Once again, thank you for helping TTAC with our Ten Worst Automobiles Today (TWAT) award. We’ve been most gratified by the number and quality of the nominations. The nomination process will judder to a halt tomorrow at 5pm EST. TTAC’s staff (that’s me) will then begin the arduous process (which may or may not involve the use of dart boards, adult beverages and TV psychics) of paring a list of almost 200 losermobiles down to 20 really bad finalists. We’ll open the voting sometime next week, and announce the winner the following week. Meanwhile, here’s another quick recap.
Here are the top ten most nominated TWATs as of this morning:
Jeep Compass
Subaru B9 Tribeca
GM Minivans (joint)
Toyota Camry
Jeep Commander
Mercedes R-Class
Chevrolet Impala
Chrysler Aspen
Chevrolet Aveo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
RF reports that he’s amazed at the quality of the writing from our nominators; he’s offered assignments to five of you so far. (If you’re interested in writing for us, don’t wait for an invitation.) We’re all extremely pleased by the fact that so many long time readers have finally broken radio silence to participate in this effort. We urge you to continue making your voice heard on other issues. By now, we’re a solid community of pistonheads. You’re all welcome.
And you’re all nuts. Again, what’s with the Camry? Finding the most popular car sold in America associated with this group was like finding your Aunt Matilda in the holding cell after a whorehouse raid, guilt or innocence not withstanding. In fact, this topic generated the bulk of yesterday’s discussion. Here are a few representative comments:
The Camry and RL may be boring, soulless appliances, but they are not bad cars. Nor are they particularly ugly. Just forgettable. – Zarba
I’d vote for the Camry because it gets bigger and uglier every generation and it is to cars what Novocain is to gums. – artsy5347
A TWAT is a vehicle that fails to live up to its purpose. If its purpose is to be the most comfortable, reliable, and vanilla way to get from point A to B, then the Camry is no TWAT. – Jeff in Canada
I tested the LE model and found land-yacht handling thresholds (unacceptable for Soccer Moms, don’t even let pistonheads get in the equation), misaligned interior panels, RATTLES, high asking price (24k and it’s a 4-banger?) and one butt ugly design. – Sajeev Mehta
The Camry delivers the boring vehicle that people who buy them want. It’s not a bad car, just a case of giving people what they want. – Claude Dickson
The new one looks eye-poppingly awful from the outside; really really bad; worse than ‘96 Taurus bad. – maxo
The Camry is a soulless drone of a car but it is absolutely flawless piece of machinery made to accomplish what it was designed for: A to B anonymous dependable transportation. You can hardly qualify a best seller that consistently fulfill that niche, forbidding any competition (except the Accord which should then be nominated as well!) a bad car or a TWAT. – rashakor
The reason I feel the Camry is deserving of the nomination is the styling. They have taken what was supposed to be a boring family sedan and attempted to add style to the exterior… It’s like putting a tuxedo on a pig… It looks stupid and makes the pig mad. – BimmerHead
Looks like it’s a hung jury on whether soullessness and bad styling make a car worthy of a TWAT. We would be less than honest if we didn’t admit right from the start that the selection committee will have to consider the effect of a Camry TWAT on this website’s credibility. On one hand, it would certainly fit TTAC’s brand positioning as the nutter in the internet attic. On the other hand, anyone predisposed against our, um, style, would use it as another excuse to dismiss TTAC with the old “anyone with a keyboard can run a website” argument.
Suffice it to say, our first obligation is to the truth. It will probably come down to a single question: would we, the jury, rather gnaw off our hands than wrap them around a Camry’s steering wheel for any length of time? Or something along those lines.
In any case, keep those nominations coming. Remember: the more justifications for a given nomination, the more likely it is to make the top 20. So let’s get those TWATs out in the open for everyone to see.
Since this article was written, we've begun voting on the '06 TWAT awards.
Please click HERE to cast your vote on the final 10. You will be returned to the TTAC home page.
147 Comments on “TTAC’s Ten Worst Automobiles Today (TWAT) Award – Coming Down the Home Stretch...”
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I think that the folks nominating the Camry are ignoring the true TWATs out there on dealer lots. I am second to none in my utter lack of interest in the automotive sofa that is the Camry, but a TWAT?
Let’s look at some of the true TWATs out there, starting with Suzuki’s lineup of rebadged Daewoos. Suzuki makes some truly excellent automobiles that it does not sell here in the US. Instead we get the Forenza and Reno, which make the Impala seem like a Honda.
Would you like to drive a true midsize TWAT? Spend an hour in a base Mitsubishi Galant and then tell me the Camry sucks.
