12 Most Embarrassing Cars
August 22, 2013
Have you ever passed a car that just made you cringe and wonder what the car designer was thinking when they came up with that concept? Well, you're apparently not alone. CarInsurance.com recently polled 1,500 licensed drivers on what they considered the "Cringe Score" for 12 different vehicles on the road today, and to state the three cars they would be the most embarrassed to be seen in.
At the top of the list? The Smart ForTwo, with a "Cringe Score" of 7.6. That was followed by the Nissan Cube with a score of 3.6 and Hummer H2 with a score of 3.5.
| Rank | Vehicle | Cringe Score | No. 1 Votes | Most-Cited Reason | Top Write-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smart ForTwo | 7.6 | 497 | Too small | Unsafe |
| 2 | Nissan Cube | 3.6 | 113 | Tries too hard | Just plain ugly |
| 3 | Hummer H2 | 3.5 | 208 | Too big | Immoral |
| 4 | Chevrolet SSR | 2.1 | 93 | Tries too hard | Tacky |
| 5 | Volkswagen New Beetle | 1.9 | 83 | Too 'girly' | Ridiculously 'cute' |
| 6 | Subaru Baja | 1.6 | 60 | Tries too hard | Funny looking |
| 7 | Lincoln Town Car | 1.6 | 73 | Too 'Grandpa' | A prom rental |
| 8 | Pontiac Aztek | 1.4 | 57 | Tries too hard | A design disaster |
| 9 | Chrysler PT Cruiser | 1 | 28 | Too 'Grandpa' | A cliché |
| 10 | Honda Element | 0.9 | 24 | Tries too hard | A box on wheels |
| 11 | Chevrolet HHR | 0.7 | 27 | Too 'old' | Looks like a hearse |
| 12 | Nissan Murano Cabriolet | 0.3 | 11 | Too 'girly' | Ugly as hell |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, Edmunds Price Promise, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
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About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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