Over the years, automobile manufacturers have discontinued cars that were exhilarating to drive and breathtaking to see on the streets. Unfortunately, cars focused on fuel economy and affordability make it generations past when they should have been discontinued. In a perfect world, only cars that are exciting to drive would exist. Cars are a very expensive investment, so why not be educated on them?
Too many consumers view a car as transportation. There are sensible first cars for young sports car enthusiasts that will leave them craving for more like a kid at a theme park. If they had exposure to awesome cars, then the horrible cars on this list may never have been produced at all. This is not a perfect world but this will be a perfect opportunity to view the differences of awesome and horrible cars.
10 Awesome Discontinued Car: Honda Civic Coupe
The Honda Civic has been available in two- or four door variants since it debuted in 1972. Because of it's light weight, reliability, and ease to modify, it has become a popular car amongst enthusiasts. The Honda Civic is perhaps one of the most modified cars of all time. Honda eventually caught onto this and created their Honda Factory Performance accessories to make your Honda look more sporty. Will this trend continue with the sedan and hatchback? If a new Civic is too expensive, everything you need to know before buying a used model is available.
The Si and Type R still continue to live on, racing to set the new standard of front wheel drive freedom. While the 2020 Civic Coupe was the last front wheel drive coupe available on the market in the United States, it only made up 6% of total Civic sales in 2020. Hopefully the 2023 Acura Integra will be announced as a coupe to match the icon it once was in the 90s and carry on the torch for the Civic.
9 Horrible Car Still Available: Kia Soul
In 2010, when the Soul debuted in the United States, Kia's marketing team thought it would be a good idea to use commercials with dancing hamsters to grab the attention of consumers. As if the design was not already quirky enough, people certainly were not going to forget the hamsters and their goofy antics.According to Kiamedia.com, the Soul peaked in sales in 2015, selling 147,133 units, but in 2020, it fell to 71,772 units. Perhaps consumers eventually caught onto the issues that were being associated with the car?
The Soul may have sold well in 2015, but it was also a year plagued by expensive repairs. When reviewing carcomplaints.com, the main issue reported was engine failure. On average, this occurred at 77,000 miles with a cost of $3,800. For the 2016 model year, the news did not get better. The main complaint associated with the Soul was a blown engine. On average, this occurred at 82,000 miles with a cost of $4,000. Looks like the hamsters would be left stranded after these issues.
8 Awesome Discontinued Car: Ford Focus RS
The Focus RS might have been the coolest car to come out of the hot hatch rivalry. It ran a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that pumped out 350 horsepower. It was only available with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. Some of the coolest facts everyone forgets about are often what made this car most unique. Ford stepped up their game this time and even offered a drift mode. How is it possible that an all-wheel drive car can drift? The drift mode they invented sent 70 percent of the engine's power to the rear wheels allowing the car to oversteer. It even did a 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.
Professional driver Ken Block took his Focus RS to a whole new level. The model he raced in Gymkhana back in 2016 produced 600 horsepower. Its 0-60 time was clocked at under 2 seconds. In 2020, this car went up for auction to raise money for charity. It went to none other than the prestigous Barret-Jackson auto auction. It ended up selling for $200,000 making it the most expensive Focus RS of all time.
7 Horrible Car Still Available: Jeep Compass
Jeep has made some unreliable cars over the years but the Compass may take the cake. The Compass has been around since 2007 and has a starting price of $24,995. It is slotted above the Renegade and below the Cherokee. The Compass appears on Lemon Law Aid's list of the least relaible cars of 2021. Possibly the most frustrating issue occurred on the 2018 models at around 25,000 miles. This is when owners reported the engine refusing to start.
Imagine buying a new Jeep and still making payments when your investment is not functional. Fiat Chrysler released technical service bulletins addressing the issue, but the reason could vary based on the circumstances. While Jeep has created a brand that is focused on off-road capable vehicles, it is always best to research statistics before making a purchase.
6 Awesome Discontinued Car: Cadillac CT6
Back in the day, a large Cadillac was viewed as a status symbol. The CT6 was like a modern day DeVille or Fleetwood. Cadillac was finally doing what they are best at. They created a large, executive class car that made a statement on the road. The CT6 was initially available with several engine options, A 2.0-liter four cylinder and 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 were available but eventually dropped from the lineup. For the 2020 model, only two engines remained. A naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 and a fire-breathing 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8.