When there are so many cars that truly suck out there, why waste time focusing on the Camry?
I would like to add a nomination for the Chysler Crossfire. It seems that Chrysler is going for the under 5′5″ demographic. although I dance like a retarded pigmy midget, I am not the size of one. You would think that someone 6′ tall would be able to fit in almost any vechicle today. I personally don’t find the styling all that bad but the interior room leaves a lot to be desired.
I am happy to see the R-Class make the list. I would love to replace the Camry with the Saab 9-7. The Camry is an okay car, that given the choice between gnawing off my hands to bloody stumps and driving a Camry, I think most would choose the Camry. Going Donner on my hands versus almost every car on this list would lead me to be driving my dreaded R-Class.
My question is would you willingly pay $150 (at least) a month to drive any of the cars?
I also want to second the inclusion of the Maybach. The owner of the Jacobs Group (used to own the Cleveland Indians) drives one (seriously I think he drives it not is driven). It just looks like a gigantic waste of money – the fact that he drives it and doesn’t wear a chauffer cap makes it worse. For less couldn’t you get a bad-ass bullet-proof 7-series or S-class? That it sits out all day in a parking lot all by itself increases the Daddy Warbucks(sp) factor.
One thing so many cars on this list share (everyone except the R-Class, Camry and Tribeca) is the antenna. Why do cars still have antennas? I’m not talking about the little shark fins or VW style stalks, but the glorified coat hanger. I get decent reception in a V70 without one as I would imagine many other cars do. Why the antenna – removing it would make cars look so much better. Especially the GM cars sporting the Onstar and satellite radio reciever plus the antenna. C’mon GM wouldn’t you save money giving people free satellite radio instead of including the antenna and satellite radio?
K.
Ahh the Camry. Rock and a hard spot. I agree with the mass that the Camry is a TWAT. It is a perfectly acceptable, comfortably numb vehicle, that offends the least amount people. You can’t really fault Toyota, as they are out to make the most money, and the Camry definately gets the job done.
But at what cost? What has the Camry done to the average American non-savvy car driver? More importantly, what has the Camry done to the American car industry? I blame the Camry for taking away the passion that American motorists used to have. Sure it isn’t the only car, but it’s the sacrificial lamb.
And for that reason alone, I nominate it. While every other automotive publication fellates it, we burn it at the stake.
I’m been trying to get several cars off the island, so now I’d like to nominate car that should set up permanent residence on the TWAT island: the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.
As many have pointed out, this is a ludicrous class of cars. Who needs cars like these to wisk Johnny to soccer practice? The Turbo S is the crown jewel of the class. First of all, it is stupidly expensive at a MRSP of just over $110,000 (US). At this price, Johnny’s parents probably have a soccer field built onto the house. Or, here’s a novel idea: buy a real sports car like the Cayman and then get something truly suitable for transporting rug rats? You could do both and still spend less than the list on the Cayenne, let alone what the thing costs when optioned. Second, I’m sure the car’s 520 hp will really take time off the various trips to Starbucks, the grocery store, along with ferrying the kids to their after school activities. And we all know every one of these destinations is located across a desert, off of some unpaved trail or on top of a mountain requiring this car’s off-road abilities.
There has to be room on the island for the most absurd and outlandish expression of a car class with no reason to exist.
After spending three days, (and too much company time.) reading many of the posts here, I still feel the poor servers have been flooded with visually subjective and gearhead driven ‘complaints’. Anyone that says any particular car is a TWAT because it’s ugly is missing the whole point. A great car is created when a group of engineers flock together to build something with a specific purpose, and it is 100% achieved. I could say a Porsche Caymen is a TWAT and a TVR Sagaris is a COTY because Porsche businessmen held the engineers back (911 competition) and the TVR team built a fantastic, albeit basic sportscar!
Visual design is subjective, Some people will never be satisfied with a HP rating, and some folks will always think something is overpriced. These are not the criteria that make a great car. Keep your focus gearheads and the real TWAT’s will come to light!
The Camry nominations make sense (I guess) if they are purely symbolic, and if in fact the Camry is only the sacrificial lamb. But 10 cars is a short list, and you could do much much worse than a Camry. I for one am happy that all those “boring” people choose to drive a “boring” Camry to their “boring” jobs. They could all be in Hummers instead. I know how much everyone would enjoy that.
And honestly, if you were shopping for a sedan in that segment, in that price range, what would you buy? I guess I’d get a Legacy or a 6, but are those cars really so amazing that they render the Camry a TWAT? Better, yes, but they’re not for everybody. There’s really nothing that competes with the Camry that is significantly more appealing than the Camry.
