Announcing The Winners Of The 2012 Ten Worst Automobiles Today
Ladies and Gentleman, TTAC is glad to announce the winners of the Ten Worst Automobiles Today, as voted by you, the reader. The Smart Fortwo took the top spot – but what about the others?
Second place was the Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet
In third, the Chrysler 200/Dodge Avenger
Fourth went to the Honda Crosstour
The BMW 5-Series GT was fifth
In sixth place, the Acura ZDX, which will take this dubious honor to its grave
Seventh place is the Cadillac Escalde – still numero uno for rappers and Texan housewives
The Jeep Patriot was eighth
The poor Fisker Karma can’t catch a break – it didn’t even win the TWATs, settling for ninth place
And finally, the Chevrolet Volt may be the EV sales champion, but it had to settled for a lowly tenth
More by Derek Kreindler
Comments
Join the conversation
Say what you will about the Smart Fortwo; having had the chance to drive one recently, I love the little stinker. Before I even started and drove the car, I appreciated the narrow cabin for allowing me easily to lean over and adjust the passenger mirror. Visibility is pretty good, except around the thick B-pillar and the top of the windshield, which is too low. Ergonomics are nearly faultless. The climate controls are easy to use. The shifter feels nice in my hand. The ignition slot between the seats is kinda fun, as is the gentle clatter of the 3-cylinder engine behind you (especially at startup). Yes, the transmission is profoundly terrible, but the learning curve for smooth driving is pretty shallow. Did I mention that I actually like the engine note? Handling is surprisingly composed for such a small vehicle. The seats are very supportive and comfortable (although, again, the high hip point leaves me craning to see stoplights sometimes). The Smart Fortwo makes a lot of compromises for the sake of being small and seating just two people, but it's a much more pleasant drive than, say, the outgoing Nissan Sentra or Honda Insight.
No I mean a modern US jeep. Did it and the two guys in front of me were in my way. Say what you will I regularly got in the mid 40s on long 80 mph crushing w/o ac on. I like cars but would never comment in detail about one I never owned. Don't know anything about Jeeps for example. Had a 5 liter Mustang great fun but assembed by monkeys and designed by people who did not know how to spell ergonomics. Another story. In the Rockies on dirt roads I was on a BMW SUV ass on every corner. He lost me on straight but I always caught up until we hit long pavement no surprise he had 3 times the power but Smart was great fun and I don't think he expected me to stay with him as long as I did. I do know about British sports cars. Own TR6, GT6 and MGBGT v8. All great fun but Smart in many ways more comfortable, corners as well or better and in many situations is as fast or faster. It's the future and not the worst thing out there.