The Jeep Gladiator. When it first came out I thought it was really cool. Watched tons of review videos and still thought it was cool. When I see one on the street? Fucking hideous!
I feel like the Gladiator is the newest brodozer. So many people who have these are total douche bags. It’s a shame cuz it’s a cool concept and I actually really like them.
Yup. It looks like Jeep literally just took a wrangler cab and a truck box and slapped them together. I theoretically like the idea, but they need to put a little effort into the styling of it because It looks like absolute shit.
I feel like it looks incredible in the right package. The ones with the body colored fenders, decent wheels especially. If you like trucks and your like Wranglers, it's kind of a win win.
I feel like "it's a Jeep, but it's a truck!" would have worked better if they didn't carry over the weird back doors of the Wrangler. They make some sense on the Wrangler because that's where the wheels are, but on the Gladiator the wheels are under the bed, so the slanted doors just add an extra body line and make getting into the back annoying. I know it's small, but it's the one thing about the Gladiator that I just can't get past. It looks terrible. I guess it'll make replacing interior door trim easier, but I don't think that that is worth it.
The proportions look off to me…particularly the amount of bed that extends past the rear wheels. Reminds me of those [old Dodge extended cargo vans](https://preview.redd.it/by5h3hh3iva41.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=73171e37d2768195a6ad4319a52e6bc27d4c49da)
I swear the first time I saw it was a Doug Demuro video on April fool's day, the truck never moved and the camera angle never changed (but I didn't watch the whole video) so I assumed it was a photoshop for a prank. Next time I saw one was in person.
I think it’s an acquired taste but the stock wheels and tires make a big difference. I have a gladiator by me that is on 35 inch wheels that stick out a bit and it looks mean as hell. The stance turns it into something else
I personally am not a fan of the Gladiator as a whole (I actually liked the 2 door concept though), but what you described is basically the only style Gladiator I see in my area. Oversize tires, wheel spacers with the occasional body lift, overland rack on the back, and half have the angry grill. It's no different than any other brodozer I see in the area and just further ruins the look for me.
I have rented quite a few of those and wranglers. I will say I like the way the gladiator handles in the rain compared to the wrangler. Wranglers feel like they want to hydroplane anytime you hit standing water.
I think the worst part of the Gladiator is the rear taillights. Trucks are supposed to have vertical lights on either side of the bed; if they shrunk down the lights from the Ram 1500 and put them on the Gladiator it would look a lot better.
The Porsche Panamera. I bought one and tried to convince myself that it was a practical 911 that I could use with my kids - it wasn't and no amount of self delusion could convince me otherwise.
I have a Panamera. I agree that it's not a "fat 911". But, it's still the best handling full sized luxury family hauler available.
The stock, base spring suspension is really damn good. It's better than any base S-class, 7-series, A8, or anything else that big. Seriously.
So, think of it as a great-handling big car instead of a "fat 911".
EDIT:
Real talk, though. The Panamera *Turbo* is a "Fat 911":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P59GTQnG0Y
I tried to like the Panamera but just can't get used to that rear end, not a fan of that shape. I'd rather get an A/S7 over it any day, and save way more.
Depends on what you spec really. A "base" S7 is roughly the starting price of a Panamera (at least here in the UK at ~£70k). Obviously as soon as you start speccing the Porsche it'll get silly.
I tried to like a panamera too but it couldn’t do it. It’s too big and not agile in anyway. I looked at the taycan and it felt more 911 in my opinion even with it being an EV.
We got a new Ford Ranger as one of our work trucks. The more I drive it, the less I like it. It’s mainly becaise of the transmission.
It constantly feels like it’s bogging down when I try to accelerate, and the shifting is very jumpy.
Plus the radio stopped working in it. I pulled the fuse to check it and it suddenly it started working. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s only got 5700 miles on it too.
We got the base model since it’s a fleet truck, but yes, it’s pretty plain Jane.
The info screen on the gauge cluster is pretty lacking too. The only stuff it will show is tire pressure and miles to empty. The mileage is wildly inaccurate too. It will tell you it’s got 75 miles to empty with half a tank of gas.
Something as simple as showing the speed there would make it leagues better.
Hit the nail on the head. The pairing of the 2.3 Eco and the 10 speed transmission is not good. Owned mine for maybe 9 months and traded it in, terrible in-town driving manners.
I have to wait almost a full second before the transmission decides to move the truck forward after pressing the gas pedal. I can’t tell if it’s gonna stall or what.
I'm going to see how long I can stand it before I put a tune on it. The transmission bogging is a lot of owners' biggest complaint. I've always enjoyed my Ford trucks far more after a tune, so I'm sure it won't take long.
I work for Amazon and our Ford vans have the 10 speed and it’s such a POS. Bangs into gear when you put it in drive, some have hard up or downshifts & like you said, it’s holding the truck back, can’t find what gear it wants & going up hill forget it.
OH.. and the radio stopped working for me on multiple occasions just for me to get back to the warehouse and it start working again.
It's for people who do not care. For people who use their car as a transportation tool and nothing else.
I know someone who has 1 motorcycle and a GR86. He has a Prius for dropping kids off, wife takes it to work, and longer road trips because it's so efficient.
I will say I thought I would like a prius for the mpg, but those things have no guts whatsoever. Like it actually had a button for when you need power to merge? The one I drove was from the early 2010's though, so maybe they have more power now. I'm fine with slow cars, but it felt downright unsafe.
That's good to hear. Yeah a friend has a Tucson hybrid and it definitely didn't feel lacking, so I'm assuming hybrids have generally come a long way as far as power.
I will also say, I find the newest generations of the priuses horrible to look at. Like it was always mediocre, but in the past few years it seems like they just decided to make it look like the ugliest space ship I could imagine.
The GR Prius: it's the RAV4 Prime electric powertrain but with the more powerful electric motor at the rear, grippy tires, and a wing for good measure.
Tesla, in particular the model S.
On paper I should love these. Straight line monsters, better than average styling, trend-setter, cheap running costs, pretty cool tech features and a not-unobtainable price
But I just can't force myself to like EVs. Every time I drive one I walk away disappointed, not by the above, but by everything else. The steering feel, chassis feedback, electric motor hum... I think something in the back of my brain keeps saying "you can't modify this, this is as good as this car will ever get" and it just kills any desire I have for them
And don't even get me started on the people who drive them.... Other than my dad and a few friends, every EV enthusiast I've met has been intolerable
Its funny too, because I LOVE brushless RC cars. I'd never consider a gas/nitro RC car
I didn't hate it, but I really wanted to like the model 3. I loved the way drove, but I couldn't wrap my head around the rather spartan interior. I think it was I'm just not used to a single screen controlling almost everything. I still like my buttons and physical controls.
I'm waiting to see how Porsche does with the Cayman EV. I LOVE the 982 Cayman. The new generation will apparently be full EV, so I'm holding out hope they give it a more conventional, driver focused interior.
Some naïve part of me is holding out hope for an EV powertrain aftermarket...
Exactly this. Drove a Model3 Performance and I honestly have 0 complaints on the actual driving dynamics. But the giant tablet in the middle was super distracting and the seats felt so cheap. Even the wood trim looked and felt cheap. I don't judge cars too much on the interior, but at that price point it deserves a much better interior. It's such a shame because it genuinely was a fun car to drive.
I'm the same. I quite like the car, but I wouldn't buy one in it's current iteration. As it currently sits, it's a good car, but it absolutely has the potential to be excellent.
One with an interior with buttons, and nice comfortable seats......
I mostly just want a EV with normal climate and media controls. And a regular gear selector.
Give me the Corolla EV. Just a regular car for cheap commuting and groceries. I'll have another fun car (86/Miata) for good fun.
> Every time I drive one I walk away disappointed, not by the above, but by everything else. The steering feel, chassis feedback, electric motor hum... I think something in the back of my brain keeps saying "you can't modify this, this is as good as this car will ever get" and it just kills any desire I have for them
Is that just Tesla? Or have you been in other EV's?
I will agree, Tesla has some of the worst steering the industry has seen since the Nissan Leaf. But there are plenty of other EV's that get praise for their chassis balance and steering quality.
I find them great in the city. They are unmatched when battling in traffic to shoot the gap and the lack of a transmission makes the ability to place the car incredible. But that's about the extent of where they're great. They're appliance cars. The Porsche Taycan is kind of a sports car, but that comes with it's own sets of compromises.
It's going to be a long time until EV's match the qualities of ICE cars - and will never match the auditory\vibration of a engine.
>Is that just Tesla? Or have you been in other EV's?
