Forbes: Worst Car Flops of 2010
12-07-10, 11:11 AM
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Forbes: Worst Car Flops of 2010
Worst Car Flops Of 2010
Hannah Elliott, 12.06.10, 1:00 PM ET
Last week Honda announced it will discontinue the Element, an angular SUV meant to appeal to quirky-cool drivers, but which seemed to appeal to no one: The car suffered seven consecutive years of declining U.S. sales. The line will be killed after model-year 2011 units leave the factory.
Dwindling sales is one way to determine an automotive flop. Excessive hype before a launch, with media silence afterward (see: Acura ZDX) is another. So is a round of scathing reviews from auto critics, and a Consumer Reports rating that places a car among the 10 worst vehicles of the year (see: Smart Fortwo).
Sure, some owners of these vehicles might love their cars and may be completely happy with their purchases. But overall these lines failed to meet expectations--or even worse, hurt the company as a whole. That's why the ZDX, Fortwo and Element rank among the worst cars of the year.
To develop a list of cars that flopped this year, we consulted three expert auto analysts: Jake Fisher, senior automotive engineer for Consumer Reports; Troy Snyder, director of product development at NADAGuides; and John McElroy, host of Detroit's Autoline Daily. Each nominated what they think were the worst new vehicles, all things considered.
Admittedly, it's a subjective tally. One car they all agreed on, though, is the Honda Insight. This was going to be the hybrid sedan to beat Toyota's Prius--it cost a few thousand dollars less, and is more conventionally styled. But the Insight's drive performance--and sales--didn't reflect the hype.
"It has failed miserably against the Prius," McElroy says. "It's a complete flop. In fact, Prius sells 10 times what the Insight sells."
The real secret, McElroy adds, is that almost every hybrid on the market today is a flop: "I guarantee you every single automaker is losing money on every single hybrid they build, with the exception of the Prius."
Hybrids are losing money because consumers just aren't buying them. In the 12 years since hybrid vehicles have been on the American market, and with seven mainline brands selling more than 20 hybrid options--everything from the Lexus HS250h sedan to the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid SUV--hybrids still make up just over 2% of the market. And half of that belongs to the Prius.
Hannah Elliott, 12.06.10, 1:00 PM ET
Last week Honda announced it will discontinue the Element, an angular SUV meant to appeal to quirky-cool drivers, but which seemed to appeal to no one: The car suffered seven consecutive years of declining U.S. sales. The line will be killed after model-year 2011 units leave the factory.
Dwindling sales is one way to determine an automotive flop. Excessive hype before a launch, with media silence afterward (see: Acura ZDX) is another. So is a round of scathing reviews from auto critics, and a Consumer Reports rating that places a car among the 10 worst vehicles of the year (see: Smart Fortwo).
Sure, some owners of these vehicles might love their cars and may be completely happy with their purchases. But overall these lines failed to meet expectations--or even worse, hurt the company as a whole. That's why the ZDX, Fortwo and Element rank among the worst cars of the year.
To develop a list of cars that flopped this year, we consulted three expert auto analysts: Jake Fisher, senior automotive engineer for Consumer Reports; Troy Snyder, director of product development at NADAGuides; and John McElroy, host of Detroit's Autoline Daily. Each nominated what they think were the worst new vehicles, all things considered.
Admittedly, it's a subjective tally. One car they all agreed on, though, is the Honda Insight. This was going to be the hybrid sedan to beat Toyota's Prius--it cost a few thousand dollars less, and is more conventionally styled. But the Insight's drive performance--and sales--didn't reflect the hype.
"It has failed miserably against the Prius," McElroy says. "It's a complete flop. In fact, Prius sells 10 times what the Insight sells."
The real secret, McElroy adds, is that almost every hybrid on the market today is a flop: "I guarantee you every single automaker is losing money on every single hybrid they build, with the exception of the Prius."
Hybrids are losing money because consumers just aren't buying them. In the 12 years since hybrid vehicles have been on the American market, and with seven mainline brands selling more than 20 hybrid options--everything from the Lexus HS250h sedan to the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid SUV--hybrids still make up just over 2% of the market. And half of that belongs to the Prius.
In Pictures: Worst Car Flops of 2010
http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/06/wor...ops_slide.html
12-07-10, 01:15 PM
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cliff notes: hybrids suck. 
(although 1sicklex's GS450h was very cool to drive!)
(although 1sicklex's GS450h was very cool to drive!)
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12-07-10, 06:52 PM
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Admittedly, it's a subjective tally. One car they all agreed on, though, is the Honda Insight. This was going to be the hybrid sedan to beat Toyota's Prius--it cost a few thousand dollars less, and is more conventionally styled. But the Insight's drive performance--and sales--didn't reflect the hype.
"It has failed miserably against the Prius," McElroy says. "It's a complete flop. In fact, Prius sells 10 times what the Insight sells."
"It has failed miserably against the Prius," McElroy says. "It's a complete flop. In fact, Prius sells 10 times what the Insight sells."
But, I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....I still think the Insight is more solidly-built than the new 3Gen Prius. Compared to the 2Gen Prius, the 3Gen, IMO, is a big let-down in body sheet-metal and interior-trim solidness. Toyota really used a lot of thin, lightweight parts in the new Prius....maybe (?) one of the reasons for its excellent fuel mileage.
The Prius, unlike the Insight, also gets a lot of hype from celebrities, environmentalists, and the entertainment industry...not to mention Consumer Reports. It's been that way for years....and accounts for a lot of the car's popularity.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-07-10 at 07:01 PM.
12-07-10, 07:57 PM
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If 2010 doesn't set Honda straight, nothing will. They dominated the year in flops and I hope management is listening. It's not just the ugliness, they're making fundamental mistakes such as designing whole vehicle types that shouldn't exist (most notably the Crosstour). The Insight, on the other hand demonstrates Honda's failing technology. To even introduce a Prius fighter that gets only 40/43 MPG when the Prius gets 48/51 MPG is embarrassing to Honda nevermind that the Insight looks like a cheap knockoff and basically has the interior of a Honda Fit.
12-07-10, 08:04 PM
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But, I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....I still think the Insight is more solidly-built than the new 3Gen Prius. Compared to the 2Gen Prius, the 3Gen, IMO, is a big let-down in body sheet-metal and interior-trim solidness. Toyota really used a lot of thin, lightweight parts in the new Prius....maybe (?) one of the reasons for its excellent fuel mileage.
12-07-10, 08:05 PM
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If 2010 doesn't set Honda straight, nothing will. They dominated the year in flops and I hope management is listening. It's not just the ugliness, they're making fundamental mistakes such as designing whole vehicle types that shouldn't exist (most notably the Crosstour). The Insight, on the other hand demonstrates Honda's failing technology. To even introduce a Prius fighter that gets only 40/43 MPG when the Prius gets 48/51 MPG is embarrassing to Honda nevermind that the Insight looks like a cheap knockoff and basically has the interior of a Honda Fit.
12-08-10, 12:35 AM
#14
I'm surprised I didn't see the BMW 5-Series GT and Lincoln MKT, but there are some 2011 models that been out for awhile I don't see too much of including the Mazda 2 and Infiniti M-line. The poor Suzuki, I have probably seen only once , I can't even see it as I pass the only dealer I know of that sells Suzuki because the front is flooded with used luxury cars.
