GM's full-size hybrids still get lousy mileage (25 percent better than bad still sucks). The new Dodge Challenger weighs more than two tons. The new four-door Honda Accord is goofy looking. Subaru has thrown Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility over the WRX and raised the STI's price into the Porschephere. The Jaguar XF is not half as sexy as the concept. BMWs keep getting uglier and Audis continue to bloat. And then there's the new Scion xB. As Paul Niedermeyer's review points out, its hundreds of pounds heavier than its predecessor. The engine has nearly doubled in size. Combined gas mileage is down– way down– to about 26 mpg combined. And it doesn't look anywhere near as striking as the first generation love it or hate it boxy box. C'mon then, share your pain.
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I think it’s a toss-up between the new Subaru Impreza performance models (both WRX and STI), and the Scion xB. I would consider the Subaru for myself, and an xB for a family member, but they took themselves out of the running for the reasons mentioned above (and the fact that the Subaru’s performance is reportedly not up to the previous model, which for the added coin, is absolutely inexcusable).
The Accords, coupe and sedan, look slightly goofy around the buttocks, but I don’t think it takes enough away from the car itself to make it disappointing. It’s not nearly as bad as the bubble-butt 03-04 generation sedan. And the XF, taken on its own, is still a mildly attractive design, but if you compare it to the concept, it’s extremely disappointing. The concept was positively striking in images, and I understand that in person it was even more delectable.
My vote is for the above-mentioned Subaru based on exterior styling alone. It’s a total departure of what had been a very well-styled design, though it was admittedly a little long in the tooth. They could have done better. I’d still give an organ to drive one to its limit.
Among the vehicles for which I had high hopes but that prove disappointing:
The new Impreza definitely makes the cut.
So does the Saturn Astra. It’s really too bad the only engine is the poor ecotec.
The Infiniti EX: instead of a nimble wagon, it’s a techno-wizarded small SUV.
The new 5-seires. Although I’ve never even been in one, I still cringe every time I see one, and long for the previous gen superb looks.
I’m not in the demographic for it, but what pains me to see is the Jetta. Whoever made the decision to design a car that combined the style of a Corolla with the reliability of a FIAT deserves to be on the receiving end of an unemployment check. If it’s not possible to make it bulletproof, at least make it worth looking at.
The Phaeton was a disappointment, if only because so much conscious effort was invested in building an albatross that would come close to destroying the company. Allowing ego to get in the way of brand management is never a good idea.
I suppose that the Sebring should be a disappointment, but it is Chrysler, you know.
Original xb was way underpowered. The new xb fixes the power problem but uglifies the design. Can’t very well go from a 1.5 to a 2.4 L without some loss in mpg. If they would have put in the new 4 cylinder with a mild refresh and added AWD as an option then that would have been sweet. As is they went too far with funkiness and strayed into frumpiness.
My vote would go for the Dodge Grand Caravan. Chrysler publicized the hell out of this vehicle and made most everyone in the industry believe their Kool-Aid.
The actual product is a complete letdown. Bland exterior styling, substandard interior components, it was supposed to be the vehicle that would bring Chrysler back from the brink. It has proven to be far less than that.
Sometimes I feel like the question is “what new vehicle doesn’t disappoint you?” Between stupid wannabe CUVs to bloated, overweight everything, I’m having a hard time thinking of a single new car that I actually would want. My short list is basically, corvette z06 or perhaps infiniti g37. I would love a good wrx wagon, but no such luck.
Both the new Challenger and the forthcoming Camaro are huge disappointments. Lardy, gas-sucking, platform engineered abominations. These cars are the last gasps of dying companies, window dressings on houses that are falling in on themselves.
Instead of building paradigm-shifting, high-tech sports cars for a new world both GM and Chrysler took the lazy way out and looked backward…”hey everybody, look how cool we used to be!” Give me a break. Once they sate the appetites of the Viagra-sucking, deluded, “it’s bound to be collectible” boomer males who are tapping their 401k’s to put deposits down on the fantasy their markets will vanish.
After that, all of those 2 to 5 year old pony cars will go back to being what they’ve always been – the cars of choice for that certain kind of guy. You know him, the one that chain-smoked in the high school parking lot instead of going to class and now runs a junkyard or a pool hall and has never been more than about 4 hours from your Midwestern home town. Coming soon to a trailer park near you – the 2009 Dodge Challenger!