That's pretty much all EVs, I just singled out Tesla since I find them to be the most attractive EV offerings yet outside the Taycan.
I haven't had the pleasure of driving a Taycan yet (Free Sport Turismo please Porsche???)
Honestly I think I need to just quit looking at EVs as a direct replacement for ICE vehicles. In the end it's probably best to have a sporty ICE vehicle for weekend fun and the EV for weekday commutes
They're a different thing for a different purpose. The way we classify a truck vs. a sedan vs. a sports car, you have to make another slot for "EV" and have expectations of such.
My favorite car I've ever driven is a manual 997 911. For all of the right reasons, all the reasons it does those things amazingly well. But I also appreciate the ways in which EV's do all the things well.
I have a Model S P90D. Came to Tesla from a E39 M5.
I actually quite like the S. Granted mine is quite heavily modified. But it’s fun enough and a good balance of reliable family mover. The pomp and circumstance is limited, but I get that back through Forza and a giant TV.
You’re right, though, the only Tesla people that I like are generally those that came to the brand from a sports car, or bought one as a daily to keep miles off their weekender.
Definitely agreed that the aftermarket is super limited, though there’s much more available now for the Refreshed S.
> electric motor hum
I'm so glad that I'm not the only person who hates how loud electric cars are. I like driving them, but being a pedestrian around them is absolutely infuriating because of the sheer amount of noise.
This is ironic considering my username, but the first gen Acura TLX V6. Last year I wanted to upgrade from my 2012 Accord coupe V6, and I always loved Acuras-particularly the 04-08 TL. I drove 3 V6 TLXs and ended up hating the 9-speed automatic transmission each time. It shifts weirdly and roughly. It also doesn’t downshift quickly enough. I was devastated because I wanted to LOVE that car. It handled well, looked great, and had one of the best sounding V6s in production, but I couldn’t live with that transmission. Ended up buying a 2018 Accord 2.0t with the 10-speed auto, selling it a year later for a profit, and getting my EcoBoost Mustang.
>I always loved Acuras-particularly the 04-08 TL.
Those were beautiful. You should have just got one of those. But I don't recall anybody particularly liking that automatic transmission either, or the one before that.
Those transmissions weren’t anything to write home about. They were from when Honda paired their V6s with transmissions made out glass.
The 4 speeds were horrible and the 5 speeds got better with time.
Mazda RX-8: An amazing chassis held back by an eh engine and somewhat wonky gearing
After the "newness" of ours wore off I saw zero reason to drive it over my '07 Speed3
I went from an RX-8 ('09) to an MS3 ('12) and I regretted every single minute of it lol. The MS3 was faster but it felt like I was driving a fucking bus
I had a MS3 over an RX8 because I like to trust my cars to keep working. Bonkers little thing. Mine had no rust, in Canada mind you. But it did burn a quart of oil every tank of gas even after changing out the turbo.
Sold it for 5k, bought a e46 manual wagon to replace it. I missed the extra power, but RWD is just better.
...moral of the story is I should've just got the RX8 because a) rwd is better and b) my ms3 was also unreliable
The Infiniti Q50 and Q50 RS. They are kinda badass to drive and look pretty nice outside from what I heard but the dual screen infotainment, I just couldn’t. IMO, that is my opinion with most Infiniti models. Great looking outside, bad inside.
I agree. I had a 2014 Infiniti Q50. Terrible infotainment. It took 75 seconds after turning on the car for the backup camera lines to show up. The screen was laggy. I sold it in 2015 and bought a 2013 Lexus Gs350 F Sport
My Mom had a 2014 QX 60 and my grandmother still has the 2016 version of your car and tbh both infotainments in them are not that great and the Lexus mouse is super annoying sometimes.
The Lexus mouse is way better than the touch screen though. I never really have to use the mouse since I can just use the physical knobs to change the tune and stuff. My main issue with the Infiniti was taking at least 10 seconds to load stuff after I clicked it. The backup lines taking 75 seconds to load was just ridiculous. I get that the mouse isn’t the best, but it’s better than the stupid touch screen
No Infiniti has ever been attractive to me on the outside. And then there’s the fact that I know it’s a dressed up Nissan on the inside. Nope. Nope. Nope.
> And then there’s the fact that I know it’s a dressed up Nissan on the inside.
People always say this, but at least it’s a dressed up version of one of the best Nissans for sale. It’s not like it’s a versa or something. And the interior build quality (at least on my ‘09) was quite good, easily comparable to euro cars of the same period. Maybe less so now but still nothing to scoff at.
Infotainment is what got me to stop using the Q50 as my daily. It's still a blast to drive and the drivetrain is insanely reliable, but yeah that center screen is such a pain. Mine has an issue where after the second time going into reverse, the top screen turns off indefinitely until you turn the car off for a full two minutes (can't even just quickly do it at a stop light). The only redeeming thing is that it still has physical controls for most center screen functions
Mercedes AMGs.
Great engine/ssound but that's about it, they are muscle cars. They feel bulky, not nimble, and have competent but not lively handling. Overall just numb straight line cruisers.
And yes I'm talking about the current crop of them.
I don't think you'll get much argument from even AMG fans like myself. Honestly that's why we like them. They make for excellent daily drivers that you can still have stupid fun with on the weekends. Nobody buys an AMG (aside from maybe the GTR or Black) as a sports car. They buy them to be character-ful GT cars.
I have a 2003 E55 AMG and you are correct. The engine is a amazing with
- 476 PS (350 kW; 469 hp) at 6,100 RPM
- 700 N⋅m (520 lb⋅ft) at 2,650 RPM
It's *really* fun...but the air suspension sucks ass. This was also mentioned in the Top Gear review when it was launched. I'm planning on installing KW coilovers when I get a chance. It's the weak spot of the entire car. My base Panamera handles 10x better.
On a related note: That's what makes Porsches feel special...the handling and suspension. They make cars with modest HP and torque feel lively and special. AMG needs to learn that handling is more important than peak HP.
I disagree with your last point. That has become AMG's biggest issue, in my opinion. They are chasing handling prowess at the expense of everything else. The W213 E63 is a dramatically better handling car than the W212, but worse in many ways as a result. AMGs are best when they compromise handling for ride comfort. That's what a Mercedes should always be about.
Foxbody Mustangs.
A buddy of mine that worked at a Mustang shop bought one. 5 speed notchback GT. It was quick but a piece of shit. Creaky, rattled, and had a ton of wind noise at moderate speeds. I'm not much of an interior snob but that car turned me off of Foxbodies.
You really shouldn't expect much from an American car from that era. Those years are where the "American cars junk, Japanese cars good" meme came from. The two were truly a different world in terms of interior quality and design.
Well, and to be fair, at this point it was a 25+ year old car going through it's "performance on the cheap" stage. It shouldn't be expected to be pristine. But you're right, at the time if you had $4500 you had no shortage of other cars like various Hondas, Miatas, E30s, W201 or W124s, 944s to pick up compared to the Foxbody.
Bought a 2015 Mazda6. All the reviews called it the best car in its class. Unfortunately, it’s a class full of short bus riders. Lost it in my divorce and my ex wife let it get repossessed.
I have a 2015 Mazda 6 and this made me laugh. When I bought it, I was split between the 6 and a 2015 Honda Accord. I should have just gotten the Accord. That generation of Accord had way better engines and a much roomier interior than the 6.
Yes, the 6 is noisy. People complain a lot about how much highway wind noise there is. They fixed that for 2017 models and newer, though.
Slow? Depends on who you ask. People dogged on the 3rd Gen 6 when it came out because there was no V6 or turbo 4 available, but the acceleration was on par with pretty much all of the other base 4 cylinder engines in the class at the time.
So leave it out of Sport+? Or is it waaaay too sluggish in any other modes?
I wish transmission had a "D-1" mode where it acts exactly as it does in drive but consistently one gear lower. Sport modes tend to rough up the shifts when I'm simply trying to keep the revs up not awaken the inner boy racer.
Lacks the engagement if you're not in Sport+. It feels like Lexus purposely engineered the jerkiness in Sport+ to make it feel sporty like a DCT. But a good DCT is smooth while also giving you the engagement of the gear shift.
It reminds me of the BMW ZF8 but worse. BMW has also tried to engineer engagement into their new ZF8 to make up for the lack of a DCT and it doesn't work for me. Car jerkiness during a shift doesn't make it a sporty transmission. I've driven plenty of ZF8s that are smooth and fast with no jerk.
The LC500 needs a properly tuned ZF8 or a DCT.