P.s. I know Jonny’s itchin’ to get at least ONE of the Village People trucks up on the list. Surely the King Ranch is more deserving of the TWAT than the Toyota.
It is simply preposterous to have a Camry on this list. I am not personally a fan of the vehicle, but I must respectfully recognize it's stellar repuation for reliability and the constant and focused pursuit by Toyota to the Camry's ability to serve it's purpose of safe, comfortable, and efficient transport. They even made a version that gets damn near 40mpg.
Fun, interesting, or stylish it may not be, but a boring car does not make a TWAT. Frankly speaking, a Camry is not a piece of ****. Some of you people are so biased over the Camry's popularity that Toyota could do nothing to please you. This website is honorable and is awarded with my attention because of it's pure objectivity, which is something that will be compromised if the Camry's repuation for reliability is ignored and the vehicle is put on the list as an official TWAT.
As stated prior, I am not interested in driving a Camry myself–I, too, find it as boring as many of you. However, my wife's grandparents are looking to trade in their reliable old Buick for a new Camry, and for them, and for what they want, I consider it to be a smart decision.
In my book, any car that does well what it’s designed to do and isn’t hideously ugly is excused from the TWAT roles.
Keeping this in mind, my vote goes to the Suzuki Reno. In a world of competent, efficient, reliable and well-built compacts, the Reno sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. Poor build quality, rattles, a raspy yet weak engine and gas mileage more befitting a small SUV make the Reno a real TWAT.
Hutton says: “And honestly, if you were shopping for a sedan in that segment, in that price range, what would you buy? I guess I’d get a Legacy or a 6, but are those cars really so amazing that they render the Camry a TWAT?”
That’s easy – the new Altima renders the Camry a TWAT. So does the Passat and even the Sonata.
Here’s another plea for future voters to consider another car besides the Camry – although ugly and bland, there are a whole lot of other ugly and bland mid-sized sedans that objectively don’t do the job as well. Instead, think of these following stinkers:
Buick LaCrosse (amblyopia/self-flagellation poster child vehicle of the year)
Chevy Malibu
Chrysler Sebring (2006 or 2007 will do, for different reasons)
Dodge Stratus
Ford Taurus (if it qualifies, being fleet-only)
Pontiac Grand Prix
Suzuki Verona
I’d like to nominate anything with I-Drive, why add a menu based system to a car? The whole idea with car ergonomics is that you should be able to operate with feel and position in the cockpit, not take your eyes off the road to see that you’re in the right screen to turn the radio down. On that note I’d like to especially nominate the BMW 6 Series coupe, since it looks like a fat chick with EXTREMELY noticeable panty-lines from behind. Actually anything Bangle is on my list.
The Camry doesn’t really make my blood boil, it was dull before and still is, I just don’t care.
I’d like to nominate any Jeep product that is not a true Jeep; Compass, Patriot. On that note any crossover too. Call it a mini-van or station wagon and I would not care as much. In the same breath the Subaru Tribeca is a solid nominee.
I’d also like to nominate all the Super-Sized SUV’s; Yukon Denial and it’s brethren, Nissan Armada, Suburban and the rest of them because they suck in traffic and off-road. The H2 Gets a special nomination in this category.
I’d also like to nominate the Mazda RX8, for totally loosing focus. It used to be one of the best looking sports cars in the “Modern Era” (the last gen RX7) and turned it to a castrated too high, too many doors, too many things to too many dull vehicle without personality.
Malibu is automotive sweatpants.
I will have to put my vote in for the Camry. Although, for a car to be so hideously ugly and yet STILL be obnoxiously boring is quite an achievement, so I have to give Toyota credit for that.
But moreso, it’s the fact that it has brainwashed an entire generation of North Americans that utter blandness is not only acceptable but desireable, that pushes this yawn on wheels to the top of the list.
“anyone predisposed against our, um, style, would use it as another excuse to dismiss TTAC with the old “anyone with a keyboard can run a website†argument.”
Since when has TTAC cared about that? You guys are getting soft.
I may not have any driving expertise under my belt, no real track time to back any of my comments-but for what it’s worth, how is something like the H3 NOT on the list while the Camry is?
I’ve always appreciated Toyota for their promise to quality-I’d say the majority of Toyota fans would agree. Most Camry drivers won’t fault their vehicles for torque steer, or lack of “sharp” handling.
