Every automaker wants their best car to have the best design, most impressive horsepower figures, amazing driving dynamics, and impeccable reliability ratings. Unfortunately, this rarely happens, and most cars lack one or more of these critical elements.
In this list, we look at ten American cars that, despite having great design, should be avoided at all costs. Some of them were equipped with underpowered engines, others are so unreliable that they'll either turn you into a mechanic or make you go broke, and then there are those that are so hard to drive that you have to be a professional driver to avoid crashing. Let's dive in!
10 1980 Chevrolet Corvette 305 California
The third-generation Corvette will go down in history as the worst, as it was developed at a time when emission restrictions had forced American automakers to detune their engines. The most disappointing third-generation Corvette has to be the 1980 305 California version.
Equipped with a 180-hp small-block V8, the Corvette 305 California was extremely slow and boring to drive. To put things into perspective, the 1980 California Corvette only had 25 hp more than the first-generation Corvette introduced almost three decades before. However, despite its flaws, the 1980 Corvette 305 California is still regarded as one of the most beautiful American sports cars of all time.
9 Vector W8
Most gearheads may be unfamiliar with Vector Motors, but the company has produced several decent sports cars over the years. The W8 is one of them, and what a stunner it was. Introduced in 1990, the W8 blew gearheads away with its gorgeous wedge-shaped design that made it look like an American Lamborghini. It also had a massive twin-turbo V8 under the hood, pushing out 625 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque.
Unfortunately, the W8 received a lot of criticism when one of the first models caught fire as tennis star Andre Agassi drove it for the first time. After the incident, Vector only managed to build 17 W8's before the company's collapse.
8 Chrysler TC By Maserati
Back in the '80s, Chrysler head Lee Iacocca and Maserati president Alejandro de Tomaso were buddies. In celebration of their friendship, the two bosses decided to build a sports car that would combine a beautiful Italian design with American performance. The result was the Chrysler TC By Maserati.
From a design perspective, the TC was awesome. The two-door convertible design looked amazing, while the leather interior made it feel like a luxurious European sports car. Sadly, the TC was based on Chrysler's terrible K-car platform, which made it a failure from the get-go.
7 Pontiac Fiero
The Pontiac Fiero was an instant hit when it first came out in the early '80s. Its futuristic design had gearheads drooling over it, while a mid-engine layout made it one of the best-handling American cars of the day.
The Fiero's future looked bright, but GM made a disastrous mistake that turned it into yet another failed nameplate. In an effort to cut costs, GM raided its parts bin and used leftover components from other cars. The result was a beautiful car that performed poorly, was unreliable, and susceptible to engine fires.
6 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Iron Duke
The Chevy Camaro is undoubtedly one of the greatest muscle cars, which is why it's still in production to date. There are multiple Camaro generations and model years to choose from, and while most of them are great cars, some are downright terrible — the 1982 Camaro Iron Duke is one of these bad apples.
To meet emission regulations, Chevrolet equipped the 1982 Camaro with a tiny 2.5-liter Iron Duke four-cylinder engine, producing just 90 hp. This car needed a whole 20 seconds to reach 60 mph, which is embarrassing for a muscle car. It did have the muscular design gearheads love, though.
5 Saturn Sky
GM and its subsidiaries were in deep trouble in the 2000s. To save itself, Saturn developed the Sky, hoping to revive consumer interest in its cars. Saturn's plan almost worked, as the Sky had an award-winning design that gearheads loved.
However, everything else about it was disappointing. For one, the Sky was powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with just 177 hp on tap, barely enough to compete with family vans, let alone sports cars. It was also unreliable, which is why Saturn ended its production run after only three years.
4 Hummer H3
The Hummer H3 needs no introduction, as it was one of the most hyped-up American vehicles of the 2000s. Its rugged design and size made it a huge hit across the country, especially among celebrities and professional athletes.
The biggest problem facing the H3 was its engine. It was plagued with leaky valves, faulty cylinder heads, low compression, and frequent failures. The H3 was also highly inefficient, offering a dismal 13 mpg in the city and 16 mpg on the highway.
3 Tesla Model S
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Most gearheads don't expect the Tesla Model S to be on a list like this, as it's one of the most popular electric cars today. It has a sleek design, advanced technology, excellent safety ratings, and enough range for long-distance trips.
The main reason why the Model S is featured on our list is reliability, or rather, lack thereof. Being a fairly new manufacturer, Tesla has struggled with build quality issues, and the Model S is not exempt. Some of the issues customers complain about most about the model S include its air suspension, main computer, and touchscreen controls.
2 Cadillac XLR
In 2004, Cadillac wanted to build its own version of the Chevy Corvette, resulting in the awful XLR. The XLR used the C6 Corvette's platform and had many premium features over the Vette, including heated and cooled seats, wood trim, a color touchscreen, keyless entry, and more.
Sadly, the XLR couldn't keep up with the Corvette in the performance department. It was powered by a 4.6-liter naturally aspirated V8 producing 320 hp — a notable decrease compared to the Corvette's 400 hp — and weighed a lot more than the Corvette. To make matters worse, the XLR needed 6 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph.
1 1992 Dodge Viper
Tired of getting destroyed by European sports cars, Dodge decided to build an American sports car that could leave anything in the dust. The result was the iconic Viper, a stylish sports car with a fire-breathing 645-hp V10 engine under the hood.
But, to make the Viper as light as possible, Dodge made too many sacrifices. This car didn't have any electronic assists to help the driver deal with its power — no traction control, stability control, ABS, or even airbags. It's no surprise that the 1992 Viper is commonly referred to as the "widow-maker."