TTAC Ten Worst Automobiles 2007: Last Chance to Vote

The voting for the 2007 TTAC Ten Worst Autos award continues apace. You have until midnight tomorrow to make your choices. If you haven't voted yet, click here to jump over to the polls. If you have voted, thanks. You've done your part to help rid the world of four-wheeled turkeys. We'll announce the "winners" on November 1, so you won't have long to wait to find out if your selections won. In the meantime, here's an update of what's been going on behind the scenes.

As was the case last year, there were a few likely victors amongst the finalists. Also, as was the case last year, not everyone agrees on what makes a vehicle one of the "Ten Worst." As soon as we announced the finalists some of you immediately questioned our procedures and techniques (and at times, parentages). Here are our responses to some of your more … uh … pointed observations.

How can you evaluate a car you've never driven?

Let's just face it– there's no way anyone could have driven all 136 vehicles that were nominated. Chances are most nominations were made by someone who hasn't even driven that specific vehicle. However, with all the information available nowadays, the desperation the manufactures show in their marketing campaigns, word-of-mouth reports and personal observations, you don't need to spend time behind the wheel to draw a pretty good conclusion whether or not a vehicle is any good. After all, if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, you don't need an ornithologist to tell you it's not a pigeon-toed chicken with a head cold.

Why is the ABC Blandmobile on the list when they stopped producing them months ago?

The rules (actually, about the only rule) specified any car has to be offered for sale as a new model in the U.S. between January 1 and now is eligible. Though the manufacturer may have pulled the plug (or is about to do so) on a dud, that model is still on the lots waiting for some [s]sucker[/s] eager car buyer. If a manufacturer has a model that's so bad no one wants one, and it languishes on the lots even after they're not making it any longer, they should be recognized for their idiocy. Kind of like a posthumous Medal of Honor in reverse.

Why didn't the XYZ Uggo make the final cut? It got a lot more nominations than the ABC Blandmobile.

From the outset, we stated we weren't going to track how many times someone said "me too" to someone else's nomination, nor would the number of nominations come into play while selecting the finalists. For most cars, almost every nomination was countered by a subsequent post stating why that car shouldn't be nominated. If we counted every time something was nominated, would we then deduct a point every time someone presented good rationale that countered the nomination?

You shouldn't have included last year's winners in this year's competition.

Why not? If a manufacturer is making no effort to improve their turdmobiles, they deserve to be recognized for it until they do. That is unless someone else has introduced a bigger turdmobile in the interim. (Did I just hear GM offering a prayer of thanks for the Chrysler Sebring?)

The list of finalists proves you're pro-import, anti-domestic AND unpatriotic.

Uh huh. Right. You left out prejudiced, leftist, elitist and dictatorial. The list of finalists was selected by a democratic poll of our writing staff, many of whom own domestic vehicles. They felt the individual models listed were the worst of all the nominees– without considering manufacturer or country of origin. If you feel strongly that we're biased against domestic cars, you're welcome to write and submit a fact-based editorial supporting your opposing viewpoint. Or you can start your own blog with our blessing and support.

So far the voting has been close. But the front runner should come as no surprise to anyone. Although we're not saying which one it is, here's a hint: it rhymes with price-blur dweeb-ring. We will tell you who the ten leaders are though, as of the time I'm writing this Thursday evening. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Chevrolet TrailBlazer / GMC Envoy / Isuzu Ascender / Saab 9-7X (GMT-360)

Chevy Aveo

Chevy Monte Carlo

Chevy Uplander

Chrysler Aspen

Chrysler Sebring

Dodge Nitro

Hummer H2

Jeep Compass

Saturn ION

Is this also a list of the winners? Who knows? You'll have to wait until we release the winners on Thursday, November 1 to find out. Voting closes at midnight (EDT) tomorrow, Saturday October 27. If you haven't voted, you still have time to express your opinion. What are you waiting for? Click on over to our polling site and vote! And as always, thank you for helping make TTAC a much louder voice in the automotive wilderness.