In any case, for the intelligent man in the corner with the metaphor of Camry as car Novacaine-
ever realize how popular both these products are?
I will also agree that the Camry doesn’t belong in the Top 10 TWAT list. It definitely serves its purpose as a quiet, smooth, and reliable utility for transportation. And while I found it to be hideous at first, now I just find it to be boring. Not TWAT material.
I would like to nominate the Nissan Quest. I don’t know about quality and performance, but this one deserves the TWAT just for looks. I almost swerved off the road into oncoming traffic last week trying to avoid driving behind one. Picture: http://cellounge.com/jaminusa/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/07_quest_09.jpg
Jeep Compass and Dodge Caliber are both hideous. Instead of replacing the Neon with another nimble-handling compact car, DCX decided to build a vomit-inducing mini-SUV? Yeah, it’s “not cute.” In a bad way.
Chevy still makes the Monte Carlo? Shudder.
Hummer H2. When you want to let people know you’re a douche bag without saying a word.
No one is denying the Camry’s refinement, reliability, and safety. No one is expecting some kind of Lotus-esque handling Camry with a V12, either.
Admittedly, I don’t think the Camry really fits the guidlines now that I have re-read them, but I stand by my nomination regardless.
True, Frank’s a big softie. Read his Aveo review.
As always, we’ll let the chips fall where they may,
Based on style, design philosophy and execution I nominate:
Ford 500 (who was this Audi 5000 remake created for?)
Chevy Impala (I had it as a rental car and my GF, who is not a piston-head, said “anyone who buys one of these cars has to be mentally ill.â€).
Saab 9-7X (why would they… The steering wheel looks like its out of an 1980’s K-car)
Lincoln zephyr (at least the LS was RWD. An ugly re-bagged Mazda 6? Why is this a step up from the use of the Jaguar platform?)
Jaguar X-Type (I wanted to like this car, up to the point I sat in one and drove it. That experience sucked all the special out of the exterior)
Land Rover Freelander (It’s like a K+N sticker on the side of a ‘97 Saturn w/ stick-on spoiler to match… it doesn’t make it a sports car!)
Chevy Tahoe and all the re-bagged versions (The obvious)
Pontiac G6 (weak where it needed to be really strong)
Based on style and design philosophy I nominate the:
BMW X3 (40K for a 3-seiries w/ a lift kit? And the looks! Ouch)
Maybach 57/62 (The updated S-series looks better… Why?)
Acura TL (It looks like a Japanese Saab 9-5 with a hint of Pontiac body cladding. Why again will Honda not make a RWD platform and take-over the world?)
Ooh, upon reading furuther posts, I would like to add another to the list: the BMW 6-series.
Ugly, overweight, unneccesary. A car designed with the poseur in mind.
First, I don’t think the Camry should remain on the list. You’re outvoted, 40,000 to 1. And it’s selling without givebacks. Clearly, there’s cars for pistonheads and then there’s cars that are just cars. The numbers say the Camry is a pretty good car. The car may be BORING (and a friend who just bought one actually said he thought it was boring but he didn’t care) but it’s not BAD.
Second, as for as how you may decide,
“It will probably come down to a single question: would we, the jury, rather gnaw off our hands than wrap them around a Camry’s steering wheel for any length of time?” – Frank Williams
Imagine you’re renting a car. The atttendant gives you the keys to a Camry. Are you relieved or horrified?
Oh, man, how could we all miss the X3, I’d like to second that nomination. What does that car do well? Anything?
Man, I guess to satisfy everyone, you could “improve” the TWAT and make it go to eleven. Then the Camry could be added to the list as the number 11 special award. “The biggest disapointment in a good but unbearably banal car”
Or something like that.
I suspect the H3 didn’t make it because no one here has driven one, which is most likely a symptom of no one here willing to be caught dead in one. Which I guess would qualify it, no?
No one is denying the Camry’s refinement, reliability…
I certainly am. The misaligned panels and the dashboard/parcel shelf rattles does NOT make for a refined and reliable car. The Camry is far from a sacred cow. Its a first year product with serious quality issues.
The Camry currently has two recalls for airbags and has numerous TSB’s: engine oil leaks, transmission shifting problems, interior rattles and others.
If you don’t believe me, read the Camry Forums:
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t160607.html
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t158982.html
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t158721.html
The Camry is FAR from mechanically superior to its competitors. Plus its ugly. So dont fear nominating it to the list. :-)
I also nominate: X3, H3, Caliber. Don’t really have anything further to add to those.