Pontiac G8 – A great performance bargin compromised by a Rubbermaid quality glove box door and other interior materials, trunk release in the glove box (requiring you to touch aforementioned door), no sunglasses holder in the overhead console with a sunroof and other assorted minor annoyances that are so basic in a mass production vehicle that they shouldn’t have happened.
The new Subaru Forester.
Agreeing with PCH, I got a Jetta as a rental recently and it was nothing near as fun as previous models I had tried.
Mostly, I am miffed at BMW. The 6 could have been a great car, but instead it came out fat and ugly. They even made the X5 bigger with a third row. Argh. After high hopes for the 1, they are not giving us the hatch, which is at least bearable and better looking than the chopped up sedan. When will they all learn that hatches can sell if they are not ugly?
pharmer :
You know him, the one that smoked in the high school parking lot and now runs a junkyard or a pool hall and has never been more than about 4 hours from your Midwestern home town.
Is there something you’d like to get off your back? ;)
The XF was a huge disappointment. The concept was truly stunning but it seems like Jaguar’s styling department gave up once they learned they were up for sale. My wife’s Volvo is in the shop and we have had a loaner A4 Quattro for the past 10 days. The bloat is bad when compared to the last one I drove (admittedly a 2001) but not as bad as the steering, dead and vague. The V50’s steering feels much better and that is saying a lot. While Audi does deserve its reputation for the quality interiors the ergonomics leave a lot to be desired and the metal strip is ugly.
The Saturn Vue. Too big. Too fat. Consequently, too slow. Too thirsty. But, somehow, less cargo capacity than a Rav. Just as expensive (unless there are givebacks).
Runners up:
The Saturn Outlook. There’s nothing wrong with it, per se, except that it should not be a Saturn.
The Focus.
The Astra. No cupholders and a cuckoo clock from the BRD? Nothing says, “we don’t sweat the details” like the Astra.
The Routan (if and when…). It’s better not to compete in that segment (or any segment) than to rebadge a Chrysler. And for those who wax poetic over VW’s own design for a minivan/retrobus, VW only competes well in that segment when there’s no competition. The MicroBus was a bad vehicle. The Vanagon was a bad vehicle. The EuroVan was a worse vehicle. The MicroBus sold in any quantity at all only because there was nothing else. The retrobus might look cool but 3 months of ownership will surely reveal enough flaws to give anyone a fatal case of buyer’s remorse and strong incentiv to commit insurance fraud.
Ah yes the Grand Caravan…haven’t been inside one, but the rotating chairs look (even in the commercials) like you would have to be extremely comfortable with better than 1:1 genital-to-knee ratios. Or only use it for kids.
As for the original xB being underpowered…by adding 600 pounds, the lb/hp ratio isn’t drastically changed. Sure, they took it from 2415lb/103hp (23.44) to 3020lb/158hp (19.11), and they lost buckets of handling when you add 25% to the curb weight of the car. Additionally, the 0-60 time improved by what, a second? Sure a full second is pretty good, but going from 9.6 seconds to 8.6 seconds just isn’t a huge deal, when you’re giving up packaging, handling, and mileage. The 1.8l engine out of the Corolla/xD/Matrix/Vibe, while keeping the weight close to the original, would have kept the spirit of the vehicle intact. Now it is just that much more similar to so many other cars.
I’ll go with Steven Lang and the Chrysler Minivans. I actually like the styling but I am really let down by the super cheap interiors.
Of the rides we checked out at the Portland Car Show recently, the Jag XF definitely jumped out as a big flop. Tres Gauche…
I’ll reserve judgement to cars I’ve seen up close and in-person, and by far the Dodge Caravan/Chrysler TC. It makes the Venture/Terraza/ Relay/whatever the pontiac version was called look good and insightful. THAT’S no small feat. Granted, I’ve never liked the new Camry, but at least it blends into the horizon for the most part.
1. BMW 6-series. I fail to realize how a me-too “crossover” with a high center of gravity makes an Ultimate Driving Machine. Then they have the temerity to call the 4-door poseur a “coupe.”
