The current automotive industry is like many other industries, in which they sell goods, and the products tend to go through cycles of popularity and need based on consumer demand. Take the modern sports utility vehicle for instance, a massively popular product during the nineties almost went extinct during the 2008 financial downturn, and now consumers cannot get enough of them again which is why Ford has decided to phase out all of their passenger cars except for the Mustang, and many other automakers are following suit. There have been so many different car and truck models to hit the market over the last thirty years that it can almost be impossible to keep up with them all unless you are an automotive journalist (like us, sort of).

Many of these vehicles were often forgotten or downright sold so badly that they are a blip in the memory of consumers. The Mitsubishi Raider pickup truck comes to mind, with sales that were so lackluster that dealers actually had a backstock of them into the next product year. This is just one case of an automotive flop, which can tend to cost the automotive manufacturers a good deal of money in the long run. We are going to be taking a look at some of the biggest automotive flops of the last few decades, which rolled right off of the production line into the junkyard in most instances. While many of the models might have been revolutionary in some aspects, in the long run, they ended up becoming relics.

25 1957 Buick Roadmaster

Via: Bing

Buick has always been one of the most well known automotive brands in the world, and with the mark of quality that makes these cars great, there is no reason why the brand shouldn’t be one of the best. The 1957 Buick Roadmaster is a rare exception to this quality though, boasting some of the most unreliable instances of any Buick model ever made according to Hot Rod Magazine. What makes this car even more unique is the fact that the Roadmaster is one of the longest running and most popular Buick nameplates. (Hot Rod)

24 Fiat 500L

Via: Bing

When the Fiat 500 came to the market a few years ago, it gave the consumer another extremely compact sized but fuel-efficient car that was excellent for city driving. The Fiat 500L was known for having some reliability issues and still does to this day. The little car is constantly noted for having transmission issues, which are a direct result of the CVT transmission which seems to be a problem on many cars from this generation. It's also interesting to note that the Fiat 500L has not been as popular as the smaller Fiat 500 model according to Edmonds. (Car complaints)

23 1959 Chevrolet Impala

Via: Bing

Although the Chevrolet Impala has always been a solid performer, the 1959 Chevrolet Impala was notable for having many issues which made the car a blip in the minds of automotive consumers who had otherwise loved the big family sedan for most of its product cycle. The 1959 Chevrolet Impala was known as being awkwardly designed, and featuring an engine which was prone to overheat and didn’t really have the stamina to pull the big boat of a car around. The next generation of the Impala rectified this to some extent. (Hot Rod)

22 Cadillac Escalade

Via: Bing

Long been the staple of the Cadillac lineup, things weren’t always so pretty for the Escalade. Like with most luxury SUVs that take aim at a specific market, the Escalade was known for bringing a revolutionary new product to the Cadillac lineup. The one of a kind SUV has been a sales success but the model has also seen its fair share of problems, many of which revolve around the complete suspension that was put into the SUV to help it maintain that signature ride. (Car complaints)

21 1957 Dodge Royal

Via: Bing

The Dodge’s of yesteryear were not as complex and drivable as they are now, and in fact, the previous models were more or less easier to maintain and drive. The 1957 Dodge Royal was an exception to this while being a great car in many aspects, the Royal was known for its reliability issues early on. The car was a pioneer in terms of styling, which at that point most Chrysler models were and this is what has made the brand survive for all of these years. The 1957 Dodge Royal will go down as one of the more forgettable cars that the lineup has seen. (Hot Rod)

20 Pontiac Aztek

Via: Bing

Toward the end of its life cycle, the Pontiac brand was pulling out all the stops to try and remain relevant, and unfortunately, the Pontiac Aztek was just a bad idea all around. While the odd shaped SUV did offer a good amount of features, such as a built-in drink cooler and a rear hatch that turned into a camping tent. The styling of the SUV just turned off so many buyers that they were not really interested in it, and the sales never managed to recover. The Pontiac Aztek was also known for having an incredibly weak engine, in contrast to the vehicle's weight. (Motor Trend)

19 Suzuki Samurai

Via: Bing

Yes, there was a time when Suzuki was a prominent player in the U.S. automotive industry offering affordable cars that were fun to drive and semi-decent in terms of quality. Although the company didn’t last into the current decade on U.S soil, the Suzuki Samurai is still one of the most popular and highly regarded off-road vehicles to have been released. With an amazingly high ground clearance and a solidly built chassis, the Suzuki Samurai is built to handle just about anything and do it well. (Off Road)

18 Isuzu Trooper

Via: Bing

Another legendary off-road relic of the eighties and nineties, the Isuzu Trooper is a far cry from many of the crossover sport utility models of today. The Trooper had a good idea behind it, but the very tall boxy design made the SUV the subject of negative publicity for rollover accidents and this damaged the reputation of the SUV for most of its life. It also doesn’t help things out that Isuzu never updated the model for the majority of a fourteen-year stretch, causing the brand to become outdated and old. (Off Road)

17 2001 Mitsubishi Montero

Via: Bing

Popular in many parts of the world, the Mitsubishi Montero is a rugged, go-anywhere SUV and one that proved to be a successful seller for Mitsubishi for many decades. Unfortunately, the model suffered in terms of quality and many of these fine SUVs were junked before their time was actually up. The main problem seemed to be transmission issues on the Sport according to carcomplaints.com, and this was just one of the many questionable quality issues that came with this rugged but troubled SUV. (Off Road)

