Question of the Day: Do Volkswagens Have The Worst Names?

Jonny Lieberman
by Jonny Lieberman

I'm sure most of you caught Mr. Niedermeyer's post about the yet to be named 7-seat SUV. Just what we need, right? One line caught me off guard, "Volkswagen has dispatched a crack team of marketers to scour the globe for the weirdest names the planet has to offer." In the words of Homer Simpson, "It's funny because it's true." Accurate, too. For as reader Mirko Reinhardt points out, VW's already got "Tiguan," "Touareg" and "Scirocco." Though I'm kinda fond of the latter. Still, they're weird. And that's just in this country. In Britain they sell both the Touran and the Sharan. And how can we forget the "Crafter" or the "Routan?" Sadly, we can't. The cars of the people might drive just fine, but don't ask for them by name. But what I wonder is who's worse? Is there a manufacturer out there more inept at naming names than Volkswagen?

Jonny Lieberman
Jonny Lieberman

Cleanup driver for Team Black Metal V8olvo.

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  • GBG GBG on Apr 17, 2008

    Alot of the American carmakers did the Alliteration Thing": Chevy: Camaro, Chevelle, Corvair, Corvette, Chevette, Cavalier etc Ford: Fusion, Focus, Festiva (the only thing festive was its demise.) Mercury: Montclair, Monterey, Mountaineer, Marauder, etc But some of the worst names: Chevy Citation (as in a moving violation, or just a parking ticket? If they mean moving violation, it must be an illegal left turn, because it wouldnt go fast enough for a speeding ticket!) Dodge Polara (if they meant as in polar ice caps, well, yes the car left you cold) Some of the best names: Honda, with Accord, Civic, Prelude. These are strong, aspirational and strongly humanistic names. Recent efforts are a bit weaker, with Pilot and CRV. Fit just passes muster. Kinda makes me feel guilty about missing another day at the gym.

  • Essen Essen on Apr 17, 2008

    TopDog, Cayman is not a bad name (even though it's mispelled) but Cayenne is my vote for worst car name. What's next the Tabasco?

  • Xantia10000 Xantia10000 on Apr 18, 2008

    toyota venza is my vote for the worst. means 'toilet seat' in japanese (well, 'benza' does, but the v is pronounced like a b in japanese)

  • Cyril Sneer Cyril Sneer on Apr 19, 2008

    ----------------- Bass-O-Matic : April 17th, 2008 at 7:18 am Lamborghini naming pre-dates VW’s ownership; It’s actually a strategy from damned near the beginning (I think Miura was the first to use it). Here goes: The names are Spanish Fighting Bulls or direct references to Bullfighting acoutrements (Espada). Reventon, by the way, was a bull named such because it literally sliced open or “burst” a famed bullfighter (The bullfighter “se revento’”). ----------------- Yes, but they were pronounceable before VW took the reins. Murciélago is horrible, and Gay-ardo is not much better. Diablo, Espada, Muira, all excellent.

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