50 Worst Cars Of The 80’s

Chevrolet Cavalier

The first generation Chevrolet Cavalier was introduced in 1981 as a two or four-door sedan, hatchback or station wagon body type with two choices of the GM 122 four-cylinder engine. In 1983, Chevrolet added convertibles to its lineup but still could not get anyone to buy them. The Caviler has regularly been restyled since then its beginning as a small car, including a total makeover in 1988, with each version just as terrible as the last.

Oldsmobile Firenza

Produced from 1982 to 1988 as the replacement for the rear-wheel drive Starfire, the Oldsmobile Firenza was available in four body styles, including a two-door coupe, a two-door hatchback, a four-door sedan, and a four-door station wagon, and all of them were like riding in a cardboard box with wheels. The worst part is that none of the Firenza’s cousins were any better because they all shared the same front-wheel drive GM J platform, and there were lots of them.

Cadillac Cimarron

The award for the worst rebadged car goes to the Cadillac Cimarron, which was the company’s first small car. Introduced in 1982, the Cimarron was a four-door sedan with a J-body platform, a four-cylinder engine, and Chevrolet Caviler style taillights. Its first year of sales totaled about a third of what projections estimated due to its lack of refinement and power. Even though a V6 engine version was introduced in 1985, it was still rejected by buyers.

Pontiac Fiero

At first glance, the Pontiac Fiero was an affordable, good-looking mid-engine sports car with a bright future, but it was also prone to catching fire. According to a press release by Pontiac in 1988, “GM tests have shown that running these 1984 cars with low engine oil level can cause connecting rod failure, which may lead to an engine compartment fire. Pontiac is aware of two hundred and sixty fires attributable to the condition, along with ten reported minor injuries.”

Triumph Acclaim

Because boxy designs seemed to be the theme of the 80’s, Triumph thought they could make their return with the Acclaim, but it did not go so well. The front-wheel drive family car was based on the Honda Ballade and used a Honda-inspired engine with components that met the United Kingdom’s requirements. The company could not recover after it was introduced in 1981 and died out a few years later just before its one-hundredth anniversary.

Sbarro Mercedes 500 Portes Papillon

The Sbarro Mercedes 500 Portes Papillon was first debuted in 1983 at the Geneva Motor Show with plastic gullwing doors and a 6.9-liter V8 engine that was inspired from the Mercedes W116 450SEL. Although they may look cool, the gullwing doors reportedly made the cars hard to get into. Due to its high price, most of these cars ended up in the Middle East where the typical buyer was an Arabic royal or someone of wealthy means.

Skoda Estelle

Europeans love making fun of the Estelle by pointing out Skoda’s inability to produce quality cars. Car Magazine even called the Estelle the worst car ever sold in Britain. At the end of World War II, Skoda was making reliable vehicles. But that all changed when authorities restricted front engine and front driven cars from being produced, which forced the car manufacturer to use parts they had been using since the 1960’s, thus giving birth to endless jokes about the car's appearance that are still funny today.

Suzuki Samurai

Japanese automaker Suzuki has been making the Samurai since 1970. It was originally manufactured by the Hope Motor Company back in 1967 as a two-seater, four-wheel drive car with no doors, which appeared to be about as safe as the Samurais of the 1980’s that looked like they could roll over after hitting a pebble on the road. Cars of the 1980’s were produced as a Kei car with both a 550 and a 660 cubic centimeter three-cylinder engine.

Chevrolet Camaro "Iron Duke"

The Chevrolet Camaro "Iron Duke" made its debut in 1982 with an engine that put out a wimpy 90 horsepower, which was quite a shock considering it was a Camaro. According to Eric Peters, author of Automotive Atrocities: The Cars We Love To Hate, drivers of the Iron Duke were put through the “humiliation of being left in the dust of K-car station wagons.” The car will forever go down as the only Camaro in history to take over twenty seconds to go from zero to sixty.

Rover 200-Series

Beginning in 1984, British manufacturer Rover began putting out a series of small family cars called the 200-series. Early models were based on the Honda Ballade and only came available as a four-door sedan. Aside from having trouble starting, the car was also known to break down and have a severe lack of style or anything even remotely attractive about it. Drivers of the 80’s were better off buying an Austin for a bit more money.