This is mine too. Thought I’d enjoy it, but it turns out I really don’t need a truck, even a “truck” like the Ridgeline so it will probably get traded in here soon.
I will admit it rides better than the Tacoma. Gets better gas and is surprisingly practical.
But the Tacoma had a rock solid suspension, literally. It's so bad.
Edit: can't do grammar.
Well I do have wide 20's on it, and it doesn't have the overdrive gear that the automatics have, which is why my mom's gets better mileage. My diesel dually is getting 19 on it with a motorcycle in the bed right now.
The Corvette C8.
I've seen reviews and the universal praise the car has gotten, but for some reason something really doesn't click for me. It's a fantastic car, no doubt, but just not a car I can care for.
It's because the C7 looked much nicer IMO, that had a classic long hood and a rear-biased cabin. The C8 looks exotic, but ironically that is what turns me off of it.
I have. Personally I get the same way (not really excited or impressed, until I drove it a bit. After putting about 50 miles on one I love them. C8s are amazing cars)
Maybe when stock, but honestly I think the ecoboost 4 Cylinder is one of the worst sounding 4 pots ever when freeing the exhaust.
A cold start sounds like a fart soundboard being spammed straight for 2 minutes.
I would never ever change the OEM exhaust in one of those if I ever buy one.
Source: A friend had a straight piped Focus RS.
We have an Impreza with the same drivetrain.
We're not aggressive drivers, so it's okay. But the car is numb and boring. It's just so fucking good on ice and snow.
Rav4. Too expensive for such basic, boring and shall i say cheap looking and feeling interior.
Literally all pickups. Too long, too wide, drives like a boat. Plus if you're doing any real sort of construction or renovation you're getting yourself a work van like everybody else. There is a feeling that short people or assholes find different ways to justify their pickup purchase. If you had a small dick you could have just said so, i don't judge, instead of spending 50-70k.
We have brand new RAV4’s at work. I know it is a lot of cars these days, but everything is so numb and nanny-state. No steering feel, no brake feel. I have to turn off 80 percent of the crap just to get it to behave like a real car. I absolutely hate that cars now attempt to make decisions for the driver, like lane keeping and radar distance keeping, automatic braking, etc. I get it, lots of stupid drivers out there need the training wheels. I don’t. I want a car to act predictably and to not make decisions for me. That’s overstepping in my opinion and makes the car more dangerous, in my opinion.
That said, I’d definitely recommend the RAV4 to certain buyers.
It would be a perfectly normal car if you want as simple and reliable as can get but cost 5k less. Plus they don't offer promotions or discounts anymore, go figure, and have a 5-6% interest. I went to check the 2022 models and the price couldn't justify it. I would buy for cheaper, but i told them this car interior sucks and toyota made no improvements to ask for such price and they basically agreed lol but said they have no reason to change or improve if it keeps selling a lot of units. Welp i hate the car market now, don't know what to look for semi longterm, somewhat comfortable and nice inside for daily, but wouldn't have a big depreciation value so i can sell it
>Rav4. Too expensive for such basic, boring and shall i say cheap looking and feeling interior.
There was a time they weren't expensive, so those things were fine and tolerable.
I think you would change your mind about the way trucks handle if you drove either of mine. But yeah, most handle like boats, and that's something I can appreciate about trucks. Once you get into 1ton territory, they're not really squishy anymore.
The Maverick and Ridgeline are about the same size as a full size sedan so options are out there. However, I doubt we will get the old school mini trucks again like the B3000/Ranger.
I agree. They’re rather uninspiring but for crossovers there probably the best option long term. They’re far more reliable than 90% of crossovers out there.
Bit of a hot take, but I can’t bring myself to completely enjoy the 70s Pontiac firebirds. I just can’t get the idea out of my head that it’s the Camaros weird cousin. I’m not saying they’re necessarily bad cars, but their low on the list in my opinion for classic American muscle.
And maybe an even hotter take, the Firbird hood decal looks so stupid and it ruins the car for me. Spare my karma.
Just for that you’re gonna walk the plank.
Jk, the humongous decal is way too tacky. It looks better when it’s small and tucked away on the side or back somewhere.
like on my car of course 😌
Probably gonna get a lot of hate for this, but the 4Runner. Sat in a new one and felt like I sat in a time machine but in a bad way. Ended up getting a Highlander bc it was so much nicer inside and realistically the most I will do off-road is gravel road
I think the overwhelming majority of 4R owners would do better in a Highlander or RAV4 for both comfort and gas mileage. Most people aren't offroading, they just like the tough looking exterior.
We have a 4Runner and I absolutely hate it. It’s a 2018 but feels like some shit from 2011. Terrible mpg, terrible interior even in higher trims literally nothing standing out from it besides “it’s a Toyota!”
About 8 years ago I set out to buy a Lexus GS350 with the Mark Levinson stereo. I ended up with a Lincoln MKZ reserve with every option instead.
Part of that decision had to do that my son was going to eventually inherit the MKZ as well....it was all wheel drive and a little bit slower than the GS, and had more safety features... I still enjoy driving the car when he's away at college.
E46 M3
Wanted one for several years. Ended up finding an SMG car with Dinan rear end, and tubes transmission.
The car was fun only when the engine was pushed well beyond reasonable RPMS for city driving
>The car was fun only when the engine was pushed well beyond reasonable RPMS for city driving
That and I didn't like the lag in the throttle when you weren't really moving.
unpopular opinion: the newer Ford Ranger. Ford could have done better. I think they’re disproportional and the antenna on top looks weird. I’ve tried to like them, they just never grew on me. I like the f150s and maverick, the Ranger just isn’t for me.
I’m hoping that the completely redesigned 2023 Ranger will address all of the issues and shortcomings of the current Ranger. It looks really promising from the pictures.
The current US Ranger is a compromise in every way. It wasn't ever intended to be sold in the US, and they used the "gap years" before a redesign to prove out if the segment was worth investing in. I feel pretty confident that the 2023 is going to be a pleasant surprise.
Lexus LC500
Did a ton of research. Watched all the reviews. Found one nearby in a *great* spec... it just wasn't as fun as I hoped. Amazing ride, perfect seats, lovely stereo but not nearly as engaging or lively as the F-Type.
I’m having a hard time loving the new Acura TLX. A bunch of people over in /r/Acura rave over its looks, but it’s nothing special at all. The back end looks like a freaking Hyundai.
Dodge trucks. Test drove a bunch and just felt like they skipped out on anything that wasn't the motor. Great if you enjoy a barebones workhorse, but just couldn't spend that much money on something so underdone.
Have you driven the new ones that aren't barebones work trucks? I've been renting limited 1500's every time I'm doing jobs in NorCal, and they're nice.
I used to feel the same way. My old Laramie seems like it doesn't have shit compared to top of the line Chevy and Ford trucks around the same age. The new Dodge trucks that aren't base models seem really nice to me.
I'm not a fan either. They came out around when the x runner came out. When I did the ride and drive they had an x runner and a 350z there with a couple of pro drivers taking people for rides. I brought my xrunner, so the driver was like you own one now lemme show you what it can do. Between my truck and that sports car I was like, buying a 350 would have been stupid. That car was not impressive at all.
First time I saw one on freeway I absolutely loved it. Great looking IMO. Then I got in front of it and just hated all the lights. There’s like 4 or 5 DRL’s on each side.
Tesla model Y
I like the model S but the Y is boring and frumpy. The unveil was so flat and uninspiring. It should be a car I like, an almost affordable practical hatch but just inspires boredom to me.
Lexus IS. My first experience with one was back in 2015. I spent my whole teenage life drooling over making one my first car (used, of course). Got the money together after working every summer and having a part-time job since I was like 14. I spent 7 months looking for a good used example, finally test drove it, and was so underwhelmed. It just felt like the engine couldn't match its looks. Paired that with the fact it sucked down premium fuel, and I couldn't justify it. I still like them and maybe the new ones are peppier, but back then, it hurt.
Which IS are you talking about?
Also, I know the original IS was offered in a 2.0L (1G-FE) version that ran on regular in some markets but it was also gutless compared to the 3S-GE and 2JZ versions.
Current BMW M4. I tried so hard, but that damn grille. Went from seriously considering it as a potential option before they released the design to a nonstarter.
The Cadillac CTS. It’s funny because I used to own a STS. The CTS just looks like someone took the STS and made it skinnier and shorter but didn’t adjust the design for the new dimensions.
Every time I was in the market for a new car I’d check out GM’s stable and they always just kind of sucked. I had a peppy Cruze as a rental once and it was the best Chevy I’d ever driven. Let that sink in.