Oh and I forgot! Anything Maybach, why would anyone buy an oversized duller 600? It gets my oversized-overpriced Camry award. The two-tone paint doesn’t help either. And since I’m on luxo barges, I’ll nominate the Bentley Paethon too, I parked in front of one the other day and I had to look twice to see that it was a Bentley, this one is the runner up to the oversized-overpriced Camry award.
Please keep in mind just because a car wasn’t listed here, it doesn’t mean it’s not in the running. So far we’ve had 130 different vehicles or badge engineered combos nominated. The ones here were just the first 10 as far as individual nominations are concerned. Many of the vehicles mentioned in these posts are on the list, including the H3 (and H2).
“Imagine you’re renting a car. The atttendant gives you the keys to a Camry. Are you relieved or horrified?”
That depends on what the alternatives are. There are cars which are far worse than the Camry, but also cars I’d much rather drive, even in a rental fleet.
TWAT by company. Stuff I would never ever buy
1. Ford – Freestar, where is my s-max?
2. Mercury – This is a badge engineered badge. All apply for TWAT.
3. Lincoln – See above.
4. Mazda – Tribute. Close contest with the B truck.
5. Jaguar – S type kissing booth mannequin
6. Volkswagen – Beetle, I dont know why I relate it to the fair sex. Would not touch with a stick.
7. Audi – TT, Looks>Performance = Priority wrong.
8. Mercedes – M class, that was easier than I thought.
9. Chrysler – PT Cruiser Conv, too cool to classify. LOL. Aspen and Sebring a close second.
10. Dodge – Tie between caliber and stratus.
11. Jeep – Compass, Commander. I need not say anymore.
12. Toyota – Prius, Just pray the guy sitting next to you at lunch doesnt have one. For yaris see below.
13. Scion – xa, xb – because they have console in the center, cannot parse. error.
14. Subaru – tribeca. the flying vagina.
15. Honda – Insight. Why is it still on sale?
16. Buick – I dont know what Tiger woods is selling. All apply.
17. Cadillac – The escalade pickup. this one was more difficult than I thought.
18. Cheverolet – I get only one choice. Damn. Uplander.
19. GMC – See #2
20. Hummer – H2 SUT. SUT??
21. Pontiac – Tie between the SV6 (hhehee) and the torrent.
22. Saab – 9-7x. the least SAAB SAAB.
23. Saturn – Ion. Who was incharge of this disaster? Import Fighter I dont think so.
24. Hyundai – Elantra. Thank god they updated it for next year.
25. Kia – Amanti. S type for 28k. Tsk. Classify under what were they thinking.
26. BMW – X3/5. Why do you pander to the SUV..no SAV public.
27. Infiniti – Q, I bet you didnt know they had a Q.
28. Mitsubishi – They ruined the eclipse.
29. Suzuki Reno – We want the awesome Swift instead.
30. Isuzu – Yes that is a car brand, and no i wont have any of their vehicles.
Exempt Brands – volvo, aston martin, land rover, lambo, bugatti, bentley, maybach, lexus, acura, mini, ferrari, maserati, nissan( i am surprised myself), lotus, Rolls Royce.
The Camry is definitely not deserving of being on the list. For starters it is a perfectly capable car that realizes each and every claim that it makes. The quality to value proposition is pretty much perfect. It also establishes a new, higher “baseline” for affordable family sedans that every other manufacturer will have to match and beat in the future. All of these are good things, and it is inconceivable that so many TTAC readers fault Toyota for bringing this car to the American market. I thank them.
Of course I could fault the Camry for its awkward styling, but I won’t because it is trying . While the Camry does not unseat the beauty pageant queens (Benz and Alfa Romeo, let’s say), it is raising the game for “standard” sedans. This should also be welcome to those that find themselves sick of the banal reality of the US sedan market.
I also want to cast my votes for:
Saab 9-7: GM really sold their acquisition down the river on that one, all in the name of soaking up excess SUV platform supply.
Mercedes R-Class: Mercedes is understood to be much more than a luxury brand in Europe, and the R-Class fits in the MB’s product line along with the A and B-Class vehicles. In the US, however the R-Class is just an odd duck. Perhaps it is a couple of years ahead of its time, but at the moment it just seems wrong. To advance my gripe a little more, I am going to say that maybe Benz should be concentrating more on bringing or developing a marketable premium compact for the US market as a response to increased fuel costs. (hey! maybe that’s the idea, introduce the super-premium family suv/van, get traction, then bring in the little (A and B Class) guys). Regardless, of rationale, thumbs-down to the R-Class.
