The Truth about Cars Announces Ten Worst Automobiles for 2007
11-10-07, 03:05 PM
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The Truth about Cars Announces Ten Worst Automobiles for 2007
The Truth about Cars Announces Ten Worst Automobiles for 2007
Jeep Compass Takes the Biggest Hit by Website’s Readers
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Truth About Cars (TTAC) website has named its Ten Worst Automobiles for 2007. According to TTAC publisher Robert Farago, the second annual award names and shames “the worst of the worst.” “From a long and ignoble list of nominees, our readers have chosen ten cars that are less desirable than swordfish ice cream. They’re a rolling condemnation of their manufacturers’ lack of vision, taste, engineering and marketing.”
The ten finalists were chosen by the automotive website’s 27k+ daily readers via an online poll. TTAC readers submitted 136 vehicles for the Ten Worst Automobiles Award. The site’s writers narrowed the nominees down to a short list of 20 vehicles. TTAC then provided an online poll to select the final ten “winners.”
This year, all ten finalists are either Chrysler or General Motors’ products. Despite the domestic domination, Farago rejects the idea that TTAC readers are biased against Motown manufacturers.
“Detroit makes some great cars, trucks and SUVs,” Farago insists. “And there were plenty of other brands that earned a place on our list of nominees and finalists. But like our writers, TTAC readers call it like they see it. These are the cars that they believe deserve a quiet, dignified and immediate death.”
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 you’re best advised not keep. It’s ugly, slow (even with a Hemi underhood) and badly built. It’s no wonder Aspen customers are lined-up none deep." - SM
8. Chevrolet TrailBlazer / GMC Envoy / Isuzu Ascender / Saab 9-7X - "These are the four remaining examples of Ye Olde GMT-360 SUV platform. They’re 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. We’re talking Trabant-class interior 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, they’re right." - AD
7. Hummer H2 - "According to its detractors, the H2 represents everything that’s wrong with SUVs. We agree. The H2’s immense charisma has vanished as quickly as hopes for a little rapid fire nation building you-know-where. All that's left 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 it’s 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 don’t count rivets for fun, the H2’s baby brother is thirstier than Lindsay Lohan just 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, it’s not even available in Jackass Yellow. No, you take it off-road. I’m buying a Grand Cherokee." - JB
5. Chevrolet Uplander - "Last year’s top dog is making its exit, but not gracefully. This dead van walking never fooled anyone with its SUV-wannabe styling on a poorly engineered ‘90s-era platform. It’s the only remnant left of GM’s half-assed assault on the minivan market, and it’ll soon be gone. Just not 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 can’t overcome the Nitro’s fundamental lack of fundamentals. It’s a four-wheeled testament to Chrysler’s 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… what’s the point? Now that GM has proven they can’t build a decent small car in the U.S., perhaps they’re trying to demonstrate that they can’t build one in Korea either. Done." - FW
2. Chrysler Sebring - "The Sebring is a born rental car. It’s hideous in a deeply bland sort of way. Its cabin, handling, acceleration, and ride quality (or complete lack thereof) is to driving pleasure what hair shirts are to eczema sufferers. The fact that Chrysler is contemplating to kill the Sebring less than a year after its launch confirms it: this is an automobile even its mother can’t love." -RF
1. Jeep Compass – "Jeep’s 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 Chrysler’s parts bin. But the Compass’ mortal sin-– for which we’ve 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
Jeep Compass Takes the Biggest Hit by Website’s Readers
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Truth About Cars (TTAC) website has named its Ten Worst Automobiles for 2007. According to TTAC publisher Robert Farago, the second annual award names and shames “the worst of the worst.” “From a long and ignoble list of nominees, our readers have chosen ten cars that are less desirable than swordfish ice cream. They’re a rolling condemnation of their manufacturers’ lack of vision, taste, engineering and marketing.”
The ten finalists were chosen by the automotive website’s 27k+ daily readers via an online poll. TTAC readers submitted 136 vehicles for the Ten Worst Automobiles Award. The site’s writers narrowed the nominees down to a short list of 20 vehicles. TTAC then provided an online poll to select the final ten “winners.”
This year, all ten finalists are either Chrysler or General Motors’ products. Despite the domestic domination, Farago rejects the idea that TTAC readers are biased against Motown manufacturers.
“Detroit makes some great cars, trucks and SUVs,” Farago insists. “And there were plenty of other brands that earned a place on our list of nominees and finalists. But like our writers, TTAC readers call it like they see it. These are the cars that they believe deserve a quiet, dignified and immediate death.”
