AUTOSPIES.COM BLACK LIST: The WORST cars and trucks of 2006

Ummm.....how on earth did you guys make this list and leave off the GM minivans.....My guess is you guys threw the quest in there instead so that people wouldnt complain that you only picked on domestics....the uplander could be the worst vehicle made this decade in all aspects....

Overall I think 001 made a pretty damn good list. A couple of others that I'd add are:
11. Jeep Compass [I still can't get over how ugly this is-its like something from the Soviet Union in the 1970s]
12. Mercedes R Class [whose buying these?]
13. Lincoln Town Car / Ford Crown Victoria / Mercury Marquis [too long in the dentures]
14. Lexus SC430 [give us a more dynamic driving experience please]

You forgot to mention the overprice BMW 5 and the X3.

I know, people might be buying them, but doesn't mean they are not ugly.

I don't think the RL should have been on your list, because I've read all the compara.. and the RL does well amongs them.
I know the design is sad, but it is a very good car and I bet you in due time it will be more reliable than the Audi, 5series,and MB Eseries.

"the uplander could be the worst vehicle made this decade" ... well, its definitely the worst NAMED vehicle! Why this fixation with "xxx-lander" names anyway? I don't get it

I agree with everything-except #6.

Every single car comparp between the Expedition and the Tahoe has left the Expedition on top. Here is one of them:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=118877

The Expedition has bad boy looks a la SuperChief, and the interior looks great.
I would have picked the Colorado/Canyon. Those are sad.

*comparo.
Here's another one:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suv/112_0611_fullsize_suv_comparison

Bang on - also add - Chevrolet Monte Carlo #11, Hummer H2/H3 #12.

RE: Monte Carlo ... why does Chevy have to create a new name when they modify the body style? With 4 doors, its an Impala, but a 2-door Impala is a Monte Carlo.
And their Mini-Vans ... with 2WD its one name, but add 4WD to a mini-van, and suddenly its got a new name (and its an SUV wanna-be). It seems GM makes about 6 vehicles in total, but sold under 100 names with intensive "badge engineering"

I agree with almost everything.

I do think the RL is a good car though. Just not good enough.

#6 is a Bit Surprising, The Expeditions are not bad enough to be on this list.

The other day, I saw a Nissan Quest IN THE UK! Someone had taken the time and money to import that thing!

The Acura RL (Honda Legend in the UK), looks alright, it just underperforms.

Actually, replace #6 with the current Pontiac Grand Prix. That car sad.

I can also think of the Jaguar X-Type (and S-type for that matter), the Saturn ION, Suzuki Forenza, Kia Amamti, Kia Sorento, and Mazda B Series.

Add the Jeep Compass, what a piece of garbage. Disagree with the Saab, not that I like the 9-7x but the Envoy is a fine truck for those who don't want a tall camry but in fact want an SUV. Also the Chevy Aveo is an American car by brand name only so how can it be quintessential, stereotypical American crap? Crap, sure, but a different kind of crap.

true, the Compass is total garbage, and every review says it.

10. The Nissan Quest - I guess this on the list for market acceptance. I don't think it's particularly a bad vehicle, but like the VW Eurovan and Toytoa Previa it is a good vehicle in an unpopular segment.

9. Acura RL - I'm with you here, but I don't really care for any Acura products. I don't consider them bad cars, they just don't do anything for me.

8. HUH? Chrysler makes soemthing called an Aspen, I remeber my Dad telling me about an Aspen wagon in the 70s with fake wood on the side very simmilar to the Griswald family truckster. I would imagine this thing is the spiritual ancestor of that vehicle.

7. Saab 9-7x - quick we need an SUV, grab the nearest cheapest to produce thing and through some on some new bumpers and a nicer dash.

6. Ford Expidition - I agree it's one fo the worst, but disagree with your resoning. SUVs don't need attitude, how much attitude do you need to drive from school to soccer practice to starbucks, back to soccer practice through mcdonald's drive thourgh to dance class and then home. The people that drive these things are already think they are entitled to drive like jackasses just because they are in a huge POS, they don't need anymore attitude. (Yes I hate all SUVs)

5. Mercury Montego - I hate to see this on any kind of list good or bad, I am hoping that if we all just turn our backs on Mercury, it will just go away.

4. Ford 500 - I don't ahve any first hand experience with the 500, but it seems to be a much better car than the Taurus. It's a decent looking car, and for people looking for a bland boring sedan for commuting, I think they hit the mark. If there are 500 reasons to hate the thing, why not list one or two?

3. Lincoln Navigator - My kids don't respect me, my spouse doens't listen to me, I have no authority at work, but other drivers will fear me when I'm behind the wheel goddamit!

2. Chevy Aveo - While it may be crap; I can't see calling a rebadged Daewoo that was desinged and built in Korea stereotypical American crap. Lets be clear though, it is still crap.

1. Isuzu - Oh yeah, they're still in business huh? Hmmm, I think anyone who owns either an Isuzu or Suzuki dealership needs to be investigated, they have to be money laundering fronts for organized crime. There is no other way to explain how they are still in business.

Well thats my view on that list:)

Don't forget the deathtraps begining with the Toyota Yaris.