2. Ford Focus. Another re-plasticking while Europe gets the goods.
3. Volkswagen van. One word: Rebadge.
4. Mini Clubman. For the price I could have an Audi A3 with four passenger doors.
Two more runners up for me:
The xB. A slick, utilitarian vehicle with timeless appeal turned into an aspirational style statement vehicle for the “I wear a beanie in the summertime” crowd. None of whom have any money, anyway. Although… they can buy the car as long as they lie about their income.
The Corolla. Toyota really should have held the line on size on this. Perhaps they had trouble getting people to buy it over the Yaris.
—
Memo to Toyota:
I don’t like what you did to the xB and the Corolla. Please don’t screw up the Prius, too.
Pharmers rant was very comical , even when he was describing me.
The latest yacht model Honda Accords, be it a coupe or sedan.
Pontiac Solstice. Gorgeous, so-so to drive, horrible as a daily driver (no space inside or in trunk, roof is a pain to raise and lower, etc).
The G8. I can step past a lot of things for that package at that price, but an automatic isn’t one of them.
The Subaru Impreza. Cheapo interior, so-so exterior styling (although I don’t hate it as much as some do), and a completely neutered drivetrain.
Chevy Malibu. Not nearly as impressive in person as in pictures. Bloated-looking and plain. Better than what they’ve been offering, but still not good.
Well…I like the Challenger but I don’t smoke, have a higher education, and don’t feel the need to stereotype. I still don’t know what people want out the the WRX/STI. The old one wasn’t all the attractive and I think the new one might be a bit better looking. But, no one buys these for their looks and from all I read it does beat it’s predecessor’s performance so it’s all good. The base price of the ’08 STI is up $1,520 which I don’t like, but not that horrible. The car that I’m most disappointed by is the new Audi A4. I don’t see why it is so much bigger and blander. Why do they need to make it an A6? It’ll cost more but it isn’t the lithe sport sedan I think should have that badge. Oh well.
I own a 2008 xB and just wish they could have named it something else. Ignoring its predecessor it’s a great vehicle in its own right. While the overall look may not be to everyone’s taste the vehicle is great for toting my family and keeping me out of an SUV or minivan.
My vote for biggest disappointment would be the Impreza. Subaru has really lost their distinctive look and headed for blandness. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see the demise of the “flying vage” but at least you knew it was a Subaru.
Joshvar :
The orginal xB equiped with an automatic was downright dangerous for highway merging with anything but only the driver aboard! Equiped with a stick it was OK until you added a passanger or two.
The problem with the new xB is one of horrendous styling. This thing looks like it belongs on Easter Island!
It looks like Toyota actually listened to what owners of the orginal had to say about it, needs more power, could be a bit more substantial, but decided to hedge it bets by going “funky” with the xB knowing the new Matrix was also right around the corner.
Oh, going from 23.44 lbs per HP to 19.11 lbs per HP (20%) IS a major improvement!
Solstice/Sky: Undriveable if you are over 6 feet tall.
The Lincoln Town Car. Okay, so I cheated. It’s not a new car, but it should be. This is the car that should be at the forefront of the classic I’ve-finally-made-it/American dream success stories, but it’s not. In fact, it’s nowhere near the radar. It’s completely bare minimum with little in the way of features and virtually no advertising. This car should be righteously over-the-top in terms of features. Sure, the MKABCDEFG is coming along soon to neutralize the neutered, but it just won’t feel the same. Lincoln should not be entry level luxury in America, it should be the zenith.
Subaru Impreza. It doesn’t look like a Subaru. It looks like something Kia or Suzuki might have come up with.
VW Jetta and Passat interiors. What a comedown!
@whatdoiknow1 – I can’t believe that the xB was that dangerous for merging. My ’89 4Runner has 36lb/HP and I can manage. Granted, you need to plan ahead and pay attention, but shouldn’t we already be doing that when we drive?
1. The new xB (if you missed Paul Neidermeyer’s article on the xB–see the link in this news item–you definitely should read it. Some of the best of TTAC).
2. As an Accord owner, I’m extremely disappointed that Honda porked out the Accord. I would have liked to see it LOSE some weight, and gain some mpgs.
3. VW rebadging a Chrysler minivan instead of doing a new Microbus
4. More generally the continued trend towards greater weight and fewer clutches in most cars.
I’d vote for the Chrysler Sebring.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/reviews/chrysler-suicide-watch-4-sebring/
Many of the other cars mentioned in this thread while disappointing are still decent cars (Honda Accord, Subaru WRX, etc.)