Sterling 800-Series

Any car that only lasts in the United States for four years is pretty terrible. The Sterling 800-Series was introduced in 1987 with Honda V6 engines. Sales were strong in the United States initially, but they turned out to be a disappointing car when quality and reliability problems due to underdevelopment transformed into a big problem. As the car’s reputation fell, so did its sales, especially after the Acura Legend stole the spotlight.

DeLorean DMC 12

The DeLorean DMC 12 looks like something straight out of the future, making it a seemingly cool car. Despite its memorable appearance in the 80’s classic movie trilogy Back To The Future, the DMC 12 performed terribly and was completely unreliable. DMC 12’s with a manual transmission could do zero to sixty in 8.8 seconds while an automatic transmission got 10.5 seconds. Equally as disappointing was the discovery that the DeLorean could not actually fly or be used as a time-traveler.

Austin Montego

Designed to be the savior of all of British Leyland, the Austin Montego suffered from quality issues that missed the mark. The family car was launched on April 25, 1984, and was available until 1988 when it was taken over by Rover. The Montego’s original design was so horrible that when the director of design at Austin Rover first saw it, he reportedly suggested it be scrapped, and the entire design be started over from scratch.

Glenfrome Facet

The Glenfrome Facet was first introduced in 1983 at the Motorfair in London. It was originally built as a Land Rover but suffered from a hideous makeover after being re-designed by Dennis Adams, who was best known for the Adams Probe and the Marcos 1800. Adams remodeled the Land Rover for the Arab market due to its 4x4 capabilities in the desert. It was also air-conditioned, which came in handy in the Middle East heat and was considered rare in those days.

Lotus Elan

The Lotus Elan was introduced in 1989 as a two-seater convertible sports car. It had a manual transmission by Isuzu and a Japanese engine. Approximately fifty-five million dollars was invested in the vehicle’s development, which was more than any other Lotus car. It featured a rigid steel backbone chassis and a fiberglass body along. Its low weight and front-wheel drive were designed to improve the vehicle's performance, but it was about as exciting as a Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Alfa Romeo Milano

Italian automaker Alfa Romeo introduced the Milano in 1985. It sold quite well. Within three years, more than two hundred and thirty-five thousand cars were purchased. But it was constantly breaking down, rusting over, and its diagnostic computer (the Alfa Romeo Contro) was always going off due to its faulty system. Not to mention it had a goofy-looking exterior wedge design that looked like something a toddler would use as building blocks.

Sbarro Rolls-Royce Camargue

Swiss coachbuilder Franco Sbarro stripped all the classy qualities of the Rolls-Royce in the Camargue and created a misfit exterior with ugly door rails and oversized tires that don’t belong with its body type instead. Sbarro designed the car for the purpose of hunting in the Arabian terrain. Anyone with taste or who enjoys the look of a classic car would dismiss this attempt by Rolls-Royce as something that never even happened.

Renault Alliance

Even a convertible top could not make the Renault Alliance work. The French loved the Alliance, probably because it was built on all French imports. It won the European car of the year in 1982 and went on to become France’s best-selling Renault ever. Despite its international popularity, the Alliance was perceived as an underachieving car with no real thrills in the United States. In 1987, sales dropped, and American Motors Corporation eventually fizzled out.

Pontiac Phoenix

Advertised as “new fun,” the 1980 Pontiac Phoenix coupe might have been responsible for Pontiac’s downfall in the automotive industry. Using the front-wheel drive Phoenix to replace the rear-wheel drive Ventura turned out to be a bad idea. Although only minor details such as the square headlights, yellow rear turn signal, and grille were changed, the Phoenix was built similarly to the Buick Skylark and Oldsmobile Omega, which was not a common thing in most cars of the United States.

Mercury Lynx

Produced from 1981 until 1987, the Mercury Lynx was a compact car that was rebadged from the Ford Escort. Despite being Mercury’s best-selling vehicle at one point, production of the Lynx stopped in 1987 due to plummeting sales, probably due to its unrealistic expenses and unappealing exterior design. It was replaced by the Tracer, which was based on the Mazda 323. Nothing from the Lynx was used in the production of its replacement vehicle because it was that bad.