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 you’re best advised not keep. It’s ugly, slow (even with a Hemi underhood) and badly built. It’s no wonder Aspen customers are lined-up none deep." - SM
8. Chevrolet TrailBlazer / GMC Envoy / Isuzu Ascender / Saab 9-7X - "These are the four remaining examples of Ye Olde GMT-360 SUV platform. They’re 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. We’re talking Trabant-class interior 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, they’re right." - AD
7. Hummer H2 - "According to its detractors, the H2 represents everything that’s wrong with SUVs. We agree. The H2’s immense charisma has vanished as quickly as hopes for a little rapid fire nation building you-know-where. All that's left 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 it’s 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 don’t count rivets for fun, the H2’s baby brother is thirstier than Lindsay Lohan just 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, it’s not even available in Jackass Yellow. No, you take it off-road. I’m buying a Grand Cherokee." - JB
5. Chevrolet Uplander - "Last year’s top dog is making its exit, but not gracefully. This dead van walking never fooled anyone with its SUV-wannabe styling on a poorly engineered ‘90s-era platform. It’s the only remnant left of GM’s half-assed assault on the minivan market, and it’ll soon be gone. Just not 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 can’t overcome the Nitro’s fundamental lack of fundamentals. It’s a four-wheeled testament to Chrysler’s 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… what’s the point? Now that GM has proven they can’t build a decent small car in the U.S., perhaps they’re trying to demonstrate that they can’t build one in Korea either. Done." - FW
2. Chrysler Sebring - "The Sebring is a born rental car. It’s hideous in a deeply bland sort of way. Its cabin, handling, acceleration, and ride quality (or complete lack thereof) is to driving pleasure what hair shirts are to eczema sufferers. The fact that Chrysler is contemplating to kill the Sebring less than a year after its launch confirms it: this is an automobile even its mother can’t love." -RF
1. Jeep Compass – "Jeep’s 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 Chrysler’s parts bin. But the Compass’ mortal sin-– for which we’ve 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
11-10-07, 03:17 PM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
I have to agree with most of these choices. About only good thing the Ion has going for it are the dent/corrosion resistant plastic panels (I've looked at and driven the Ion but did not formally write it up)......Saturn has really shot itself in the foot by getting rid of them on all their other new products.
The Nitro and Compass (I have reviewed both) are cheap, flimsy, and are almost an insult to the modern auto industry....they are the two worst vehicles I have reviewed lately. The Hummer H2 and H3, despite the macho military image they try to project, are simply redone ordinary 4WD GM pickups, unlike the military-sourced....and now defunct..... H1.
I also agree that the Chrysler Aspen, though glitzy and plush inside, is not particularly well-built, but I have to take issue with their "arthiritic" suspension comment. Mid-large size SUV's like that are not supposed to be sports cars, and I see nothing wrong with a little comfort built into the chassis. Too many SUV's ride like dump trucks as it is.....it is nice that the Aspen doesn't.
The Nitro and Compass (I have reviewed both) are cheap, flimsy, and are almost an insult to the modern auto industry....they are the two worst vehicles I have reviewed lately. The Hummer H2 and H3, despite the macho military image they try to project, are simply redone ordinary 4WD GM pickups, unlike the military-sourced....and now defunct..... H1.
I also agree that the Chrysler Aspen, though glitzy and plush inside, is not particularly well-built, but I have to take issue with their "arthiritic" suspension comment. Mid-large size SUV's like that are not supposed to be sports cars, and I see nothing wrong with a little comfort built into the chassis. Too many SUV's ride like dump trucks as it is.....it is nice that the Aspen doesn't.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-10-07 at 03:21 PM.
11-10-07, 04:05 PM
#3
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Strange....I was just talking to my brother the other day about the worst cars out right now. 9/10 of those cars are what I called out and the only one that I didn't nail was the Chrysler Aspen. Did anyone notice there isn't one import on that list?
11-10-07, 05:50 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, it's a more upscale (and slower-selling) version of the Dodge Durango. It's never really caught on with the public the way the Durango did. The Aspen name was first used on a RWD compact-size car that Dodge sold from 1976 to 1980...it replaced the Dodge Dart.
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11-10-07, 08:09 PM
#8
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...the H2’s baby brother is thirstier than Lindsay Lohan just out of rehab,
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