Thumbs down to the Chevy Aveo. Chevy, the all-American brand is reduced to selling Korean piffle. In Europe Chevy sells only re-badged Daewoos, Corvette is pulled out as a separate brand. Ponder that. GM selling it’s essence down the river. As a car maybe it is ok, but it is not a Chevy. Nice rebadging job guys. Next time do your homework.
Sajeev:
I completely forgot about your review! I apologize about that. I guess everyone is so stuck on Toyotas reputation that we just kind of assumed that the new Camry would be no different.
I certainly don’t feel bad about nominating it, now.
I always thought people bought Camry’s like they buy stamps from the Post Office; they have a need, they go to the place that sells them, they make a quick selection (Elvis, Florida wildlife or Old Glory), then go home and use them. They don’t think about the mechanics of how the postal system works, or go to CostCo and buy in bulk to save a few cents. If they want 2nd class stamps, then they get a Corolla.
It doesn’t make them a bad car, just the choice for people who don’t like to make choices.
I think the Chevy Malibu deserves the Camry’s spot. It is just as boring but also badly built, has a 3.5 V6 that feels less powerful than a 2 liter 4, has an attrocious interior and no resalse value to speak of.
Carguy, I agree with you about the Malibu, so much infact that I too nominated it yesterday. I’m honestly suprised that it isn’t in the top 10.
The Malibu: Keeping J.D. Byrider in business since 1998.
The Aveo while probably not a great car, it isnt a horrible car.
A few readers cited the underpowered nature of the car, while this is true, the Aveo is an entry level automobile, designed to get the user from one place to another for as little cash as possible. Also its powered By a 1.6 liter 16 valver sans all the go fast gewizardry you might find in some of the competition, keep in mind the competition costs more.
Also throughtout the History of car review sites, I don’t think I have ever read a review about a compact car that didn’t have the words ‘gear hunting uphill’ and ’slow’ in it…duh… its not a Lotis Elise, its only the same size.
the refreshed for 07 sedan doesnt look bad at all, atleast they updated the thing, GM is known for putting essentially the same vehicle on the market for 8 years or more, and here we are 3 years (or so)into the model cycle and the sedan has an all new interior and partial exterior.
This should is a marked moment in histroy, it’s the one time that GM actually got something done in a Decent amount of time.
Walking around the Aveo, for a cheap car its workmanship, panel fits and interor aren’t bad for something that costs less than 10k in an everything lines up, and stuff doesnt fall off kind of way. I guess those South Koreans really know how to build American cars.
After seeing the 07 sedan at the dealer, I have to say, I might almost be caught dead in it. At the end of the day it doesnt exactly what it was designed to do, provide basic transportation for those who are aspiring to greater things. You know, it gets the grill cook at your favorite restaurant home at night so he can go to school in the morning…(me)
So is it really a TWAT contender, or just a target for people that wouldn’t buying one because they can afford more?
Oh man… I like the way the Camry looks. I’m sure I’ll be voted off the island for that. Plus 268bhp sounds plenty tasty on paper.
A co-worker (not a car guy) who bought one loves it, and loves its power. He loves corrupting the fragile little minds of his kids by smoking those fronts, eliciting whoops of juvenile approval. Of course he doesn’t know a thing about handling (representing the great unwashed)… since his other vehicle is a ‘Burban.
So, for the dad who has to balance trouble-free, cushy, safe family transport with the occasional Don Garlits urge to goose it, it’s just fine.
Derrières of trackaddicts need not apply. For them those therapists at M GmBH, MazdaSpeed, SVT, STI, et al, offer treatment.
Oh, and no I don’t own one. But I do drive two cars that TTAC’ers would have made it to the TBAT in their day. Clue… one is that Bavarian with burble. The other was C&D voted best handler.
But I’d buy one for my wife when she tires of her beloved Maxima.
I like dhathewa’s test for the Camry. If the rental car company handed you the keys to a Camry, would you be relieved or horrified. I’d be relieved. There are MUCH scarier vehicles on rental lots. I’ve experienced two of them: Ford Taurus and Dodge Charger.
The Prius is much more deserved of TWAT. Driving around with that stupid display makes the car feel more like a mobile video game than a car. Acceleration is so poor, the car would need an hour to get out of its own way. Lastly, you don’t have to worry watching as you are about to be run over from behind, with no rear vision, you will never see them coming.
BTW, the Audi TT is not eligible for nomination: the car is not currently available until next year when it will be offerred as an early 2008 model. Second, unless you live outside the US or are a journalist, chances are you’ve never actually seen the TT in the flesh or driven it.