The Sebring is a piece of excrement that was released in a market where a piece of excrement is not and has not been acceptable for decades. I bet a 1988 Accord would compare favorably to a 2008 Sebring.
It’s not really a good use of your vote to bother mentioning the domestics. You really almost expect that sort of disappointment so it’s not surprise and doesn’t hurt as much.
For me, the Accord is number one on the list. They are now bloated monstrosities, even bigger than the hideous Camry.
The new Impreza has to be up there as well. There’s a fair number of them on the streets where I live, and every single time I think they’re something else until I get real close. A terrible styling choice.
The new Focus is an abomination in every way, made even more galling because Europe’s getting the good version.
miked :
I know I am exaggerating here a bit. It is unfair to critize any car weighing less than 3000lbs and having over 100hp, trust me I started driving in the 1980s and have dealt with some really dog slow cars like a AMC/ Renualt Alliance and a Suzuki Samari. Hell for that matter I can remember driving other POS cars back then and giving up the quest for 60 before it even arrived.
I guess I have just come to expect a bit more out of your average car today.
I’d have to second the Accord nomination. I spent the weekend cleaning out winter from our 2001 Accord and 2004 Maxima. Now, I love my Nissan but the Honda is a special piece of machinery. Today at lunch I parked next to a new 2008 Accord, which is almost as big as my Nissan. It looks to have lost a lot of the purposefulness of our 2001. I sat in one at the Chicago Auto Show a week or so ago and came away thinking that it would still probably be the top choice to replace our current Accord, but I’m not sure its as good of a car. It’s lost the essence of the 1990-1993 car, which is the Accord that put Honda on the map (like Toyota with the 1992 Camry).
@Lichtronamo
I thought it was actually pretty cool when Honda shrunk the Accord back in the late 90’s. It’s sad to see how it’s ballooned back up and beyond.
It would be nice to see manufacturers take it down a notch when they redesign a vehicle.
I think the “which car doesn’t dissapoint” would be a smaller list, for me anyways.
Most new vehicles are over-styled, over-technologied, over-numbed appliances meant for transporting the general public from point a to b.
for goodness sakes, is it too much to ask that the next generation of a great vehicle not be larger, or heavier, or greater-displacement, or computerized further?
Sorry Jeff, you’d have to work on changing people’s expectations when they get in their vehicles. Currently it seems that the last thing people actually want to do is drive. They would rather talk on the phone, use 10 cupholders, and watch DVDs than actually drive.
1) Subaru WRX STI: $40K for a 4-cyl Subie???
2) Solstice/Sky: Useless trunk, useless roof, 400lbs too heavy
3) Dodge Grand Caravan: From outdated to mediocre in one giant flop.
4) Ford Focus: Snatching defeat from the jaws of indifference.
Dodge Journey. Some of you may remember the new hole I tore it in the so-named review.
After all the talk and spin about interior improvements and refinements, they released something with a worse interior than the Sebring and Caliber. I honestly didn’t realize that was possible.
Can’t very well go from a 1.5 to a 2.4 L without some loss in mpg.
The weight gain was more to blame for the mileage drop than the engine was.
I suppose that the Sebring should be a disappointment, but it is Chrysler, you know.
Very true; it would be a disappointment from Toyota, but from Chrysler, it’s just expected.
My biggest disappointment is the Ford Ranger. It’s not a new design, but that’s the problem. Ford builds good full-size trucks, but wants to ignore the Ranger.
Until they redesign it, the Ranger will be my perennial disappointment…
The xB, for taking the leap, instead of the incremental step it really needed. Kinda like that girl you knew from high school, who was kinda cute, but then you see her in a drugstore 10 years later and you go to yourself: “Holy shit… did she get BIG!”
And then you say (out loud); “Hi you doin’? Haven’t seen you for a while!”
And then you marry her, ’cause there isn’t much else to choose from, ’cause you’re not rich, and not great looking and…
Oh wait.
And the Malibu; for not having a coupe and somehow not making a MAXX with the new body style. And no stick in the LTZ.
And the Astra, for being Euro, yet GM slapped a Dex-Cooled Cam-Belted 138HP Ecotec in it. And On Star instead of an MP3 jack.
But its looks almost make up for those travesties.