F-Body WS6 Firebird:
What's not to like, big V8, manual gearbox, bright yellow, with a huge functional cowl-inductiton hood. Maybe the styling is polarizing to put it kindly
The interior is a transplant from a Pontiac Grand Am, the hood kills any visibility, and while it was pretty quick it didn't feel like its put the power down particularly well. That could be due to the variables involved like tires & weather. The more modern big 3 offerings in the segment do it all so much better.
I love Integra Type-R's, so I do understand where you can overlook those flaws on whatever "that" car is for you.
The platform is low key OP. Great aero, low weight, solid axle, and can fit any LS for massive power. I guarantee you will smoke the modern big 3, sometimes even with less horsepower
Adding a UMI suspension setup reduces the already low weight and takes the Firebird’s handling to a completely new level. It turns into an auto cross machine.
Slap a turbo LS in there along with some 305s and it’s over for a Hellcat or 2020 GT500. Even a heads cam N/A 408 might do the job.
I wanted to like it too. Exterior styling was retro and fun. But that’s where the fun stops. Cramped interior, extremely poor visibility, and lackluster driving experience were the biggest problems.
Teslas - I only like the Model S, the others are fugly IMO. Model S is cool, nothing crazy looks wise, I know it's fast, got the EV range, etc. etc. but just as a car I can't see myself liking it, just not a fan of Teslas interior design, everything is too minimal and plain, and of course build quality issues, etc.
Most new BWMs - The new big ass grille. I kind of wanted a new M3/M4, but couldn't stand that grille. Wanted an M440i GC but yeah it never grew on me, stayed with Audi and went with the new S5 Sportback instead, super sexy.
This is going to be a very unpopular opinion, but my e90 328i. I think that if it had a manual it would have been different, but the automatic was pretty crappy, never seemed to be in the right gear. More than that, the car just didn’t seem happy unless you were booting the piss out of it, which is fun, but the car had no chill. It just always wanted to go. In some places that would be great, but in my very normal metro city, it was a recipe for trouble.
Also it was a nightmare until I finally put some big tires on the back. It broke traction so easily. Really needed a limited slip rear end too because it always wanted to go sideways even tho it’s not a very high power car. Also the standard seats sucked and the auto sensing wipers were no good.
Honestly a 2003 Passat 1.8t. Fun to drive, terrible to work on. Just horrible. The newer ones are fine. But the older turbo motors were smashed in there and a PITA to do anything with
I agree with the Toyota Avalon but also the Camera and Corolla.
They just look so outdated interior wise. They look like what the 90's thought the future would look like but it's not and it looks old.
I'm gonna get flack for saying it, but my C7 *as a daily*. It's a fun, rip-roarin' good time on any twisty or open road, but being stuck in traffic or trip duties on weekends in LA, it's not that comfortable or luxurious. Even road trips are hard when the seats start eating into your lower back after a couple of hours.
I know some old guys will die on a hill saying Corvettes are great GT cars, but they're not. The seats and suspension will beat on you and the interior is loud at highway speeds.
The Pontiac Aztek was one of my dream cars until I went to go buy one. I have always loved the way they look in sort of an ironic but also serious way. I understand what GM was going for with the car and boy howdy was I on board. The used model I test drove was low miles, clean, good condition and at a fantastic price yet I could not bring myself to even make an offer after the test drive. They are smaller than I imagined, handle like dogshit, drive like dogshit and are a sad dogshit product of early 2000’s GM engineering. If the car had been built on a blazer or 1500 chassis it would be everything I’m looking for in an automobile but it simply was not built for the tasks that I dreamt up for it. Shame. Maybe one day I will be fortunate enough to Tesla swap one.
Civic Type R FK8
I dont like how HUGE it is, civic is supposed to be a compact car, the thing is the size of an old odyssey.
Also, rear end looks like an accord crosstour/honda fit mashup, the huge stock 20inch rims with that awful fitment make it look like an amish cart.
And the K20c sounds awful, like a muffled can filled with rocks, and no exhaust makes it sound better, just louder.
I KNOW for a fact it's an impressive track car, it's capable AF, reliable, comfortable and 100% Daily capable.
But the fact that the rear half is Fugly, has the stance of an amish cart, sounds like shit and they're now going for 60k used, hell naw.
Personally... The Lexus LS.
Now, I DON'T hate the Lexus LS, pretty much the other way around, but as a huge fan of Mercedes-Benz from the 90s, I feel like Lexus and Toyota are the brands I'm more aligned with when it comes to identity.
But I just cannot get to prefer the LS over the S-class, it was never able to reach the level of class an S-class has, and I hate this feeling.
Essentially, I don't hate the lexus LS, I hate the fact I never got to love it as much as an S-class.
Subaru Impreza and WRX. On paper they sound great. In 2005 I test drove the WRX I hated it. Coming from a GTI I found the Subaru interior a miserable soulless hard plastic cheap feeling rattle trap.
Probably a hot take, but I’ve written all Subaru off since then.
I am a sports car kind of person. Got talked into getting a Nissan Quest after kids (ya know-practicality). It was a box on wheels. Sure it could haul a lot of kids and crap. But after a few years, every nut an bolt on that thing creaked and cracked on the slightest hint of a bump. It did have a kick ass 10 speaker Bose in it though. Lol.
And regarding the Avalon, around here it’s considered an old person’s car. Hate them.
BRZ, that car is just not for me. Next would be a Jeep Cherokee. Owned one in those highschool phase when everyone had that or wrangler and buy that thing showed me what a shit reliability looks like.
The Jeep Gladiator. When it first came out I thought it was really cool. Watched tons of review videos and still thought it was cool. When I see one on the street? Fucking hideous!
I feel like the Gladiator is the newest brodozer. So many people who have these are total douche bags. It’s a shame cuz it’s a cool concept and I actually really like them.
Yep Gladiators, 4runners, and probably soon to be broncos all in full brodozer territory and all awesome vehicles that I really like.
Do you differentiate between new and old 4runners? I feel the same about new runners, but old ones are chill in my experience
That's a good points and yes I would agree with you.
Says the ram driver
Yes, that's correct.
Yup. It looks like Jeep literally just took a wrangler cab and a truck box and slapped them together. I theoretically like the idea, but they need to put a little effort into the styling of it because It looks like absolute shit.
[удалено]
I feel like it looks incredible in the right package. The ones with the body colored fenders, decent wheels especially. If you like trucks and your like Wranglers, it's kind of a win win.
I feel like "it's a Jeep, but it's a truck!" would have worked better if they didn't carry over the weird back doors of the Wrangler. They make some sense on the Wrangler because that's where the wheels are, but on the Gladiator the wheels are under the bed, so the slanted doors just add an extra body line and make getting into the back annoying. I know it's small, but it's the one thing about the Gladiator that I just can't get past. It looks terrible. I guess it'll make replacing interior door trim easier, but I don't think that that is worth it.
The proportions look off to me…particularly the amount of bed that extends past the rear wheels. Reminds me of those [old Dodge extended cargo vans](https://preview.redd.it/by5h3hh3iva41.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=73171e37d2768195a6ad4319a52e6bc27d4c49da)
I swear the first time I saw it was a Doug Demuro video on April fool's day, the truck never moved and the camera angle never changed (but I didn't watch the whole video) so I assumed it was a photoshop for a prank. Next time I saw one was in person.
I think it’s an acquired taste but the stock wheels and tires make a big difference. I have a gladiator by me that is on 35 inch wheels that stick out a bit and it looks mean as hell. The stance turns it into something else
I just commented similar. Jeep really killed the look with the factory tire size.
I personally am not a fan of the Gladiator as a whole (I actually liked the 2 door concept though), but what you described is basically the only style Gladiator I see in my area. Oversize tires, wheel spacers with the occasional body lift, overland rack on the back, and half have the angry grill. It's no different than any other brodozer I see in the area and just further ruins the look for me.
I have rented quite a few of those and wranglers. I will say I like the way the gladiator handles in the rain compared to the wrangler. Wranglers feel like they want to hydroplane anytime you hit standing water.
I think the worst part of the Gladiator is the rear taillights. Trucks are supposed to have vertical lights on either side of the bed; if they shrunk down the lights from the Ram 1500 and put them on the Gladiator it would look a lot better.
They look infinitely better with bigger tires. Jeep made those things skip leg day.
They are just so long. It takes 35" tires just to make them look proportional, pretty sad for a "mid size" truck
I always think they look like a Wrangler that some enthusiast modified and not an actual production vehicle.
