A long list of good reliable nameplates comes to mind when we say Chevy, such as the Corvette, Impala, Camaro, and Silverado. But every automaker will eventually mess up, and Chevrolet is no exception to this rule. Honestly, we may be referring to these cars as bad or disappointing in hindsight today, but many did sell well at the time of their launch. Some of these failures could be attributed to bad pricing or timing, while others alienated many car buyers.
It's easy to assume that Chevrolet was part of General Motors' boastfulness for users who would stop purchasing imported tiny cars once there were viable alternatives in America. And there are millions of diehard Chevy owners who won't consider another brand. Still, Chevy is one of the most popular automakers in the world, so read on to see 10 Chevrolet cars you should avoid if you want a vehicle that looks as good as it performs.
10 1960 Chevrolet Corvair(Oversteer)
There was an influx of imported nameplates in the car bazaar in the late 50s. Majorly of European origin, these car brands and the very successful VW Beetle began to eat in the market share of General Motors. Chevrolet unveiled the Corvair in1960 to compete with its rivals head-on.
The 1960 Chevrolet Corvair remains the only American-designed and mass-produced passenger car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine. Two generations of the Chevrolet Corvair models were manufactured between 1960 and 1969. With one of the Corvair even featuring in the World of Tomorrow attraction at Disneyland. However, these first Covairs were armed with a rather notorious suspension setup and the car was said to be unsafe at any speed.
9 1980 Chevrolet Citation(Plenty Of Recalls)
The debut year of the 1980 Chevrolet Citation was hailed as groundbreaking. Overwhelming sales of over 800,000 units turned this car into an instant bestseller. In fact, it even outsold the Chevrolet Vega! It was offered in three body styles; a five-door and three-door hatchbacks and a two-door hatchback coupe.
The big question is, how could a vehicle this good become defamed and die. By 1985, some models went for a platform change and a new generation, but it was all over for the Chevy Citation. Rust became a significant issue, not just on the Citation but all X-body GM vehicles.
8 1976 Chevrolet Chevette (Not A Vette At All)
Launched in 1976, the Chevy Chevette was meant to be the Vega's replacement. Sadly, at the time, American automakers produced a whole bevy of small vehicles. Still, you only have to recall the Ford Pinto or even the Plymouth Cricket to understand the worst cars they could make to keep the industry alive and moving.
Dubbed as a cheap and affordable car, gearheads would really be hard-pressed even to consider looking at the underperforming Chevette as a classic. The Concours models can still demand high prices, although one can mostly drive home for under $10,000 per GM Authority listings.
7 2003 Chevrolet SSR(The Identity Crisis Chevy)
Chevy should have left the custom hot-rod to the experts. With a hefty price tag of $40,000 for a 390 horsepower V8, this was not a roadster, nor a truck, and not really a hot rod either, but it was a poor-selling Chevy car. It only lasted four years on the market.
The 2003 Chevrolet SSR featured an RWD layout and the Tremec manual, so burnouts came easy. Even though having great handling and performance for a truck, it was miles apart from competing with an actual sports car. It also wasn't anywhere near competitive in the truck market.
6 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (Ugly And Undeserving)
Similar to the Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2, the Chevy Monte Carlo had a NASCAR connection that was simply too far-fetched. The 2000 Chevrolet had a boring and unimaginative design.
The sixth-generation Chevy Monte Carlo was equipped with front-wheel drive and plenty of cheap plastics. Whereas the Monte Carlo could produce up to 200 horsepower, it was in no way a follow-up to the famous Chevy Monte Carlo of the past. Yet another highly-touted vehicle that was extremely average.
5 1982 Chevrolet Cavalier (Unreliable Engines)
The Chevrolet Cavalier saw poor sales during its 1982 launch, but it did pretty well from 1983 onwards. For the automakers still struggling to keep fuel economy high while recovering from the oil crisis of the 70s, the Chevy Cavalier fit the bill. Honestly, this was no Corvette or Camaro.
According to Car Complaints, this Chevy Cavalier would go on to have many problems with its engine and transmission. At the end of the day, it was clear that the automakers needed to spend more time developing it.
4 1975 Chevrolet Monza (Extremely Poor Build Quality)
At first glance, one may presume that the 1975 Chevy Monza is a perfect vehicle. There was no question about its uniquely nice design that got a reasonably quick attraction rate from its buyers.
However, it is clear that this car was below average in terms of its overall quality. And it seemed to have no ability to obtain any amount of longevity. This resulted in buyers getting tired of it relatively fast.
3 1997 Chevrolet Malibu (Always Behind The Competition)
Chevy decided to simply bring out a box on wheels with the expectation that it would grow into a very reliable car. This model lacked any amount of durability. And it is clear that the manufacturer did not spend enough time preparing this release, and it now rates as one of their worsts ever.
The 1997 Chevrolet Malibu sales dropped off pretty quickly, as not many buyers wanted a vehicle that was anti-opposite of good styling, period.
2 1971 Chevrolet Vega (Severe Rust And Reliability Issues)
The 1971 Chevy Vega is at the top of many lists in terms of terrible vehicles. When it comes to GM, It was clear that they missed the mark, as the Vega is regarded as their worst-produced car.
This car was prone to gas fires and rust and was subject to many issues behind the scenes during its manufacturing. On top of that fact, the UAW went on strike against GM when only 24,000 units had been built.
1 2005 Chevrolet Uplander (Not Very Uplifting)
The 2005 Chevrolet Uplander launched into the world with high expectations of being something special. The vehicle manufacturer was banking heavily on this family car to be a top-notch seller. As SUVs had indeed started to take over the automobile world in the mid-2000s era.
However, according to Car Complaints, a vast amount of issues were reported. From its highly unreliable engine to non-existent comfort, this 2005 Chevrolet Uplander is Chevy at its utter worst. Thankfully, it lasted only for four years.