I thought it was actually pretty cool when Honda shrunk the Accord back in the late 90’s. It’s sad to see how it’s ballooned back up and beyond.
It would be nice to see manufacturers take it down a notch when they redesign a vehicle.
The problem is, I think, that many, if not most, buyers today want cars to get bigger. They see the increased space as a benefit; to an extent, they are correct, but only to an extent.
The Focus. That’s a no-brainer.
TexasAg03 – The ranger only disappoints me when I go to the website to build my own and come up with such ridiculous prices for such a small feature set (built with tooling that was paid off 10 years ago). I’d buy a new ranger and not complain about it one bit if it were $6,000-$7,000. But when I go the website, pick a base model Ranger, add 4×4 and an extended cab and its over $20K (before rebates), I’m quite turned off. Those trucks are built to be little beaters, they should price them as such.
The Accord. Why Honda didn’t keep the Accord as is, and call the new one Avalon or something. It’s just as ugly as the jumbo Toyota.
The new Corolla disappoints, but that’s a good thing as I hate Toyota. The “it’s quiet/rides smooth” marketing tells all that I need to know: it’s strictly aimed at the appliance drivers of the world. No Fun Allowed.
The Evo X is something of a disappointment as it is slightly slower and porkier than the Evo IX. Looks a lot better, though.
The one thing to like about the Ford Ranger is that it’s truly the last *compact* pickup. None of this midsize with fullsize power/mileage silliness.
If Ford could really rework the Ranger into a modern *compact* truck they’d make a lot of people happy. Slap a 2.2L turbodiesel in that thing and have a nice day.
There are so many cars I didn’t expect anything from anyway. The Yaris was a disappointment because I hit my head getting in it. The Corolla, too. I’m 6′-1″ which isn’t particularly tall anymore.
From over here, on the other side of the pond, I’d say that it’s extremely disappointing how bad basically all Peugeots have been in the past 8 or so years. The 1980s 205 and the 1990s 306 were class-defining, but everything after that was just junk. Hopefully with the current 307, that tide has turned.
And am I the only one who finds the current S-Class Mercedes undesirable? Heavy-handed, awkward from the outside and nouveau-riche in the inside.
The new 2009 Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, notably the interior. The last time i saw so much shiny, hard plastic, i was in the Rubbermaid aisle at the grocery store.
I didn’t realize any companies still made car interiors so cheap looking (and feeling).
The Jeep Patriot scores about as low on the “ick” factor for cheap and craptacular interior plastics.
IMO, the majority of the automobile industry in general is on the fast track to hell in a hand basket with their bloated, bulbous, flame-surfaced, L-finessed, chopped-top BS they have attempted to unload on the public over the past seven or eight years. Is it just me or do most all of the new Toyota front-ends bear a strong resemblance to insects (grasshopper maybe?)? I don’t get it, North America seems to be incensed with what is referred to as the oversized, gas gargling SUV, so the car manufacturers slap out their CUVs…which are just as big as an SUV, won’t tow or haul nearly as much, but they do get 2 or 3 mpg better (I’m looking at you Lamda)! Or how about the ‘new’ station wagons that are marketed as Crossover Utility Vehicles? Gimme a break. The corporate bean counters have been in an ongoing huddle with the designers and as a result, it seems each new model is slathered with more and more cheap plastichrome and WalMartesque taillight assemblies, not to mention the plastic kinda-sorta looks like leather or maybe-could be carbon fiber and the ever popular wood grained contact paper interior designs. Domestic car manufacturers have gone a step farther, their design studios seem to have been taken over by the gangsta rap boyz in da hood.
Has all the gifted talent been used and discarded?
The upcoming next gen TSX and RL get my vote. They are Aztek fugly.
BMW 5-series. In BMW’s infinite wisdom, they took one of the most conservatively handsome cars ever made and made the new model rolling off the line look like they just got into a wreck.
The wagon is a bit less of a design train wreck, but that front end needs to have the eye liner removed from its ugly mug. And stop ripping off Subaru on the rear tail light design. They don’t look good on Subaru and they look even worse on the asses of your cars. So knock it off.
Oh, and the 1-seris is stunningly ugly as well. I recently heard talk that Bangle’s designs are just now catching on. Really? Explain the dust collecting on Heir Bangle’s lovely Z4’s, the epitome of his seizure induced design efforts.