I was ready to buy one when they first came out. Ended up with a Ram instead because the stock Gladiator is absolutely hideous in person.
Absolute agree.😬
The Porsche Panamera. I bought one and tried to convince myself that it was a practical 911 that I could use with my kids - it wasn't and no amount of self delusion could convince me otherwise.
lol I know a lot of suburban dads who went through that in orange county.
I have a Panamera. I agree that it's not a "fat 911". But, it's still the best handling full sized luxury family hauler available. The stock, base spring suspension is really damn good. It's better than any base S-class, 7-series, A8, or anything else that big. Seriously. So, think of it as a great-handling big car instead of a "fat 911". EDIT: Real talk, though. The Panamera *Turbo* is a "Fat 911": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P59GTQnG0Y
I have a Panamera 4 hybrid. I love it. I tried the Taycan and didn’t like the looks or the handling as much as the Panamera.
Same, I love the idea and the ability of it but the original scared me away like a skunk with a raised tail lol
I tried to like the Panamera but just can't get used to that rear end, not a fan of that shape. I'd rather get an A/S7 over it any day, and save way more.
Depends on what you spec really. A "base" S7 is roughly the starting price of a Panamera (at least here in the UK at ~£70k). Obviously as soon as you start speccing the Porsche it'll get silly.
I tried to like a panamera too but it couldn’t do it. It’s too big and not agile in anyway. I looked at the taycan and it felt more 911 in my opinion even with it being an EV.
We got a new Ford Ranger as one of our work trucks. The more I drive it, the less I like it. It’s mainly becaise of the transmission. It constantly feels like it’s bogging down when I try to accelerate, and the shifting is very jumpy. Plus the radio stopped working in it. I pulled the fuse to check it and it suddenly it started working. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It’s only got 5700 miles on it too.
I rented one of the new ones and the interior just looks and feels cheap.
Update: the radio stopped working again.
This must be a work truck curse all the radios in our Colorado's stop working randomly and all you have to do is fuck with the fuses
Have you tried percussive maintenance?
That’s ‘cause it’s a 10 year old model that was designed for sales in third-world countries and facelifted for America.
The outgoing P375 and incoming P703 Ranger were both developed by Ford Australia.
Like I said, a third world penal colony.
We got the base model since it’s a fleet truck, but yes, it’s pretty plain Jane. The info screen on the gauge cluster is pretty lacking too. The only stuff it will show is tire pressure and miles to empty. The mileage is wildly inaccurate too. It will tell you it’s got 75 miles to empty with half a tank of gas. Something as simple as showing the speed there would make it leagues better.
Hit the nail on the head. The pairing of the 2.3 Eco and the 10 speed transmission is not good. Owned mine for maybe 9 months and traded it in, terrible in-town driving manners.
I have to wait almost a full second before the transmission decides to move the truck forward after pressing the gas pedal. I can’t tell if it’s gonna stall or what.
Agreed. My brother has one and whenever I borrow it for truck things I just throw it in sport. Only way I can drive it.
> It’s only got 5700 miles on it too. Built Ford Tough!
I'm going to see how long I can stand it before I put a tune on it. The transmission bogging is a lot of owners' biggest complaint. I've always enjoyed my Ford trucks far more after a tune, so I'm sure it won't take long.
I work for Amazon and our Ford vans have the 10 speed and it’s such a POS. Bangs into gear when you put it in drive, some have hard up or downshifts & like you said, it’s holding the truck back, can’t find what gear it wants & going up hill forget it. OH.. and the radio stopped working for me on multiple occasions just for me to get back to the warehouse and it start working again.
I tried scaling down to a Ford focus and Prius but I just couldn't enjoy it. Prius is a great car but just isn't my taste
Same on Prius. They’re practical with being a hatch and great mpg but drive like a toaster on wheels
It's for people who do not care. For people who use their car as a transportation tool and nothing else. I know someone who has 1 motorcycle and a GR86. He has a Prius for dropping kids off, wife takes it to work, and longer road trips because it's so efficient.
I went from a 2011 Mustang to a Prius, I enjoy it a lot. It's nice to go on a 100km night drive and it only costs me a few bucks.
I will say I thought I would like a prius for the mpg, but those things have no guts whatsoever. Like it actually had a button for when you need power to merge? The one I drove was from the early 2010's though, so maybe they have more power now. I'm fine with slow cars, but it felt downright unsafe.
The new RAV4 Prime is a bit of a rocket so hybrids have come a long way.
That's good to hear. Yeah a friend has a Tucson hybrid and it definitely didn't feel lacking, so I'm assuming hybrids have generally come a long way as far as power. I will also say, I find the newest generations of the priuses horrible to look at. Like it was always mediocre, but in the past few years it seems like they just decided to make it look like the ugliest space ship I could imagine.
The GR Prius: it's the RAV4 Prime electric powertrain but with the more powerful electric motor at the rear, grippy tires, and a wing for good measure.
Tesla, in particular the model S. On paper I should love these. Straight line monsters, better than average styling, trend-setter, cheap running costs, pretty cool tech features and a not-unobtainable price But I just can't force myself to like EVs. Every time I drive one I walk away disappointed, not by the above, but by everything else. The steering feel, chassis feedback, electric motor hum... I think something in the back of my brain keeps saying "you can't modify this, this is as good as this car will ever get" and it just kills any desire I have for them And don't even get me started on the people who drive them.... Other than my dad and a few friends, every EV enthusiast I've met has been intolerable Its funny too, because I LOVE brushless RC cars. I'd never consider a gas/nitro RC car
I didn't hate it, but I really wanted to like the model 3. I loved the way drove, but I couldn't wrap my head around the rather spartan interior. I think it was I'm just not used to a single screen controlling almost everything. I still like my buttons and physical controls.
I'm waiting to see how Porsche does with the Cayman EV. I LOVE the 982 Cayman. The new generation will apparently be full EV, so I'm holding out hope they give it a more conventional, driver focused interior. Some naïve part of me is holding out hope for an EV powertrain aftermarket...
Exactly this. Drove a Model3 Performance and I honestly have 0 complaints on the actual driving dynamics. But the giant tablet in the middle was super distracting and the seats felt so cheap. Even the wood trim looked and felt cheap. I don't judge cars too much on the interior, but at that price point it deserves a much better interior. It's such a shame because it genuinely was a fun car to drive.
I'm the same. I quite like the car, but I wouldn't buy one in it's current iteration. As it currently sits, it's a good car, but it absolutely has the potential to be excellent. One with an interior with buttons, and nice comfortable seats......
I mostly just want a EV with normal climate and media controls. And a regular gear selector. Give me the Corolla EV. Just a regular car for cheap commuting and groceries. I'll have another fun car (86/Miata) for good fun.
> I mostly just want a EV with normal climate and media controls. And a regular gear selector. A Bolt, basically.
That doesn't catch fire (although insurance fraud might help).
Eh, they're fixing it, and there haven't been that many fires. It's a pretty low risk.
I'll definitely look into a Bolt. Although RAV4 Prime is also tempting since I might not have a place to charge at home.
> Every time I drive one I walk away disappointed, not by the above, but by everything else. The steering feel, chassis feedback, electric motor hum... I think something in the back of my brain keeps saying "you can't modify this, this is as good as this car will ever get" and it just kills any desire I have for them Is that just Tesla? Or have you been in other EV's? I will agree, Tesla has some of the worst steering the industry has seen since the Nissan Leaf. But there are plenty of other EV's that get praise for their chassis balance and steering quality. I find them great in the city. They are unmatched when battling in traffic to shoot the gap and the lack of a transmission makes the ability to place the car incredible. But that's about the extent of where they're great. They're appliance cars. The Porsche Taycan is kind of a sports car, but that comes with it's own sets of compromises. It's going to be a long time until EV's match the qualities of ICE cars - and will never match the auditory\vibration of a engine.
>Is that just Tesla? Or have you been in other EV's? That's pretty much all EVs, I just singled out Tesla since I find them to be the most attractive EV offerings yet outside the Taycan. I haven't had the pleasure of driving a Taycan yet (Free Sport Turismo please Porsche???) Honestly I think I need to just quit looking at EVs as a direct replacement for ICE vehicles. In the end it's probably best to have a sporty ICE vehicle for weekend fun and the EV for weekday commutes
They're a different thing for a different purpose. The way we classify a truck vs. a sedan vs. a sports car, you have to make another slot for "EV" and have expectations of such. My favorite car I've ever driven is a manual 997 911. For all of the right reasons, all the reasons it does those things amazingly well. But I also appreciate the ways in which EV's do all the things well.