The CT6-V Blackwing had a starting price of $94,895, but could cost over $100,000 when adding on extra equipment. Cadillac's 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 was the most sophisticated engine they had ever developed. The estimated cost to develop it was $20,000 per unit, and it paid off performance-wise. It could sprint from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and finish a quarter mile in 12.2 seconds. Keep in mind, this car weighs 4,480 pounds. It would be like watching a sumo wrestler outrun an Olympic track star.
5 Horrible Car Still Available: Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Possibly the worst way to create a new car is to use the name of a successful discontinued model and put it on something that is entirely different. The Mitsubishi Eclipse was a highly desirable two-door performance car in the 90s. It meant business on the streets and was even featured in The Fast and the Furious blockbuster film. It reached its peak in 1999 with the GSX model, then it slowly tapered off in the 2000s until it went out of production in 2012. Imagine seeing this when Mitsubishi unveiled it in 2018.
As if the world does not already have enough crossovers, Mitsubishi provided another one. With 152 horsepower and a 1,500 pounds towing capacity, owners won't find themselves towing anything more than a jet ski. The tiny 1.5-liter four-cylinder is the only engine option and will provide a boring entrance onto the highway. If the owner has not fallen asleep, they will reach 60mph after 8.6 seconds.
4 Awesome Discontinued Car: Mitsubishi Evolution
Speaking of cars from The Fast and the Furious movie saga, feast your eyes on the Mitsubishi Evolution. Numerous generations of the Evolution were produced, but it was not until the Evolution VIII was released in 2003 that it became available for the United States market. The iconic 2.0-liter 4G63 produced 279 horsepower and propelled the car to 60mph in just 5.4 seconds. It was arguably the first car to make sedans cool.
The final generation of the Evolution existed from 2008-2015. The design was not as popular with enthusiasts as previous generations but it still held its own against its main competitor, the Subaru WRX STI. By 2015, three trim levels were available, the GSR, Final Edition, and MR which all made for an exhilarating driving experience. The Final Edition received a small increase in power from 291 horsepower to 303 horsepower. There are plenty of reasons why Mitsubishi should resurrect the Lancer Evolution.
3 Horrible Car Still Available: Chevrolet Spark
The Chevrolet Spark is officially the least expensive caron the market, according to Car and Driver. At just $14,395, consumers can own a brand new car. Unfortunately, buyers of this car likely purchase it because it is all they can afford. It is doubtful than anyone is purchasing this car by choice. If the style isn't outlandish enough, it is available in color options like Cayenne Orange and Passion Fruit.
The Chevrolet Spark is also one of the lightest cars on the market today. It weighs 2,246 to 2,312 pounds based on which trim level is selected. That is about half as much as the Cadillac CT6-V discussed earlier. While this car performed well in its IIHS safety ratings, it might not be the best choice to drive during a wind storm.
2 Awesome Discontinued Car: Ford Mustang GT350
Perhaps the greatest letdown from Ford was the discontinuation of the Shelby GT350 Mustang. This car had strong roots dating back to 1965, when Carroll Shelby put together his first GT350 Mustang. Years after his passing, he would still be proud of what Ford has been doing with their Shelby Mustangs. In 2015, the final generation of the GT350 debuted with a 5.2-liter V8 producing 526 horsepower. The only transmission option was a six-speed manual. If that was not enough, there was an even faster GT350R available.
While the GT350R had the same engine specs, Ford reached into their imagination for weight reduction. The rear seat, floor mats, rear view camera, stereo and air conditioning unit were removed to make the car lighter. Owners might be sweating during hot summer days, but it was a small price to pay to have one of the rawest driving experiences. This weight reduction cut down the 0-60 time from 4.1 to 3.9 seconds.
1 Horrible Car Still Available: Mitsubishi Mirage
The most horrible car still available is the Mitsubishi Mirage. "Mirage" is defined as an optical illusion. Unfortunately, this car is not an optical illusion, it actually looks exactly as it does in these pictures. The Mirage has a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine that produces a mere 78 horsepower. It takes a mind blowing 12.1 seconds to reach 60mph and slowing down may become an issue.
According to Car Complaints, the 2015 model year had an alarming problem. Owners reported premature brake wear occurs at an average of 13,000 miles and costs approximately $900 to repair. If this car was already having issues this early on, who knows what's yet to come?