At least I’m not bitter anymore.
The current Civic 4-door sedan was a big disappointment. Although, it’s a practical car (about the size that the Accord used to be) it’s goofy “Saturn Ion” styling and the tacky gimicky digital speedometer really hurt. The coupe manages to look better (in a Toyota Paseo kind of way) but still has the tacky speedo.
They’re good cars in so many ways and that makes the styling hurt even more.
Not a car but the new Ford 3.5L V6. With 265hp I thought it would have some grunt or sound good or if not at least get good fuel economy…
The Focus, I didn’t really expect much but when I saw it, I realized I had expected much much more.
Jaguar XF, I also didn’t expect much on this one. I thought the square grill looked way too Buickish on the concept but, damn.
BMW X6, wtf?
Porsche Cayenne, I’m disappointed it hasn’t died yet.
Accord. Going the wrong way on the size weight thing, guys.
’08 Subaru Outback;
Freshening should have either adopted the Tribeca engine, or given the current H6 more low end torque to help responsiveness (when I press a gas pedal down and it takes the car 2 seconds to decide what to do, that is bad news for passing, etc.).
My vote goes to the new Scion xB. It certainly is new car that disappoints me the most. I’m not saying that it’s necessarily the worst, but 1) I expect better from Toyota, 2) it is certainly a step back from the original xB that it was supposed to be an improvement on, and 2b) it is certainly an example of a car maker that doesn’t understand the draw of the original. Yes, it could have used a bigger engine, but leave a smaller engine as an option, an xB and an xB sport. And, don’t try to make it look like every other microvan on the road; it’s quirly looks were one of the things that set it apart. Wasn’t the Scion brand supposed to be targeted at the young crowd? How does making a car look like every other one on the road appeal to young people?
The new xB for me, simply because I had a choice between an 06 and an 08. Figured the 08 would be the no-brainer choice but geez, 600 pounds? No thanks, all I need is cheap, reliable, and easy on the go juice.
Oh, and I love how people try to claim the 1st gen. is dangerously weak. Please…98 whp, 99 wtq (as dynoed by one of the sport compact mags), just a hair over 2400 pounds…faster than a lot of trucks and SUVs and even some economy cars on the road…yep, that’s a real deathtrap. I can’t help but think the critics have never driven one.
The new accord
I understand that people apparently want larger cars, more HP blah blah blah, but one of the automakers just needs to blink and say enough is enough. A 3600 lb accord with a 270lb engine? Just stop it.
After the second gen Scion Xb debacle, I was looking forward to the new 2009 Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe. I agree with getsmart that its unbelievably craptastic on the interior. The previous model was roomy, a decent driver and exceptionally frugal but downright goofy looking. Instead of fixing this flaw, they made it uglier and cheaper looking, while offering the same 2.4L as the Xb in all but the base model. WTF?
Other disappointments: still no manual transmission available in the Honda CR-V, we’re not getting the wagon version of the 2009 Acura TSX (a.k.a. Euro Accord Tourer) or the Mazda6 wagon.
I’m having a hard time finding any cars that i would like to own.
maybe if we chipped in a couple of bucks each, we could set up our own company – we’d show ’em all how its done.
The BMW 1 series is probably the biggest disappointment for me. I like BMWs, and I was hoping I could pick up a relatively affordable RWD hatchback, but they had to bring it over in an impractical coupe form. Sure, the coupe would be a great second car, but only as a second car. I need something that’ll swallow up an aquarium or two in the back.
Hence why I stopped considering the 1-series, and started looking at the WRX hatch again. It’s a bit of a disappointment in and of itself (archaic transmissions, questionable audio), but at least it hauls stuff, is safe, still fun to drive, and costs less.
Lincoln LS. It should have been the renaissance car of Lincoln, with RWD, manual tranny, V8 option, handsome looks. But they let it die on the vine, didn’t invest another penny in it.
Mazda RX-8.
The car hasn’t really changed since they brought it out, the re-fresh they’ve revealed for ’09 doesn’t include any real mechanical improvements and the only reason you’d by an RX-8 over a MazdaSpeed3 is because you like it. I’m considering both of these cars for my next ride, and did a side by side comparison on Mazda’s site last week.
