Driving a beaten-up old car is a coming-of-age moment in one's life. Usually, it comes in the form of a first vehicle; however, it is still possible to buy a new car that is just as bad. A recent online discussion shares motorists' choices for their worst-ever car — here are some insights.

1. 2017 Chevrolet Trax 4WD

One commenter reveals how borrowing one of these cars from a friend once prompted him never to buy one himself. “A rattly engine, cheap interior, and the ‘feels-like-you're-gonna-tip-over' handling led to a less enjoyable driving experience,” the one-time Chevy Trax driver claims.

2. Any Smart Car

While environmentalists may decry such an inclusion, this list concerns low-performance cars. Nothing says low performance more than a Smart Car — or, as a commenter puts it, “Ah, the Smart Car; AKA the go-kart with an airbag.”

3. 2000 Dodge Dakota 2WD

“I couldn't believe how gutless it was and how awful it drove,” laments a former owner. “It was brand new, and at 2,500 feet elevation, it couldn't break a tire loose on gravel.” With allegedly wooden steering and weak brakes, the driver felt the brand-new vehicle “had already done 200,000 miles.”

4. 2013 Nissan Sentra

With the central variable transition (CVT) a problem for many owners (and an almost $4,000 fee for replacing it), the Nissan Sentra makes the cut. My buddy still has one, and I had to suffer through a rental,” claims a contributor. “The suspension and interior are so bad, it feels like tumbling down a gravel road in a pine coffin.”

5. 2010 Ford Focus SE

“The dual-clutch gearbox in the 2012 Focus was so, so, so bad,” says a regretful one-time owner. “It even had a complete transmission failure in the middle of an intersection.” The driver claims this was the worst car they have ever driven. Moreover, at 10,000 miles, he had to buy a new transition.

6. 1986 Chevrolet Chevette

Cars are similar to fashion; sometimes, you look back at old photos, wondering what you saw in that horrid design. The 1986 Chevy Chevette sits in this time warp category. “What a miserable piece that was,” recalls the commenter. “The driving position was horrid, with the steering wheel seeming to be three inches right of center of the seat.”

7. 2008 Chevrolet Uplander

This car sounds like an oil tanker, so the driving was poor. “Hit a pothole and it felt like you were in a whirly pop,” jokes a previous owner. “Coming to a complete stop before turning was required. Worse, the seat configuration needed a family of six working in unison to re-arrange the seats.”

8. 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid

“This is one of the taxis I hated to get in New York,” explains someone who has been getting cabs for twenty years. “Even with lots of practice, cabbies couldn't keep the thing from lurching around crazily — and the ride was awful.” They do look rather cool, though.

9. 2021 Chevrolet Cavalier

“As a brand new car, the last generation Cavalier,” starts the next thread. “It drove like a car with 100k miles on it, the materials were so cheap and flimsy — even amongst its entry level peers at the time.” Chevrolet, we need to talk.

10. 1986 Hyundai Pony

The next contributor recalls buying a Hyundai Pony “back when Hyundai did not have the reputation it has now.” His description sounds like something from the Wacky Racers. “Rusted almost immediately, had a manual choke (joke?), and with 68 horsepower, barely enough power to get out of its own way.” Scathing.

11. 2006 Chevrolet HHR

Although it looked like something out of 1920s Chicago, with its rather oversized front grill giving it a vintage look, the Chevy HHR has a bad reputation. “I didn't feel safe driving it,” complains a former owner. “Everything about the way it drove and the way it worked flat out sucked.”

12. 1985 Renault Alliance 

The 1980s was not a great time for low-budget motorists, especially in America. Some motorists think the US Government didn't want “good versions” of foreign cars in the market — hence the Renault Alliance . “I've never driven a car that gave me such a feeling that I could rip it apart with my bare hands, and probably should, if only as a favor to others,” someone jokes.

13. 2012 Mitsubishi Galant

“You could idle or you could run the A/C, but not both,” recalls a contributor with bad memories of the Japanese model. “The engine would die if you tried to idle and the A/C kicked on.” Furthermore, with an interior looking like it was “made out of plastic,” and an engine with “no power at all,” we can safely tuck the Galant into the past.

14. 1998 Plymouth Neon Expresso

With such a flowery name, car buyers might have expected the worst with the Plymouth Neon Expresso. “It made it to about 125K before we finally gave up on it,” says an observer. “The transmission (which had been repaired many times) was going again. It was leaking oil all over the place.” Expresso sounds like the most ironic car name ever after this description.

15. 2009 Vauxhall Agila

Someone who once visited the United Kingdom warns of one car still circulating — the Vauxhall Agila. “I've driven cars that felt unstable cornering before, but that was the first time I ever drove a car that felt unstable sitting still on level ground,” writes the observer. “It was the dumbest car I ever drove.” This car has another ironic title: ‘agila' means ‘agile' in Spanish.

Source: Jaloponik.