Chrysler Executive

In 1983, Chrysler launched the Executive, which was just an elongated version of the LeBaron that was designed to look like a limousine. Sales never reached more than four digits during its first year of being on the market, probably because rolling around in a limo all day is not exactly a realistic goal of most families. It was also a tad overpriced, making it an unrealistic option for families in the first place.

Creative Car Craft Bugs

Despite what the typical ads for the Creative Car Craft Bug led most buyers to believe in the 1980’s, buying one was not a guaranteed way to meet girls. Maybe it was the bubble roof top or the Porsche-like spoiler on the back of the car, but there was no way this trend was ever going to take off. Debuted in 1980, the Creative Car Craft was a Godsend for the Bug lover. The only problem is the Bug is still not cool today.

Zimmer Quicksilver

The Zimmer Quicksilver was launched in 1984, and it was just weird. It looked a bit like a dog with an extra long nose. While Zimmer made some coin during its run in the 1980’s, the average buyer probably was intrigued by its aftermarket potential until they realized how much work a custom ride entails. The trend did not catch on as no other vehicle of its time was based on this same style, because, well, it sucked.

Chevrolet Citation

The Chevrolet Citation was in production from 1980 until 1985. During this period, it was offered as a two-door coupe, a three-door hatchback, or a five-door hatchback. It was significantly smaller than the Nova that it replaced and was built on the GMX platform, which was crap. The Citation also transformed from a rear-wheel drive reliable car to a front-wheel drive clunker. Not to mention it had parts from the Buick Skylark, the Pontiac Phoenix, and the Oldsmobile Omega.

Lancia Prisma

Produced in 1982 until 1989, the Lancia Prisma was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and had a steel unibody construction with an independent suspension similar to the Delta. Early models were powered by a 1301 cubic centimeter engine with a five-speed transmission. It also came with air-conditioning, which was considered an upgrade for most early 1980’s cars. Still, the Prisma was prone to rust and had that same stupid boxy exterior as all the other cars in the same decade.

Subaru XT

The Subaru XT was introduced in 1985, which was apparently the year when it became standard for cars to look like they came from outer space or at least some place where style obviously did not matter. When it was first introduced, the New York Times surprisingly called it, “the ultimate in jazzy design.” It was not an overly sporty or fast car, but it had a design that looked like speed might have been a priority, not to mention an equally as weird steering wheel.

Gemballa Avalanche

In 1981, the Gemballa Avalanche was created based off the Porsche 911 with a Turbo 911 slant nose and the convertible look of the Cyrrus. It also pulled its looks from the Mirage. All cars were uniquely large with wide body frames and upgraded features that included wheels, interiors, pain, audio systems, and gauges. Some even had cameras in place of mirrors. But they were apparently magnets for douchebags. Case in point: Vanilla Ice loved them.

Renault Fuego

In 1982, the Renault Fuego burst onto the automotive scene with French imported parts, which proved to be notoriously unreliable. Meaning “fire” in Spanish, the Fuego was based on the Renault 18’s floor plan and drive train but had the suspension of a Renault 20. It was the first car to have mounted satellite controls for its audio system. In 1982, a convertible version with a beautiful leather interior was created by a French coachbuilder, but it never made it to production.

Cadillac Fleetwood V8-6-4

Incorporating variable displacement into a vehicle’s engine is not a bad idea, but the 1980’s were not ready for it. The Fleetwood's system intended to use electronically operated parts to lift the rockers away from the pushrods to prevent the valves from opening, resulting in better fuel efficiency, which was in high demand at the time. But the electronic system was lacking in computing power, and most people who bought the car took it back to the dealer to have it removed.

Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Powered by the 301 Turbo engine, the 1980 Trans Am was a V8 engine with 210 horsepower and 345 pounds per feet of torque power. It was the first Pontiac to use forced induction and was only available in 1980 and 1981. The word “turbo” leads one to believe that the car should be very fast; however, the Pontiac Trans Am Turbo was a bit of a poser as it was no quicker than the non-turbo Trans Am.