16 2010 Lexus GX 460

Via: Bing

Although the Lexus brand is generally equated with luxury and refinement, some of the recent cars and trucks have not been as fortunate in many aspects. As automakers introduce more technological advancements problems will arise from all of the electrical components, and this can be a troublesome and expensive thing to fix. The 2010 Lexus GX 460 according to Repairpal is notorious for electric issues that have arisen with the SUV, and even an issue as simplistic as the sunroof jamming is common on the GX 460. (Repairpal)

15 Smart ForTwo

Via: Bing

The Smart ForTwo is one of the most unique cars to be released at the dawn of the decade, and the car is known for being one of the most fuel-efficient little cars that you can buy. According to Carcomplaints.com, the most common problem with the Smart ForTwo is the transmission failure, and the worst year for this problem is the 2009 model year. Considering that this car is made by the same company that makes Mercedes-Benz cars, it is interesting to note the reliability issues that have been connected with the car. (Car complaints)

14 1978 Dodge Omni

Via: Bing

During the late seventies and early eighties, Chrysler Corporation was in deep financial trouble, and the Dodge Omni was one of the cars that the company was hoping would turn the financial tides. The 1978 Dodge Omni was most notable according to car complaints about having complete engine failure around 100,000 miles, and there were also notable complaints about issues with the throttle body and the carburetor. Overall, the build quality on the Dodge Omni was quite questionable but luckily Chrysler ended up with the massively popular K-Cars. (Car complaints)

13 Subaru 360

Via: Bing

Notable for being the first mass-produced Subaru model to hit the U.S. market, the Subaru 360 was a notable small car that was good on gas and very efficient to drive. Unfortunately, the car received a “Not Acceptable” safety rating from Consumer Reports in 1969 because of the extremely light curb weight which was under 1000lbs. Although the car was a notable failure, the model was a revolution for the small car industry. The Subaru 360 will forever go down in the history books as one of the most legendary and questionable Subaru models. (Consumer Reports)

12 2003 Nissan Murano

Via: Bing

Being one of the original crossover vehicles to sweep the automotive industry, the Nissan Murano was a new concept in every sense of the word. According to Repairpal the Nissan Murano was known for having issues with the engine mounts coming loose early on in the car's lifecycle, and the CVT transmission has also been problematic for the crossover as well. The Murano has been one of the best selling cars for Nissan, but the 2003 model is one of the most problematic when it comes to repairs. (Repairpal)

11 1968 AMC Ambassador SST

Via: Bing

Long before the current automotive landscape of import automakers and the crop of luxury cars as well, the AMC brand was notorious for copying the Big Three automakers in terms of style and design. The 1968 AMC Ambassador SST was for all intents and purposes an off-brand Pontiac GTO, and the stylistic cues are hard to miss. The 1968 AMC Ambassador SST was notorious for engine problems, which made the car a pain to own and quite expensive to stay on the road. (Repairpal)

10 2007-2012 Dodge Nitro

Via: Bing

During the economic recession, Chrysler Corporation was attempting to release quite a few new models to the market in an attempt to try and shore up their sales, but the Dodge Nitro was a failed attempt in many aspects. Scoring only two points with Consumer Affairs, the Nitro is notorious for a noisy driving experience and questionable reliability that is attributed to the standard V6 engine and questionable CVT transmission that has made its way into most of the recent Chrysler products. (Consumer Affairs)

9 Suzuki Verona

Via: Bing

During the early part of the decade, the Suzuki brand was trying very hard to make an impact on the automotive market, and the Verona was their car to take on the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. What made the Verona an interesting choice was the list of standard features that the car came with, but ultimately the reliability was what hurt the Verona and the lack of brand recognition thus making these mid-size sedans a seldom sight on the roads, for lack of a better word. (Repairpal)

8 1986 Yugo GV

Via: Bing

Perhaps no car is more notorious for being problematic than the Yugo, a car with such a bad reputation that it remains a running joke to this day. The Yugo was an innovative little car in a lot of aspects, offering consumers one of the most affordable modern vehicles that you could purchase which made for the right mix of price and functionality but unfortunately the car was married to a list of reliability issues and a substandard built quality that was noted throughout the automotive press at the time. (Motor Trend)

7 2015 Tesla Model S

Via: Bing

There were many aspects in which the Tesla revolutionized the automotive industry by offering one of the first full-featured electric cars that looked normal and performed excellently. The 2015 Tesla Model S was a trying year for the electric sedan as it was married with a series of notable complaints such as the seats being uncomfortable and different issues with battery reliability that have since been fixed in the newer models of the car. The 2015 Tesla Model S is probably a model that is best left avoided.  (Motor Trend)

6 2014 Honda Fit

Via: Bing

Where do we start with the Honda Fit? Although the little car is an excellent choice for the buyer who is looking for something that is both economical and functional, the 2014 model year was one of the most unreliable and married to issues that the automaker has since rectified. The CVT transmission that was used on this year of the Fit while saving on gas mileage was notable for many user complaints with regards to maintenance and reliability. The 2014 Honda Fit in a standard transmission is probably a better bet for someone who is looking for a reliable and trouble-free car. (Car complaints)