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, CarsDirect, and NADAGuides 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.- Gregg Fidan
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
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.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
October 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Oct 14, 2021
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Oct 14, 2021
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Oct 14, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Oct 14, 2021
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Oct 07, 2021
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Oct 07, 2021
- Best 0% Finance Deals October 2021 Oct 07, 2021
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Oct 07, 2021
September 2021
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Sep 30, 2021
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Sep 30, 2021
- Best Car Deals by Category Sep 30, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Sep 30, 2021
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Sep 23, 2021
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Sep 23, 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Sep 16, 2021
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Sep 16, 2021
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Sep 16, 2021
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Sep 09, 2021
- Best & Worst New Cars to Buy Now Sep 02, 2021
- The Best Labor Day 2021 Car Deals Sep 02, 2021
- Real Prices of Small Luxury SUVs Sep 02, 2021
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Sep 02, 2021
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!