a year after its launch confirms it: this is an automobile even its mother cant love. - RF
1. Jeep Compass Jeeps recipe for disaster is both simple and comprehensive: laughable aesthetics, second-rate road manners, poky performance and interior materials pulled from the bottom drawer of Chryslers parts bin. But the Compass mortal sin- for which weve slated it before, from which it can never be redeemed- is the fact that this re-skinned all wheel-drive Dodge Caliber wears the storied Jeep badge. For shame. - WM
And there you have it: ignominy on wheels. With your help weve named and shamed the Ten Worst cars sold in America in 2007. Heres hoping their manufacturers appreciate a little TTAC tough love. If not, well, theres always next year!