Ford Tempo

In 1984, Ford came up with the Tempo as a response to the Chevrolet Cavalier, so it was a bit like two ugly cars fighting for the title of ugliest. They were downsized versions of the Ford Fairmont and were designed to be more fuel-efficient, modern and environmentally friendly than most imports. It sold well enough and paved the way for more crappy cars, like the Ford Taurus, which thankfully has come a long way since the 80’s.

Lada Riva

If there is such a thing as driving a rectangle, then the Lada Riva is it. It had a long, boxy station wagon exterior that was not exactly pretty to look at, even for 1981’s standards. Despite being produced by Russian manufacturer AvtoVAZ, the Lada Riva was derived from the Fiat 124 platform. It was a bit like having a car with technology from the 1950’s get a makeover by someone in the 1970’s. It just did not work.

Oldsmobile Omega

After more than one recall, a car should not be available to drive anymore. The Oldsmobile Omega was supposed to be an upscale sports car. Third generation Omega’s were sold from 1980 through 1984 and featured a 2.58-liter V6 engine with an Iron Duke four-cylinder engine from Pontiac. It was based on the Chevrolet Citron and came available in a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan with upright styling and an equally funky looking grille.

Subaru Justy

First introduced in 1987, the Subaru Justy looked like a roller skate. It was small, had no power and the exterior design was about as boring as it gets. In 1989, American and European versions received a much-needed makeover and improved restyling, which was still pretty questionable in terms of being an “upgrade.” It originally came available with either a low or high roof. Apparently, the need for a flat roof disappeared as it did not sell.

Corvette "305" California

Sure, the 1980 Corvette "305" California looked the part of a super fast car, but it was powered by a wimpy V8 engine with 180 horsepower and a three-speed automatic transmission. It has been referred to as the worst Corvette of all time by some online reviewers due to its lack of power. Corvette buyers in California probably hated the year 1980 as the only engine option they had was a 305 cubic inch motor with an even crappier automatic transmission.

Maserati Karif

The Maserati Karif was manufactured between 1988 and 1993 as a luxurious coupe that could also be sporty or fast enough to make the driver feel like they were racing. Maserati’s Alejandro de Tomaso released a limited edition of only two hundred and fifty cars at the unveiling and only two hundred and twenty-two sold. The car was clunky looking and had a 2.8 liter V6 Biturbo engine that was known to break down a lot.

Vantagefield Range Rover Hunter

The Vantagefield Range Rover Hunter was a hideous six-wheeled Range Rover that looked a bit like a something that crawled out of the sea. It was built specifically for a customer in the Middle East who reportedly liked to hunt but did not want a G-class. All models were different but had a few things in common. They all had six wheels, Wolfrace rims, the grille of a Mercedes-Benz and an American V8 engine with lots of horsepower.

Cadillac Allante

In 1987, Cadillac made the Allante, which was a two-seater roadster designed to complete with cars like the Jaguar XJS and the Mercedes-Benz SL. Many people were turned off by its odd production arrangement consisting of bodies that were made in Italy and then shipped to Detroit where they were fitted with a domestic engine and chassis. By 1987, Cadillac decided to add a removable aluminum hardtop that was about as efficient as its production assembly line.

Hyundai Excel

Production for the Hyundai Excel began in 1985 when it became the South Korean manufacturer’s first front wheel drive car. It was designed to replace the rear wheel drive Hyundai Pony, and like most rear wheel to front wheel conversions, it did not go well. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Excel was available as either a four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback. It was the first model of Hyundai the United States saw and turned out to be a complete rust bucket.

Ford Granada

Ford began making the Granada in 1975. The second generation version of the 1980’s came with lots of updates and a whole new car, but it still was not enough to get people to buy it. It was basically a redesigned version of the Ford Fairmont with a roofline and front fascia of a Crown Victoria. The 1982 model added a station wagon to its lineup, and standard engines included a 2.3-liter four-cylinder with an optional 3.3 liter V8.

