The 2000s was the decade car design went to die an undignified death, and yesterday we asked you what the worst vehicles of the decade have been. And boy did you have any feelings.
10. Nissan Altima
Nissan Altima. It’s the introduction of the bad-credit Nissan driver you now see weaving through traffic with the spare bald donut on the front wheel.
What you see here is the birth of a meme.
Suggested by: 89islander
9. Dodge Caliber
I think the Dodge Caliber is right up there. Awful quality interior materials put together with indifference, driving position like sitting in a bathtub, lackluster engine made worse by a groaning CVT. Not really good at everything he’s supposed to do.
They killed the PT Cruiser for nothing.
Suggested by: Beasy Mist
8. Chevrolet Aveo
My vote for worst would be the Chevrolet Aveo.
I drove one around 2010, and I was FURIOUS. Worst new car to sell at the time – because it reminded me of a shitty car from 1993 – in a way that no new car had for at least a decade or more. Basically, GM was doing something so bad so many years later that they should be ashamed.
At least it came in a good color.
Suggested by: CycleReport_Nate
7.Chevrolet HHR
The utterly disgusting 2005-11 Chevy HHR.
It was a cheap cynical copy of the already cheap Chrysler PT Cruiser, with a barbed plastic finish inside that would make a Yugo feel like a luxury vehicle, and you could hardly escape a curse if you needed a car rental in the late 2000s.
Handling was absolutely non-existent, even compared to the PT Cruiser, I remember laughing out loud when the tires started to chirp and complain as I took fairly steady cloverleaf freeway exits/entrances at pace over 30 mph (no more than the poor guy understeers his ugly nose in the grass). I could take the exact same exit/entry with a rental PT Cruiser at 40 mph with no drama.
Visibility with the tiny windows was a disaster, which is bad because you really wanted to avoid looking at that vomiting-inducing interior that you can’t touch because your fingers will literally bleed (yes, there was an unfinished plastic beard near the driver’s mirror adjustment which fortunately lodged in my finger).
It was both dangerous at any speed and trash at any speed. Easily the worst thing GM produced in the 2000s…
A friend of mine’s mom had a Chevy HHR for about six months before she finally tore her hair out and bought something else.
Suggested by: GTO62
6.Kia Rio
How could we let Kia get away with this?
2007 Kia Rio, was an absolute eyesore marketed as a sports car
Suggested by @RatRunner48 via Twitter
5. Ion Saturn
The Saturn Ion was the worst car I’ve driven in a decade.
Yeah, but it’s so cute.
Suggested by @Twiffalo via Twitter
4.Chevrolet SSR
Chevrolet SSR. Shit like a truck, no sport, overpriced, shitty interior, looks like melted soap, drives worse.
Imagine designing this, stepping back and saying, “Yes. That’s perfect.” What happened? Where did he go?
Suggested by: Andy Jensen via Facebook
3. Dodge the Avenger
The 2008 Avenger and Sebring. It was a 10 year old car when they came out. Terrible drivelines, cheap interior, ill-fitting panels and terrible reliability.
My family almost bought an Avenger. We dodged a bullet.
Suggested by: Scott Pro via Facebook
2. Jeep Compass
Since the Caliber was mentioned, how about its mechanical cousin, the first-generation Jeep Compass.
As one great reviewer replied, “it looks like a giant eraser.” It is, my friend. It’s the case.
Suggested by: Tony La Russa’s Frosty Ass
1. Lobster H2
Fruit at hand, but the H2 was Dubya’s “Mission Accomplished” banner in vehicle form.
It was by all accounts excellent off-road, but as a mall crawler status symbol, it was a terrible, sloppy pig with a dollar-store interior. I feel immense pity for every underpaid limo driver who gets stuck with a stretched
The Hummer H2 was a huge hit for my younger brother and I, largely because we could buy a remote control version suitable for Barbies and GI Joes.
Suggested by: Maymar