TTAC's Ten Worst Automobiles Awards: Update

Nominations for TTAC's Ten Worst Automobiles awards continue apace. You, our not-so-gentle readers, are cordially invited to continue submitting your ruminations on these ruinations underneath this post. So far you've nominated 118 different vehicles (give or take a few clones). While we're not keeping track of how many nominations any given car receives, there are already a few clear front runners. Here's a roundup of the "leading" nominations and their pithy proponents…

Last year, the Compass received the most nominations. Jeep's softest of soft roaders ended-up in second place behind the GM minivans. Many of you, like jayparry, still find little (as in nothing) to love: "It's not brash enough to be urbanized and not outdoorsy enough to be Jeep. It hurts the brand and my eyes. Bad execution. Let's execute it." pfingst reckons The Dodge Nitro deserves a similar fate: "Tries to be simultaneously bling and macho; the end result is neither (blacho, maybe?)."

Several other former winners have resurfaced, like a mafia hit that's rotted out of its cement shoes and floated to the surface. jthorner: "The Hummer will long be seen as the signature fad of a dying automotive era." Bunter1 on the Chevy Aveo: "The MPG of a midsize sedan, acceleration of a sloth." TomAnderson on the Saab 9-7X: "Why'd they even bother putting the ignition switch on the console?"

Subaru's no-longer-B9 Tribeca couldn't catch a break, even after its vaginectomy. Davey49 thinks it deserves another award because it looks like a Chrysler. Ninth-place Ten Worst-winner Lincoln Mark LT luxury pickup truck is baaaaack– and it's still bad. Xantia10000 described it as "the dumbest vehicle concept since the Blackwood and SSR." Our own Sajeev Mehta encouraged us to "kick a badge-engineered turd on its deathbed."

Moving on to the new models…

Few pistonheads will be surprised to learn that the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger Chrysler clones received the lion's share of this year's approbrium. When Chrysler vomited forth the Sebring, anyone unlucky enough to cast their eyes upon this four-wheeled swine knew it was destined for infamy. David42 said "I have found better looking creations in the kitty liter box." Unterp85 elaborated: "I rented said car and it BELONGS on the list… Even a domestic bent person like me cannot make excuses for this car. It just plain stinks." The Mitsubishi Galant received a few nominations for sharing mechanical genes with this, Satan's spawn.

The redesigned Ford Focus is another frequently-nominated new model. Blautens: "Borrowing styling cues from the Sebring is like taking anger management classes from Mike Tyson." Landcrusher: "I am insulted by this outrageous slap in the face. Ford should just stand up and say they believe American buyers are stupid and tasteless."

Fresh from its newfound position at the bottom of Consumer Reports' reliability rankings, the Pontiac Solstice came in for some stick. Joe O: "Cursed with drop-dead gorgeous looks, thereby enticing unsuspecting victims to consider purchasing this vehicle of the damned. By actually finding buyers for this vehicle, we have all been bewitched with years more of the ECOTEC engine from the 4th circle of hell."

Subaru fans are none-too-pleased/revolted with the new Impreza and WRX. Bytor feels "while the ugly is not quite of Aztec proportions, it is a major step backwards." Red.66mustang castigated Subaru for "taking an awesome car in terms of performance and okay looks and turning it into a Corolla wannabe with a boxer engine."

The new, fatter, slower, thirstier, uglier Scion xB earned equal ire. JuniorMint says he's "waited for the 2007 Ten Worst nominations since I laid eyes on" it. Klossfam describes the new whip's story line thus: "The Brave Little Toaster xB gets a re-do by Dr. Frankenstein!" argentla sent a "memo to Toyota: Harley Earl is dead." David Holzman suggested "Toyota should get a special Edsel award for killing the xB icon."

No, we won't be giving the original flying V an award. Nor will we bestow a Ten Worst award upon an entire lineup, though many of you felt Chrysler and/or Dodge brand deserved a group award. And no wonder: everything that Chrysler and Dodge build was nominated individually, as were all of Lincoln's, Saturn's and Mitsubishi's vehicles. And every Toyota but the Land Cruiser and every Jeep save the Wrangler made the list in one form or another.

In fact, practically every manufacturer selling cars in the U.S. market has at least one nominee on the list. The only brands which have totally evaded your critical eye are Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati, MINI and Volvo. So far, anyway.

The nominations are open until next Monday. If you can think of other automotive abominations, go for it; if it's already been nominated, piling-on is allowed. From this list, TTAC's writers will choose the final twenty for your votes for the final Ten Worst. Once again, thanks for telling it like it is. And how.