MS3 advantages:
More HP
More TQ
More MPG
More F/R Head and Leg room
More cargo capacity/wagon practicality
Lower Price
RX-8 Advantages
RWD
Rotary Engine
Lighter weight
The RX8 should be Mazda’s halo car and have the performance to match or it should cost less than the Speed3.
Chevrolet Traverse. WHY!!!! WHY!!!! WHY!!!!
Who let this happen?????
Accord sedan. No doubt about it.
With all of the swooshy, wonderful concept vehicles Honda has produced, how on EARTH could they have come up with such AWFUL styling on their bread-and-butter Accord??
I’ve already seen more new Malibus than I’ve seen new Accord sedans.
And thank God for that!
truthbetold37 – because GM is run by people with zero common sense, no sense of what the car buyers want with a car, and cross-branding is their heroin.
I guess since the Malibu hit the market with a thud, the Chevy marketers are bored again.
So, when does the Pontiac version of the bloat-CUV hit the lots? Might I recommend “Inka”? They loved blowing the spelling of Aztec out of the water so let’s keep the trend going!
Now if anyone needs me, I’m slapping Cobalt badges on the G5s.
Oh that’s right – this is the car(s) that disappoint the most…not an entire company. Here goes:
Throw me into the Honda Accord category. I was really considering this car for a long time but I started to hear the “Jaws” theme when spy photos and drawings started to show the rear. I live in serious Honda-country where there are more Civics, CR-Vs, and previous-gen Accords than Chevys, but in the 6,000+ miles I’ve driven since Jan 1, I’ve seen very few new Accords. I think the customer has spoken and I can envision a major BMW 7-series-like rear refresh in two years, tops.
The BMW M3. Before I get flamed off of the site, here goes… For those who drove the first couple of generations of M3, you always got the feeling that you were just a comfortable seat and street-legal tires from a rally car. The high-strung 4-cyl or smaller 6-cyl was mounted to a pure rear wheel drive platform without the electronic nannies and other HAL 9000 techno-junk that plague the entire BMW model line. It actually took SKILL to drive these older M3s! Now the M3 is the Vegas Elvis compared to the young Elvis. There are still some good moves and hits with the new M3, but the passion, feel and just pure drive feel of the older ones are just gone. Give me a real chassis with real steering with real buttons and knobs without having the feeling that I’m going to hear “I’m sorry Dave; I’m afraid I can’t do that.” I want real suspension bits that aren’t computer adjusted and so on. Man I’m feeling old right now…
Last one – I’m throwing most of the Audi lineup into this. Before posting, I glanced over some of the car rags that I found while doing some house cleaning over the weekend. To me, it looks like Audi is coasting. Their interiors, while stil nice, are almost a styling cliche at this point. Their weights are just too high. They burn way too much fuel for not enough performance. Stick shifts are all but gone and there are few kind words for the DSG. The designs are too nose heavy and the grille is a love/hate affair. The new TT didn’t move the bar forward enough. The S5 is very bland on the outside. There just isn’t enough to stir the soul the way a German car should.
Bashing the BMW line is too easy at this point so nothing on them now…
A whole lot of new designs are missing the mark.
My vote goes to the 2008 Honda Accord. How could Honda release a new version which gets worse fuel economy than the one it replaces, and who needs an Avalon sized Accord?
An honorable mention goes to the hasty job importing the Opel Astra as a Saturn … and not bothering to make the clock work as expected in North America.
Everything from BMW is disappointing as well. Weird styling and too many gizmos.
I find the Chevrolet Impala very disappointing. Dull exterior styling, slightly ugly interior styling, not many colors to choose from and no traditional Impala styling cues like the triple tail light theme. What the hell’s up with that? This thing needs a serious dose of character. And then there’s the SS. Nice try, but a 303 HP performance sedan needs to be rear wheel drive. Front wheel drive has its place, but not here.
Another one I find disappointing is the Buick LaCrosse. It looks very, very much like a previous generation Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable, which itself was an ugly design.
Okay, I know those aren’t “new” new designs, having been around for a while, but here are a couple very recent ones that I think are a complete letdown: Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring. Both ugly and both look cheaply made. Perhaps they do have some redeeming qualities, but I sure don’t know what they would be.
And finally, the Jeep Compass. What the hell is the point of this vehicle?
Ford Ranger.