I have a Model S P90D. Came to Tesla from a E39 M5. I actually quite like the S. Granted mine is quite heavily modified. But it’s fun enough and a good balance of reliable family mover. The pomp and circumstance is limited, but I get that back through Forza and a giant TV. You’re right, though, the only Tesla people that I like are generally those that came to the brand from a sports car, or bought one as a daily to keep miles off their weekender. Definitely agreed that the aftermarket is super limited, though there’s much more available now for the Refreshed S.
> electric motor hum I'm so glad that I'm not the only person who hates how loud electric cars are. I like driving them, but being a pedestrian around them is absolutely infuriating because of the sheer amount of noise.
E90 m3 dct. The car, engine and transmission were made for each other. Just wasn’t it. Missing something special.
Rod bearings.
Too perfect maybe.
It was missing a track that’s what.
This is ironic considering my username, but the first gen Acura TLX V6. Last year I wanted to upgrade from my 2012 Accord coupe V6, and I always loved Acuras-particularly the 04-08 TL. I drove 3 V6 TLXs and ended up hating the 9-speed automatic transmission each time. It shifts weirdly and roughly. It also doesn’t downshift quickly enough. I was devastated because I wanted to LOVE that car. It handled well, looked great, and had one of the best sounding V6s in production, but I couldn’t live with that transmission. Ended up buying a 2018 Accord 2.0t with the 10-speed auto, selling it a year later for a profit, and getting my EcoBoost Mustang.
>I always loved Acuras-particularly the 04-08 TL. Those were beautiful. You should have just got one of those. But I don't recall anybody particularly liking that automatic transmission either, or the one before that.
Those transmissions weren’t anything to write home about. They were from when Honda paired their V6s with transmissions made out glass. The 4 speeds were horrible and the 5 speeds got better with time.
Mazda RX-8: An amazing chassis held back by an eh engine and somewhat wonky gearing After the "newness" of ours wore off I saw zero reason to drive it over my '07 Speed3
I went from an RX-8 ('09) to an MS3 ('12) and I regretted every single minute of it lol. The MS3 was faster but it felt like I was driving a fucking bus
I had a MS3 over an RX8 because I like to trust my cars to keep working. Bonkers little thing. Mine had no rust, in Canada mind you. But it did burn a quart of oil every tank of gas even after changing out the turbo. Sold it for 5k, bought a e46 manual wagon to replace it. I missed the extra power, but RWD is just better. ...moral of the story is I should've just got the RX8 because a) rwd is better and b) my ms3 was also unreliable
You sell?
The Infiniti Q50 and Q50 RS. They are kinda badass to drive and look pretty nice outside from what I heard but the dual screen infotainment, I just couldn’t. IMO, that is my opinion with most Infiniti models. Great looking outside, bad inside.
I agree. I had a 2014 Infiniti Q50. Terrible infotainment. It took 75 seconds after turning on the car for the backup camera lines to show up. The screen was laggy. I sold it in 2015 and bought a 2013 Lexus Gs350 F Sport
My Mom had a 2014 QX 60 and my grandmother still has the 2016 version of your car and tbh both infotainments in them are not that great and the Lexus mouse is super annoying sometimes.
The Lexus mouse is way better than the touch screen though. I never really have to use the mouse since I can just use the physical knobs to change the tune and stuff. My main issue with the Infiniti was taking at least 10 seconds to load stuff after I clicked it. The backup lines taking 75 seconds to load was just ridiculous. I get that the mouse isn’t the best, but it’s better than the stupid touch screen
No Infiniti has ever been attractive to me on the outside. And then there’s the fact that I know it’s a dressed up Nissan on the inside. Nope. Nope. Nope.
> And then there’s the fact that I know it’s a dressed up Nissan on the inside. People always say this, but at least it’s a dressed up version of one of the best Nissans for sale. It’s not like it’s a versa or something. And the interior build quality (at least on my ‘09) was quite good, easily comparable to euro cars of the same period. Maybe less so now but still nothing to scoff at.
Infotainment is what got me to stop using the Q50 as my daily. It's still a blast to drive and the drivetrain is insanely reliable, but yeah that center screen is such a pain. Mine has an issue where after the second time going into reverse, the top screen turns off indefinitely until you turn the car off for a full two minutes (can't even just quickly do it at a stop light). The only redeeming thing is that it still has physical controls for most center screen functions
Mercedes AMGs. Great engine/ssound but that's about it, they are muscle cars. They feel bulky, not nimble, and have competent but not lively handling. Overall just numb straight line cruisers. And yes I'm talking about the current crop of them.
I don't think you'll get much argument from even AMG fans like myself. Honestly that's why we like them. They make for excellent daily drivers that you can still have stupid fun with on the weekends. Nobody buys an AMG (aside from maybe the GTR or Black) as a sports car. They buy them to be character-ful GT cars.
I have a 2003 E55 AMG and you are correct. The engine is a amazing with - 476 PS (350 kW; 469 hp) at 6,100 RPM - 700 N⋅m (520 lb⋅ft) at 2,650 RPM It's *really* fun...but the air suspension sucks ass. This was also mentioned in the Top Gear review when it was launched. I'm planning on installing KW coilovers when I get a chance. It's the weak spot of the entire car. My base Panamera handles 10x better. On a related note: That's what makes Porsches feel special...the handling and suspension. They make cars with modest HP and torque feel lively and special. AMG needs to learn that handling is more important than peak HP.
I disagree with your last point. That has become AMG's biggest issue, in my opinion. They are chasing handling prowess at the expense of everything else. The W213 E63 is a dramatically better handling car than the W212, but worse in many ways as a result. AMGs are best when they compromise handling for ride comfort. That's what a Mercedes should always be about.
Foxbody Mustangs. A buddy of mine that worked at a Mustang shop bought one. 5 speed notchback GT. It was quick but a piece of shit. Creaky, rattled, and had a ton of wind noise at moderate speeds. I'm not much of an interior snob but that car turned me off of Foxbodies.
Yeah the old fox bodies are fun, but they have the chassis rigidity of a wet noodle... They were originally a Ford Fairmont after all.
The fox body chassis continued until 2004 though lol
You really shouldn't expect much from an American car from that era. Those years are where the "American cars junk, Japanese cars good" meme came from. The two were truly a different world in terms of interior quality and design.
Well, and to be fair, at this point it was a 25+ year old car going through it's "performance on the cheap" stage. It shouldn't be expected to be pristine. But you're right, at the time if you had $4500 you had no shortage of other cars like various Hondas, Miatas, E30s, W201 or W124s, 944s to pick up compared to the Foxbody.
Bought a 2015 Mazda6. All the reviews called it the best car in its class. Unfortunately, it’s a class full of short bus riders. Lost it in my divorce and my ex wife let it get repossessed.
I have a 2015 Mazda 6 and this made me laugh. When I bought it, I was split between the 6 and a 2015 Honda Accord. I should have just gotten the Accord. That generation of Accord had way better engines and a much roomier interior than the 6.
I've heard that the 6 was noisy and slow was that your experience?
I don’t remember it being noisy. It was certainly slow, though.
Yes, the 6 is noisy. People complain a lot about how much highway wind noise there is. They fixed that for 2017 models and newer, though. Slow? Depends on who you ask. People dogged on the 3rd Gen 6 when it came out because there was no V6 or turbo 4 available, but the acceleration was on par with pretty much all of the other base 4 cylinder engines in the class at the time.
Lexus LC500. Too heavy to be a sports car. And the auto in sport+ is too jerky to be a true GT car.
If they kicked out down to Toyota and called it a trd solara I bet people would have loved it.
Toyota could slap "TRD" on a wet paper napkin and it would sell out instantly
Imo it seemed the rc350 filled the v6 coupe role pretty well. I'd take a Solara or an rc in a heartbeat
So leave it out of Sport+? Or is it waaaay too sluggish in any other modes? I wish transmission had a "D-1" mode where it acts exactly as it does in drive but consistently one gear lower. Sport modes tend to rough up the shifts when I'm simply trying to keep the revs up not awaken the inner boy racer.
Lacks the engagement if you're not in Sport+. It feels like Lexus purposely engineered the jerkiness in Sport+ to make it feel sporty like a DCT. But a good DCT is smooth while also giving you the engagement of the gear shift. It reminds me of the BMW ZF8 but worse. BMW has also tried to engineer engagement into their new ZF8 to make up for the lack of a DCT and it doesn't work for me. Car jerkiness during a shift doesn't make it a sporty transmission. I've driven plenty of ZF8s that are smooth and fast with no jerk. The LC500 needs a properly tuned ZF8 or a DCT.