Plymouth Caravelle

The Plymouth Caravelle’s name might have been the coolest thing about this car. Inspired by the word Caravel, the Plymouth model was named after a fifteenth-century Portuguese sailing ship that was well known for its agility and speed. The Caravelle, on the other hand, was not. As Plymouth’s first front-wheel-drive sedan, the Caravelle replaced the Chrysler E-class when it was brought to the United States in 1985, but it never really took off.

Yugo 45

Imagine a car so terrible that people refused when offered it as a free gift with the purchase of another vehicle. That was the Yugo 45, a front-wheel drive three-door hatchback manufactured by the Yugoslavian company Zastava Automobiles. It was inspired by the Fiat 144 and produced in Italy under Fiat licensing with a slightly different body style. It was marketed in the United States between the years of 1985 until 1992 and was powered by a 0.9-liter engine.

Buick Skylark

The Skylark has been around since the 1960’s. In 1980, Buick switched from rear wheel to front wheel drive and pissed everyone off. The new front wheel drive system was designed especially for cars with GM’s X-body with the intention of becoming the basis for all future front wheel GM cars. But reports came rolling in due to the tendency of the rear wheels to lock up while braking, which caused the car to lose control and crash.

Maserati Biturbo

A turbocharger is all fun and games until it blows up. The Maserati Biturbo debuted in 1981 as a two-door notchback coupe with a two-liter V6 engine, two turbochargers, and a beautiful interior. It was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, Chief of Centro Stile Maserati, who was greatly influenced by the Quattroporte III. The car marked the first ever production car to use a twin-turbo engine and three valves per cylinder, which was cool until the engine caught fire.

Kia Concord

Kia might be a cool brand now, but it was not that way in the 80’s. The first Concord was introduced in 1987 as a four-door sedan. The 1982 Mazda Capella greatly influenced it, and all standard cars featured Mazda’s four-cylinder engine. Despite being known as a cheap piece of crap, the Concord stayed around until production ended in 1995. In 1996, it was replaced by the Clarus, which used the Mazda GE platform.

Ferrari Mondial 8

No one buys a Ferrari because it is reliable. They buy it because they want to go fast. So the idea behind making a Ferrari that is practical was stupid. When the Ferrari Mondial 8 was released in 1980, the press did not hold back about the car’s lack of power. Time Magazine recently included the car as one of the fifty worst cars of all time. Top Gear's James May called it "rubbish" and criticized its interior space, performance, and handling.

Rieger Tuning Widebody GTI

The Rieger Tuning Widebody GTI was a custom kit manufactured in Germany that was supposed to look like a Testarossa. Reiger was founded in 1987 in a private garage by one man and has since turned into a thirty-man production center that makes sixty percent of its sales in foreign trades. It specializes in producing, developing and distributing sport vehicle accessories designed to make European manufactured cars more aerodynamic. But by “aerodynamic” it looks like they meant “stupid.”

Cadillac Seville

The second generation Cadillac Seville was introduced in 1980 and failed to become as famous as the first generation. Younger buyers just could not get on board with its front-wheel drive K-body design, no matter how much leather was slapped on it. It had an odd looking rear end bustle back that did not help things either. No matter how many upgrades the Seville went through in the 80’s, including heated outside rear-view mirrors and memory seats, its exterior design was a real deal breaker.

Geo Metro

Ever wondered why Americans hate small cars? It is because of the Geo Metro. In 1989, it was debuted in North America as the replacement for the Chevrolet Sprint as a three and five-door hatchback or a four-door sedan. They came in three trims and, despite being decent in fuel efficiency, its 70 horsepower and three-speed automatic transmission were nothing to get excited over. Not to mention it did not look capable of making it through a hard rain.

Oldsmobile Delta 88 Diesel

In 1980, the Oldsmobile Delta 88 Diesel engine came along and made everyone hate diesel engines for their rest of their life, which is pretty unfair considering how far they have come. Oldsmobile’s diesel engine had so many problems, including its tendency to snap head bolts, that it was involved in a lawsuit GM eventually had to settle. The car itself was loud, inefficient, slow, and dirty, and will forever be hated for what it did to taint the general population’s views of diesel engines.