7 Cars Nobody Wants to Buy Because of Their Name
Worst Car Names
The fact that Mazda, an award-winning auto manufacturer, thought it a good idea to name one of its trucks a “Titan Dump” baffles the mind. “Honey, would you please take the Titan Dump to the shop today?”
Unfortunately, there are many such cases. No matter how respectable the brand, it seems as if every automaker has released a car with a name so stupid, embarrassing, or thoughtless that even enthusiasts can’t overlook the name. We’ve collected 10 of these laughably bad models from a recent r/WhatCarShouldIBuy Reddit thread.
These names are so bad that Redditors say that they would never, ever buy one of these cars.
1. Ford Probe
Country of Origin: United States
Production: 1988-1997
Can you believe that the Mustang, one of America’s most iconic muscle cars, was slated to be replaced by something called a “Probe”? Neither can we. But hey, that was Ford’s plan. And apart from the name — and some angry Mustang fans — reviews were good, with praise for its body style and handling. Sadly, that wasn’t enough to save the Probe from low sales and its eventual discontinuation in 1997.
2. AMC Gremlin
Country of Origin: United States
Production: 1970-1978
There are a lot of funny things about American Motors’ Gremlin besides the name. Not only was the subcompact named after impish creatures that wreak havoc on machinery, but it turns out the car was introduced on April Fool’s Day. Even the car’s design has a ridiculous origin story, with the manufacturer sketching the model on the back of an airline barf bag. Despite its comical roots, it wasn’t a bad car. MotorTrend calls it “arguably AMC's smartest car,” giving it kudos for its functionality and affordability.
3. Ford Aspire
Country of Origin: United States
Production: 1993-2000
Redditors found this car’s name “depressing” and “pathetic.” While that seems a little harsh, we know what they mean. People want to be successful, not aspirational. Apparently, the name was fitting, as the economy car was a no-frills clunker that failed to sell.
4. Toyota bZ4X
Country of Origin: Japan
Production: 2022-present
Although the name isn’t as silly as, say, the Titan Dump, calling a car bZ4X is pretty dumb. Sure, it’s not as bad as naming your kid X Æ A-Xii, but bZ4X runs into the same problems, namely that it’s impossible to pronounce or remember. “Another car named by a cat walking on a keyboard,” quips one Redditor.
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5. Mazda Laputa
Country of Origin: Japan
Production: 1999-2006
You only need a middling knowledge of Spanish to understand the problem with Mazda’s Laputa, a rebadged version of the Suzuki Kei. Other than its name, this box-shaped vehicle is unremarkable, overshadowed by its unfortunate name.
Related: Car Brands You’ve Never Heard Of
6. Porsche Taycan Turbo
Country of Origin: Germany
Production: 2019-present
While your average Joe might not see anything wrong with the Porsche Taycan Turbo’s name, real auto heads take issue with the “turbo” designation. That’s because turbo means more than just “fast”; rather, it indicates that the engine is equipped with a turbine that forces extra air into an engine to give it more power. But the Porsche Taycan Turbo is an electric car … meaning that it doesn’t even have an engine, let alone a turbocharger.
Related: Vehicle Flops: Cars No One Wanted to Buy
7. Kia Rondo
Country of Origin: Korea
Production: 2006-2010
We’re not sure exactly why car enthusiasts on Reddit hate the name Rondo so much. Maybe it’s a little pretentious to name your car after some arcane musical term? Again, we have no idea. Other than its unique name, there’s not much to say about the Rondo, which was a super cheap seven-seater that earned praise for its practicality.
Related: Cars That Everyone Hated
This article was originally published on Cheapism
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