I vote the Maybach for…
As one of the select few that have been able to experience the bliss of a Maybach (unfortunately while in a stationary orbit), I can say that anyone, and I mean anyone, that believes that this baby deserves a TWAT need only ensconce themselves into the rear thrones. Silly notions of nominations for inadequacy in motorcar form will instantly vanish, leaving you with only the question of how Maybach engineers snuck up to heaven one night, sedated the Lord, stole his perch, figured out how to reproduce it, and finally squeezed it into a moving work of art.
Sex in the rear of a Maybach just might be enough to kill a man using pleasure alone.
And yes, someone also mentioned the Mitsubishi Galant. The reason I also forgot to give it a nod was because I forgot that it even existed. If that’s not a damning statement, I don’t know what is.
The current TWAT list actually has a few vehicles that serve their purpose, in my mind, well enough to avoid such a denigrating designation. The Impala, though also boring, provides roomy fuel efficient family transport for a very reasonable price. The Aveo may be bad, but I’m not sure it’s objectively that much worse than a Rio, Accent, or Reno–and it’s cheaper than all of those. The Tribeca’s sole faults are a horrible name and a grille that RF so eloquently described once upon a time. Here’s my list:
1. Jeep Compass (modern-day Cimarron)
2. GM minivans (probably a unanimous choice, which is saying something)
3. Chrysler Aspen (shameless)
4. Ford Ranger (a neglected poster-child for what’s wrong w/Ford)
5. Suzuki Reno (gas guzzling whoreish Daewoo with old technology and poor quality–belongs solely in the 3rd world)
6. Chevy Trailblazer EXT (pointless vehicle…nevermind the gas mileage; consider the awkward dimensions, zero off-road capability, dollar-store interior, ghastly reliability and build quality, and you’re-gonna-die emergency handling. Includes Isuzu Ascender/GMC Envoy XL. The regular length versions may also apply, but more because of how bad GM has whored them out rather than how terrible the product itself is)
7. Chevy Monte Carlo (serves no purpose–not practical, not fast, not good looking, not refined, not efficient)
8. Saturn Ion (so bad it almost single handedly killed the brand, wins my award for worst interior design & execution ever)
9. Buick Rendezvous (not a single redeeming quality—a recurring GM theme)
10. Kia Amanti (nothing screams “I have a poor credit rating†better)
Dishonorable mentions:
2006 Hyundai Sante Fe (2007 redeems itself)
Ford Freestar
Mercury (the entire line, simply for being Fords with different grilles)
All Saabs except for the 9/3
Pontiac G5 (proof that GM hasn’t changed a bit)
Isuzu
most Mitsubishis
Ok, it seems like nobody can make a contribution until they take a stand on the Camry: TWAT or not a TWAT?
I will respectably argue that all of this fuss over one great vehicle (reliability and V6 engine competence, two great qualities at the very top of the wish list of many, many brands of cars that goes unfullfilled decade after decade) is drawing attention from other cars that do belong on this list.
I have already nominated the BMW 5 series for this reason:
I nominate the BMW 5 series because of that dang I-Drive! I don’t care if the rest of the car is purdy good, take the I-Drive out! Just the thought of changing radio stations increases the risk of a cardiac infarction. Too many people in America with borderline arterial blockages for this.
I will now add that the BMW 5 series belongs on this list because it is the anti-Camry. Both of these two vehicles are resounding sales success’ for their manufacturers in their vehicle class. Two very different approaches to generating corporate earnings, from two of the best rewarded outfits (in terms of net corporate profit margins.) Two different cultures’ (East vs. West) approach to define what is value and quality.
The 5-series is way too expensive to purchase and maintain. To get a 5-series the way that anybody would want it could buy you two point two five similarly equipped Camrys’ with the same money. Bimmer dealerships are legendary for their major surgery to their customer’s wallets, and I have not even spoken about their service dept. antics.
Those who argue that BMW markets and sells its line of vehicles as luxury-mobiles and can therefore price ‘em any way it wants to are not being relevant. Is the 5-series worth one million dollars? Of course not. Is the 5-series worth twenty thousdand dollars? Of course not. The truth lies somewhere in between, to be found after a general application of relevancy.
Few new BMW buyers will argue that the cars they are purchasing are reliable. They know they are buying a headache.
BMW’s willlingness to resolve/mediate quality/lemon issues with their customers is a farce, at best. BMW’s diss with its customers resounds in every fiber of the organization, percolating through onto its (independently owned) dealership network. A friend of mine had to order his 5-series from a dealership located at a distant city because the local BMW dealership “wasn’t very interested in me as a customer.” He was an associate with a major Wall Street firm at the time, go figure.
