Ask the Best and Brightest: Which Cars Will Make It?

Justin Berkowitz
by Justin Berkowitz

Edmunds Auto Observer is often the first website to review a new car– in the sense of showering it with love and happiness or, at worst, gumming it to death. Suddenly, uncharacteristically, under the guise of humor, the bloggers who still won't fully disclose car manufacturers' contributions to their editorial (a.k.a. junketeering) grew a pair. Ish. Writer Bill Visnic offers a list of cars that "don't have a chance." Of course, it's not the carmakers' fault. Oh, no these whips are doomed "mostly [due] to the new rules governing the auto industry" Some of the cars– which now "suddenly look titanically dumb"– are easy targets (VW Rotten). Others are guaranteed sales successes (Honda Accord). So we put it to you, our Best and Brightest: which of these things is not like the other? Which of these things will not belong? And what other vehicles should be on this list of future flops, and why?


BMW X6


Cadillac CTS-V


Dodge Challenger


Dodge Ram


Ford F150


Ford Flex


Honda Pilot


Honda Accord


Infiniti FX50


Lincoln MKS


Hummer H3T


Toyota Venza


VW Routan


VW Tiguan

Justin Berkowitz
Justin Berkowitz

Immensely bored law student. I've also got 3 dogs.

More by Justin Berkowitz

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 45 comments
  • 200k-min 200k-min on Jun 25, 2008

    I agree that the new Accord is too big and ugly, but the Camry is equally as bad in each category and they are selling like mad. Not sure why it was added to the list at all. I'll be around a long time. Dodge Challenger seems like the obvious DOA car. Bad timing all around, but I said the Jeep Commander wouldn't last more than a year and it's still there. Hummer is probably gone within a year by GM's doing. All the luxury brands will manage some business with ridiculous vehicles because people like my uncle have the money to pay for gas and "will drive a SUV/truck no matter the price."

  • WildBill WildBill on Jun 25, 2008

    The F-150? Your grand children will be able to buy one. It might lose some of the "city glitz" they've put into it but lots of contractors and farmers, among others, still will need trucks. Same for the big vans, might sell far fewer pretty ones to suburban families but it's indispensable for the working truck market.

  • Ttacgreg Ttacgreg on Jun 25, 2008

    Can't argue with current sales numbers, but Honda worries me. Honda was better as a scrappy, lower market share player. They got to where they are by being true to Honda's own vision. Now they are in the big leagues, and imitating others. Accord imitates BMW 5 series. Civic? Imitates Prius' spaceship look. Pilot? Imitates gargantuan Detroit iron. Oddessy? Garish shot at the minivan market. Ridgeline? Pint sized Avalanche. The Fit, and the S2000 are the most Honda of Hondas right now. Honda is losing its direction.

  • Landcrusher Landcrusher on Jun 25, 2008

    ttacgreg, Gotta say the odyssey is a winner. The S2000 is every bit the roadster Honda would build, and the Fit is precisely the ultimate Honda. Still, I don't care what the accord looks like, it's still a winner. The CRV is also a winner, even though I liked the old concept better (it was more truck like). Honda does seem to be losing it's scrappiness even though. That gets into the whole argument over niche players vs. full line and I don't know the answer to that. I do know that I don't think anyone does a full line well. Even Toyota has losers.

Next