As far as I’m concerned, this is still one of the best small trucks available. In it’s current form – which is to say it’s 1998 form – it is still a good little truck. Every bit as good as a Toyota Tacoma.
The disappointment is that Ford just ignored it.
Over the past couple decades, Ford could have made incremental improvements, and could have afforded to do it.
Ford could also have given it a styling refresh (or two, or three) along the way. But given what they did to the Focus, maybe it’s just as well they left the Ranger alone.
Pharmer are you blind? Look at what Ford did with the mustang.. and what chevrolet has still been doing with the corvette for over 50 years. Of course the camaro and challenger will sell well. Unlike these little imports the f-body and challenger have a damn good history with many people who are still alive, a lot of people are gonna buy them. Screw good fuel economy.
And i don’t know how you can call the scion xb the letdown of the year- it was a letdown since day one to be honest. It’s still slow and now its even more embarrasing to look at.
I saw a Chrysler Sebring Convertible on the road this morning with the top up. The gaps between the various sections of the retractable hardtop were so huge you could almost stick your fingers in between them. Isn’t Chrysler’s tagline “Engineered Beautifully”? Uh-uh, not this one.
Mini Clubman
New Challenger and Camaro…LOL!
Honda Accord. Weak styling, overweight, too big, going entirely in the wrong direction.
I/m going to echo the senitments of many here and agree that the Accord is ugly, the Focus is a bigger let down than I thought possible, and pretty much all Chrysler products are terrible.
However, the biggest issues I have are the xB getting too big as it would’ve been my next car otherwise, the Impreza for making subaru throw away its corporate sensibilities. THey are cheapening the drivetrain and mechanicals to try to make the interior nicer and throw in more toys. Finally, the Civic for having surprising build quality problems and not offering the 160 hp engine in the EX model.
The new Audi TT. What a boring little mini-Lexus. Why must one spend 100k+ to buy a “real” sports car with “real” sports car looks these days(R8). Either that or consider spending way too much to own a Porsche speed bump blob on wheels. It’s gotta be some kind of conspiracy. I appreciate VW-Audi over Japanese models, its probably the European design element or philosophy whatever that might mean. Why must they continue to make boxes into sports cars, and sports cars into luxo-crap. When I sit in and drive a Mazda RX a Z or an Eclipse I get this feeling, a feeling like im sitting in a imitation. Its like “Here you poor sucker who cant afford a sports car, this is a plastiky disposable thing that you’ll need to trade in next year because you’ll be bored to death of it. Have a nice day”
Dear VW, Make the Sirocco again but this time make it RWD(not a Corrado)not a hatchback and make it something I’d love to own for 15+ years. I know thats asking allot. VW Iroc! No!No!No! Dont stretch a GTI! what are you thinking! Where’s my mini R8 I want it NOW!
Runner up: Pontiac Solstice and its rebadge. Enough said.
Grossly disappointed by the Impreza, so add my voice to those. Sure the sedan is anonymous-looking, but the hatch (the one I’d considered) is … um, “ugly” isn’t the right word… I’d call it embarassing. Like those Ferrari-replica-bodykits on a Camaro. I feel bad for the driver whenever I see one.
Also disappointed / upset at the EX35. The expected great driving dynamics are there… but have you sat in the back seat? If you haven’t, it’s probably cause you couldn’t get in or fit. It’s supposed to have some utility, afterall. The back see is simply insulting to be in an SUV. At a recent car show, I quickly moved from the EX’s back seat, to the smallest one I could think of nearby: the Aveo. The Aveo’s was roomier (I’m 6’2″). I hate vehicles that forget what they are.
– Why would I get the EX35?
– “Cause it drives sporty!”
– But I could get a G37 coupe, it drives even sportier.
– “But then you wouldn’t have the utility”
– Bingo.
It’s too bad, though, because the EX has arguably the most gorgeous cockpit this side of a Touareg2.
I will also cast a dissenting vote on the enew Honda Accord. I found it to be bloody ggorgeous. Have you seen that sedan from 3/4 rear? Or side profile?
The first photo I saw of it, I thought “Excellent! They’ve finally fixed the 5-series and brought it back to its heydey of the E39!”. The new Accord has great proportions, nicely drawn character lines and an overall handsome sedan look.
BMW M3. Too fat. Yeah, given sufficient thrust even pigs will fly.
Acura RL. A definition of ugly.