I would add the Honda Element, Saturn Ion, Jeep Compass/Patriot and the Ford Freestyle.

What's wrong with the RL? If you wanna name a fluke how the Infiniti Q45 or Lincoln Towncar? The RL's got SH-AWD, something no other AWD can beat. And it scores high in both Consumer Guide and Consumer Reports. What messed up your head?

SH-AWD claims to boost power to the outside wheels on a corner.
How you get more torque out of one end of a half-shaft than you put in the other end is a mystery, along with perpetual motion-machines and cold fusion. Its total marketing BS!

SH-AWD actually brakes the wheel on the inside, slowing the car and sucking more fuel. Its nothing new. Its called Electronics Stability Control and almost everyone offers it (at least on higher-end models). Its also called the "electronic nanny".

The difference is, ESC steps in when you make a mistake on a normal car, but in the ACURA they turn it on ALL THE TIME.
Which totally sucks out any potential driver pleasure that a car could offer to the driver. You may as well drive it with a remote control ... you will get more feed-back from a Sony Play-station controller than from a SH-AWD.

PS: There's a reason that nobody else offers it ... nobody wants it, except maybe your geriatric neighbor who is blind in one eye and can't see out of the other.

Thank God my 01 Navigator is not on the list, but the 03 and later sucks.

Is it all Navigators or the the 03-07

no, only the 2007 that was recently redesigned.

How is the Aveo "Quintessential, stereotypical American Crap?" It's Korean..not American. And I would add the Kia Amamti, Kia Sorento, Honda Element, and of course...GM's vans

GM's vans aren't any worse than their SUV's, are they?

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the new Chrysler Sebring yet.

001,

Agree with you on the above with the exception of the Expedition and have to admit the interior of the Navigator is kind of interesting in a retro sort of way.

Would add these to the list.

1. Mazda 5
2. Honda Fit
3. Toyota Yaris
4. Nissan Versa

With the understanding these are all economy cars - I think that those on a tight budget should be able to get something better than just the Civic.

Then again, if all they have is the Civic and the above to choose from, what better to motivate people to succeed and be able to buy something better!

I'm not sure what you are saying. The four vehicles you listed should not at all be on the blacklist. The blacklist is for the worst cars. These cars, while economy compacts, are by no means "bad", they are just simple. The 5 offers unrivaled versitility, the Fit is sporty and cool, the Yaris is reliable, and cheap, and the Versa is powerful, roomy, and safe. The Civic is a category above these vehicles, in price, mechanics and feature set.

Yes, I think most of us have agreed the Expedition does not belong here, but it is 001's list, and he can put whatever he desires to on it.

mstangpny07,

Most cars have their strengths (even the ugly ones, which you have adequately stated), but for me, when considering the lack of quality in the overall fit and finish of these cars and their looks, they all suck (are "bad").

While I'm at it here, can I add the Chevrolet Uplander to the list. Now there's a minivan that represents the worst fo the worst and easily trumps the Nissan Quest on the flop list.

Lack of quality and fit and finish? This isn't 1996. All of the above cars have accebtable fit and finish for way under $20,000. If they costed 25k, it would have been a different story.

BIASED! As in to not step on any Merc, BMW, VW (Audi), Lexus Fan and to screw every other company cuz their Fan support isn't as big on this site but to appease the afformentioned list of car makers!

If I made a list of all of the worst automobiles, this would be it. Of course, I wouldn't say that the Acura RL is bad, but for the most part, this list was absolutely correct. Especially the part about Isuzu.

1. Jaguar X-type – a Ford Mondeo with bad reliability…nuff said

2. Hummer H2 – auto equivalent to a 55 yr. old Britney Spears….the ultimate poseur at one time, but utterly pointless

3. Porsche Cayenne V6 – underpowered V6 VW engine in an ugly SUV that has poor reliability

4. Subaru B9 Tribeca – competing with Cayenne for the ugliest SUV on the planet

5. Anything Saturn

6. VW Phaeton – I nominate a 70K VW as the worst marketing idea in auto history

I would have to disagree about putting the Acura RL in your worst list.

I think the Phaeton was a beautiful car. VW doesn't have the reputation in America to sell a car at that price. In other countries, yeah maybe.

Your Hummer H2 description was hilarious.

I couldn't agree more on Chevrolet Aveo. That's the worst car I've ever seen in recent years. By the way, leave Isuzu alone on No.1 we all know how bad it is.

i think the acura rl shouldnt be in the list...

How can 001 forget about the korean brand,Ssang Yong.Especially their rodius.

BTW i agree with rest, Acura RL should not be in the list.

JUGNU

I have to disagree about the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

They are good SUV's.

that's what everybody else is saying. They are better than the Tahoe/Suburban.

Yes, agreed. However, i'm not sure whether the US get ssangyongs but they overdo what they think people like. Like any other Korean car. The only slight thing I disagree on is the Lincoln Navigator. It is a pretty good SUV.

I think the list is spot-on, except for the Ford 500 (which I wouldn't buy). It looks bland, but its a Volvo XC-90 SUV for at least $20k less than the version with the Volvo name, plus better aerodynamics, so hopefully it won't suck fuel like the Volvo piglet sibling. One popular car magazine hailed the 500 as the best car-buy in America!