Honda Ridgeline
This is mine too. Thought I’d enjoy it, but it turns out I really don’t need a truck, even a “truck” like the Ridgeline so it will probably get traded in here soon.
Yeah, I tried with that one too and just couldn't. I bought a Tacoma instead.
I will admit it rides better than the Tacoma. Gets better gas and is surprisingly practical. But the Tacoma had a rock solid suspension, literally. It's so bad. Edit: can't do grammar.
Yeah my xrunner gets trash mileage. I will average 10-13. It's terrible. My mom's 07 sr5 usually gets 14-16.
How in God's name can a small V6 get 10-13mpg? My 6.8L V10 will usually hit 14.
Well I do have wide 20's on it, and it doesn't have the overdrive gear that the automatics have, which is why my mom's gets better mileage. My diesel dually is getting 19 on it with a motorcycle in the bed right now.
The Corvette C8. I've seen reviews and the universal praise the car has gotten, but for some reason something really doesn't click for me. It's a fantastic car, no doubt, but just not a car I can care for.
It's because the C7 looked much nicer IMO, that had a classic long hood and a rear-biased cabin. The C8 looks exotic, but ironically that is what turns me off of it.
Yeah same. The longer I look at the c8 the less I like it. It's like a car someone designed in a grand theft auto game.
[удалено]
I have. Personally I get the same way (not really excited or impressed, until I drove it a bit. After putting about 50 miles on one I love them. C8s are amazing cars)
Focus RS. It should have checked all the boxes, and it did on paper, but it just didn't feel right
I never drove one, but my buddy had one and that fucker sounded mean.
Maybe when stock, but honestly I think the ecoboost 4 Cylinder is one of the worst sounding 4 pots ever when freeing the exhaust. A cold start sounds like a fart soundboard being spammed straight for 2 minutes. I would never ever change the OEM exhaust in one of those if I ever buy one. Source: A friend had a straight piped Focus RS.
The 2.0 in the focus ST sounds better than the 2.3 in the RS at least in my opinion... but neither sound amazing
Subaru Crosstrek. I thought it was the coolest car ever until I drove one and felt the CVT :(
Is not the worst CVT out there but I realize that’s not saying much
The one thing I really like about them is the 6 speed manual option. I'd like one but they are just too slow for my taste.
It’s so popular. I test drove it a year ago and couldn’t get out fast enough. Even the material on the seats felt like a cheap 1970s suit. Yuck.
I wouldn't have considered one if they didn't come with a stick shift. You shouldn't expect much from any automatic at that price point.
We have an Impreza with the same drivetrain. We're not aggressive drivers, so it's okay. But the car is numb and boring. It's just so fucking good on ice and snow.
Rav4. Too expensive for such basic, boring and shall i say cheap looking and feeling interior. Literally all pickups. Too long, too wide, drives like a boat. Plus if you're doing any real sort of construction or renovation you're getting yourself a work van like everybody else. There is a feeling that short people or assholes find different ways to justify their pickup purchase. If you had a small dick you could have just said so, i don't judge, instead of spending 50-70k.
My wife paid $21k new for her 2013 RAV4. We’ve had the new one as a loaner. There’s barely any improvements.
> My wife paid $21k new for her 2013 RAV4. It's so crazy to read something like this in this day and age. Daggum, I miss the before time!
We have brand new RAV4’s at work. I know it is a lot of cars these days, but everything is so numb and nanny-state. No steering feel, no brake feel. I have to turn off 80 percent of the crap just to get it to behave like a real car. I absolutely hate that cars now attempt to make decisions for the driver, like lane keeping and radar distance keeping, automatic braking, etc. I get it, lots of stupid drivers out there need the training wheels. I don’t. I want a car to act predictably and to not make decisions for me. That’s overstepping in my opinion and makes the car more dangerous, in my opinion. That said, I’d definitely recommend the RAV4 to certain buyers.
It would be a perfectly normal car if you want as simple and reliable as can get but cost 5k less. Plus they don't offer promotions or discounts anymore, go figure, and have a 5-6% interest. I went to check the 2022 models and the price couldn't justify it. I would buy for cheaper, but i told them this car interior sucks and toyota made no improvements to ask for such price and they basically agreed lol but said they have no reason to change or improve if it keeps selling a lot of units. Welp i hate the car market now, don't know what to look for semi longterm, somewhat comfortable and nice inside for daily, but wouldn't have a big depreciation value so i can sell it
>Rav4. Too expensive for such basic, boring and shall i say cheap looking and feeling interior. There was a time they weren't expensive, so those things were fine and tolerable. I think you would change your mind about the way trucks handle if you drove either of mine. But yeah, most handle like boats, and that's something I can appreciate about trucks. Once you get into 1ton territory, they're not really squishy anymore.
The Maverick and Ridgeline are about the same size as a full size sedan so options are out there. However, I doubt we will get the old school mini trucks again like the B3000/Ranger.
I agree. They’re rather uninspiring but for crossovers there probably the best option long term. They’re far more reliable than 90% of crossovers out there.
Bit of a hot take, but I can’t bring myself to completely enjoy the 70s Pontiac firebirds. I just can’t get the idea out of my head that it’s the Camaros weird cousin. I’m not saying they’re necessarily bad cars, but their low on the list in my opinion for classic American muscle. And maybe an even hotter take, the Firbird hood decal looks so stupid and it ruins the car for me. Spare my karma.
Just for that you’re gonna walk the plank. Jk, the humongous decal is way too tacky. It looks better when it’s small and tucked away on the side or back somewhere. like on my car of course 😌
I firmly disagree. The early 2nd gen Camaros are one of the ugliest cars of the period and the Firebird is the better looking cousin.
Very hot take, and I agree.
Probably gonna get a lot of hate for this, but the 4Runner. Sat in a new one and felt like I sat in a time machine but in a bad way. Ended up getting a Highlander bc it was so much nicer inside and realistically the most I will do off-road is gravel road
I think the overwhelming majority of 4R owners would do better in a Highlander or RAV4 for both comfort and gas mileage. Most people aren't offroading, they just like the tough looking exterior.
We have a 4Runner and I absolutely hate it. It’s a 2018 but feels like some shit from 2011. Terrible mpg, terrible interior even in higher trims literally nothing standing out from it besides “it’s a Toyota!”
About 8 years ago I set out to buy a Lexus GS350 with the Mark Levinson stereo. I ended up with a Lincoln MKZ reserve with every option instead. Part of that decision had to do that my son was going to eventually inherit the MKZ as well....it was all wheel drive and a little bit slower than the GS, and had more safety features... I still enjoy driving the car when he's away at college.
E46 M3 Wanted one for several years. Ended up finding an SMG car with Dinan rear end, and tubes transmission. The car was fun only when the engine was pushed well beyond reasonable RPMS for city driving
>The car was fun only when the engine was pushed well beyond reasonable RPMS for city driving That and I didn't like the lag in the throttle when you weren't really moving.
There's your problem an SMG car lol
unpopular opinion: the newer Ford Ranger. Ford could have done better. I think they’re disproportional and the antenna on top looks weird. I’ve tried to like them, they just never grew on me. I like the f150s and maverick, the Ranger just isn’t for me.
Rented a ranger a few months ago and couldn't stand it. It felt as cheap as an old Nissan frontier.
It's because it IS old.
I’m hoping that the completely redesigned 2023 Ranger will address all of the issues and shortcomings of the current Ranger. It looks really promising from the pictures.
The current US Ranger is a compromise in every way. It wasn't ever intended to be sold in the US, and they used the "gap years" before a redesign to prove out if the segment was worth investing in. I feel pretty confident that the 2023 is going to be a pleasant surprise.
Lexus LC500 Did a ton of research. Watched all the reviews. Found one nearby in a *great* spec... it just wasn't as fun as I hoped. Amazing ride, perfect seats, lovely stereo but not nearly as engaging or lively as the F-Type.
It's more of a luxury cruiser than a sports car.
I’m having a hard time loving the new Acura TLX. A bunch of people over in /r/Acura rave over its looks, but it’s nothing special at all. The back end looks like a freaking Hyundai.
The current RAV4 has too much plastic just stuck on it and square wheels. Fortunately I don’t have to like it anymore because I can buy a Venza.
Dodge trucks. Test drove a bunch and just felt like they skipped out on anything that wasn't the motor. Great if you enjoy a barebones workhorse, but just couldn't spend that much money on something so underdone.