BMW’s attraction to buyers is undeniable. Granted, while the Camry is the poster child for the beige (read vanilla ice cream) plain Jane at the Ball, the 5-series comes fully dressed to sweep ‘em of the dance room floor. The 5-series dances circles around any other similarly massive object on earth with four wheels.
Still; the I-Drive, the exceptional price premium, the lack of reliability, the BMW penchant for disgrace with its customers, all of these things tanks the 5-series.
^plus, it’s ugly. And the two people I know that own them are actual twats.
I will finally have to speak up and add my nominations.
First of all, I think we are doing the automotive world a huge difavor by not having the Ford Taurus on the list. It is the perfect example of how a car company can take a great car, and turn it into a complete stinker. I didn’t think it was posible to make a car look like a tampon aplicator, but Ford somehow pulled it off.
My second nomination would be the Mazada B series pickups. This is the perfect example of a missed oppertunity to fill a void in the market in the form of the now rare small pickup. Instead, they did a very bad job of rebadging a Ford Ranger.
–C. Alan
Well, the Taurus wasn’t really on sale for the public in 2006. IIRC is was fleet sales only.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
Claude: You Da Man.
As Bill Hurt, playing Ned Racine in Body Heat, said: What else do you like? Lazy? Ugly? Horny? I got ‘em all.
The Cayenne can say: What else do you like? Fat? Ugly? Expensive? I got ‘em all.
“Well, the Taurus wasn’t really on sale for the public in 2006. IIRC is was fleet sales only.”
Then, I’ll nominate the Jaguar X-Type in it’s place! They are almost interchangable form the outside and I’m sure with some woodgrain tape and and Cat for the hood you could convince many people out there…
I nominated the Taurus a couple of days ago not realizing that it doesn’t qualify due to its Fleet-only status.
So now my real nomination goes to the Dodge Caliber purely for the WTF strategic reasons behind its production, namely:
1. The market has turned against SUVs in the last few years and towards cars and crossovers. Smaller cars have been particularly hot as is shown by the Versa, Fit, Yaris, Aveo, and the Scions.
2. The original Neon was the American small car of its day. Remember the “Hi!” ad campaign when it first launched? Remember the array of colors that it could be found in and the cuteness / carefreeness that it inspired?
3. The Neon was in need of an update. Gen2 debuted in 2000 as an 01 model, SRT4 in 03, and the SXT trim level appeared in 2005. Sales of the 2005 Neon were 75,996 down from
126,118 in 2002.
4. Why not simply produce a new Neon? You have already built a loyal following and name recognition over the last 10+ years. Why throw it all away to build a completely new vehicle in different market segment? Isn’t it reasonable to expect that a redesigned Neon could sell 100,000+ units per year?
If I walk into a Dodge dealership today. What can I buy for a sedan or smaller car? I can buy a Charger or Magnum starting at 23 grand but those are too big in my mind. I like small cars like the Corolla, RSX, Civic, and so on. So my only choice is the SUV like Caliber.
So because of the poor strategy behind it, the Caliber belongs on the TWAT.
Actually, the X-type was based on the Mondeo platform.
I nominate the Toyota Prius as the worst car being sold in the States today, for the reason that it is hideous and all the jerkasses in the world drive one. At the end of the day, the difference between people who drive Hummer H2s and people who drive Priuses is this: the guy driving a Hummer is a raging dullard who likes the macho trucks no matter how awful they are in every way, but he is basically harmless if left to himself. The Prius driver is an upstanding, respectible citizen who also happens to be actively working to destroy all that is great about this country; in his heart of hearts he is a totalitarian philosopher-king who believes the choice of transportation cannot be left in the hands of the masses, and therefore works feverishly towards the day when his personal preferences are enacted with the force of law. Speed cameras, congestion taxes, and nanny boxes in rental cars are just the beginning for this madman- the shining future begins when all humanity is crowded into great concrete apartment complexes situated rationally on mass transit lines and nobody owns a car. How glorious it will be! The planet will be saved and nobody will put on airs by driving a really fast, really outrageous, really good car that others cannot afford or desire.
But, for the time being, he drives a Prius and gives money to political pressure groups so that his exalted future will be attained.
The Prius is the engine of destruction for the human spirit.
Amen to the R-Class nomination. The it-thing-vehicle sorely deserves this ignominious award.
Ok, here’s a new nomination from me:
Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI. Sticker price? $67,750. You would think that they would learn something from the flop of the Phaeton.