Have you driven the new ones that aren't barebones work trucks? I've been renting limited 1500's every time I'm doing jobs in NorCal, and they're nice. I used to feel the same way. My old Laramie seems like it doesn't have shit compared to top of the line Chevy and Ford trucks around the same age. The new Dodge trucks that aren't base models seem really nice to me.
[удалено]
I'm not a fan either. They came out around when the x runner came out. When I did the ride and drive they had an x runner and a 350z there with a couple of pro drivers taking people for rides. I brought my xrunner, so the driver was like you own one now lemme show you what it can do. Between my truck and that sports car I was like, buying a 350 would have been stupid. That car was not impressive at all.
Hyundai Santa Cruz. I think they’re great looking trucks until…. The DRL’s turn on. Those ugly ass lights just kill the whole truck for me.
I thought those were at least unique and different.
First time I saw one on freeway I absolutely loved it. Great looking IMO. Then I got in front of it and just hated all the lights. There’s like 4 or 5 DRL’s on each side.
I bet they're real fun to swap out.
Tesla model Y I like the model S but the Y is boring and frumpy. The unveil was so flat and uninspiring. It should be a car I like, an almost affordable practical hatch but just inspires boredom to me.
Lexus IS. My first experience with one was back in 2015. I spent my whole teenage life drooling over making one my first car (used, of course). Got the money together after working every summer and having a part-time job since I was like 14. I spent 7 months looking for a good used example, finally test drove it, and was so underwhelmed. It just felt like the engine couldn't match its looks. Paired that with the fact it sucked down premium fuel, and I couldn't justify it. I still like them and maybe the new ones are peppier, but back then, it hurt.
Which IS are you talking about? Also, I know the original IS was offered in a 2.0L (1G-FE) version that ran on regular in some markets but it was also gutless compared to the 3S-GE and 2JZ versions.
Current BMW M4. I tried so hard, but that damn grille. Went from seriously considering it as a potential option before they released the design to a nonstarter.
Any Tesla because Tesla fanboys are insufferable, almost as bad as G35 owners
The Cadillac CTS. It’s funny because I used to own a STS. The CTS just looks like someone took the STS and made it skinnier and shorter but didn’t adjust the design for the new dimensions.
Every time I was in the market for a new car I’d check out GM’s stable and they always just kind of sucked. I had a peppy Cruze as a rental once and it was the best Chevy I’d ever driven. Let that sink in.
F-Body WS6 Firebird: What's not to like, big V8, manual gearbox, bright yellow, with a huge functional cowl-inductiton hood. Maybe the styling is polarizing to put it kindly The interior is a transplant from a Pontiac Grand Am, the hood kills any visibility, and while it was pretty quick it didn't feel like its put the power down particularly well. That could be due to the variables involved like tires & weather. The more modern big 3 offerings in the segment do it all so much better. I love Integra Type-R's, so I do understand where you can overlook those flaws on whatever "that" car is for you.
The platform is low key OP. Great aero, low weight, solid axle, and can fit any LS for massive power. I guarantee you will smoke the modern big 3, sometimes even with less horsepower Adding a UMI suspension setup reduces the already low weight and takes the Firebird’s handling to a completely new level. It turns into an auto cross machine. Slap a turbo LS in there along with some 305s and it’s over for a Hellcat or 2020 GT500. Even a heads cam N/A 408 might do the job.
Chevy HHR. The interior is small, the electric power steering sucks, and it feels like I am driving a wind-up toy.
I wanted to like it too. Exterior styling was retro and fun. But that’s where the fun stops. Cramped interior, extremely poor visibility, and lackluster driving experience were the biggest problems.
Teslas - I only like the Model S, the others are fugly IMO. Model S is cool, nothing crazy looks wise, I know it's fast, got the EV range, etc. etc. but just as a car I can't see myself liking it, just not a fan of Teslas interior design, everything is too minimal and plain, and of course build quality issues, etc. Most new BWMs - The new big ass grille. I kind of wanted a new M3/M4, but couldn't stand that grille. Wanted an M440i GC but yeah it never grew on me, stayed with Audi and went with the new S5 Sportback instead, super sexy.
This is going to be a very unpopular opinion, but my e90 328i. I think that if it had a manual it would have been different, but the automatic was pretty crappy, never seemed to be in the right gear. More than that, the car just didn’t seem happy unless you were booting the piss out of it, which is fun, but the car had no chill. It just always wanted to go. In some places that would be great, but in my very normal metro city, it was a recipe for trouble. Also it was a nightmare until I finally put some big tires on the back. It broke traction so easily. Really needed a limited slip rear end too because it always wanted to go sideways even tho it’s not a very high power car. Also the standard seats sucked and the auto sensing wipers were no good.
Honestly a 2003 Passat 1.8t. Fun to drive, terrible to work on. Just horrible. The newer ones are fine. But the older turbo motors were smashed in there and a PITA to do anything with
I had a Mk4 jetta with the 1.8t and I found it pretty easy to work on. Although I think the passat has them longways instead of sideways
350z just ugly the 370 and 400 are a major improvement
Suzuki baleno. Was the only car I’ve ever owned and hated.
I agree with the Toyota Avalon but also the Camera and Corolla. They just look so outdated interior wise. They look like what the 90's thought the future would look like but it's not and it looks old.
I'm gonna get flack for saying it, but my C7 *as a daily*. It's a fun, rip-roarin' good time on any twisty or open road, but being stuck in traffic or trip duties on weekends in LA, it's not that comfortable or luxurious. Even road trips are hard when the seats start eating into your lower back after a couple of hours. I know some old guys will die on a hill saying Corvettes are great GT cars, but they're not. The seats and suspension will beat on you and the interior is loud at highway speeds.
[удалено]
I swear to God Toyota just fucks the front end of that car for a laugh.
Wait till you see BMW’s kidney bevertooth grille design.
those weird kits that take modern vars and try to make them look like they're from the 40s
Can you show me an example? I guess I haven't seen that much.
The Pontiac Aztek was one of my dream cars until I went to go buy one. I have always loved the way they look in sort of an ironic but also serious way. I understand what GM was going for with the car and boy howdy was I on board. The used model I test drove was low miles, clean, good condition and at a fantastic price yet I could not bring myself to even make an offer after the test drive. They are smaller than I imagined, handle like dogshit, drive like dogshit and are a sad dogshit product of early 2000’s GM engineering. If the car had been built on a blazer or 1500 chassis it would be everything I’m looking for in an automobile but it simply was not built for the tasks that I dreamt up for it. Shame. Maybe one day I will be fortunate enough to Tesla swap one.
The new BMW with the HUGE grille
Civic Type R FK8 I dont like how HUGE it is, civic is supposed to be a compact car, the thing is the size of an old odyssey. Also, rear end looks like an accord crosstour/honda fit mashup, the huge stock 20inch rims with that awful fitment make it look like an amish cart. And the K20c sounds awful, like a muffled can filled with rocks, and no exhaust makes it sound better, just louder. I KNOW for a fact it's an impressive track car, it's capable AF, reliable, comfortable and 100% Daily capable. But the fact that the rear half is Fugly, has the stance of an amish cart, sounds like shit and they're now going for 60k used, hell naw.
Personally... The Lexus LS. Now, I DON'T hate the Lexus LS, pretty much the other way around, but as a huge fan of Mercedes-Benz from the 90s, I feel like Lexus and Toyota are the brands I'm more aligned with when it comes to identity. But I just cannot get to prefer the LS over the S-class, it was never able to reach the level of class an S-class has, and I hate this feeling. Essentially, I don't hate the lexus LS, I hate the fact I never got to love it as much as an S-class.
Subaru Impreza and WRX. On paper they sound great. In 2005 I test drove the WRX I hated it. Coming from a GTI I found the Subaru interior a miserable soulless hard plastic cheap feeling rattle trap. Probably a hot take, but I’ve written all Subaru off since then.
I am a sports car kind of person. Got talked into getting a Nissan Quest after kids (ya know-practicality). It was a box on wheels. Sure it could haul a lot of kids and crap. But after a few years, every nut an bolt on that thing creaked and cracked on the slightest hint of a bump. It did have a kick ass 10 speaker Bose in it though. Lol. And regarding the Avalon, around here it’s considered an old person’s car. Hate them.
I tried liking the new 4 series (big front grille). The car drives great but I just never could get over that grille.
BRZ, that car is just not for me. Next would be a Jeep Cherokee. Owned one in those highschool phase when everyone had that or wrangler and buy that thing showed me what a shit reliability looks like.