Forced induction, whether it's a turbocharger or supercharger, the whine or woosh of compressed air being shoved into your engine can be downright intoxicating. Even better, that addition of air boosts power to levels a naturally aspirated engine could only dream of. From the twin-turbo Supra to the supercharged Dodge Demon, hearing that a car comes from the factory with forced induction is usually a sign of performance and power.
Although that's not always true, plenty of economy-oriented cars use turbochargers for improved fuel economy rather than performance. But superchargers are typically spared this treatment, at least you could imagine so. But the reality is different, as rare as it may be, plenty of superchargers have shown up in less than exciting places, making yawn-worthy power, and just not doing enough to get excited over.
But a badge proclaiming "supercharged" is usually a marketing move, one that does win people over with expectations of massive and consistent power. Don't be fooled though, not every supercharged car will be a screaming tire shredder like Dodge's Demon or Hellcat.
So read on, to see 15 supercharged cars that really don't live up to the super hype:
15 1995-1999 Buick Riviera
The complete antithesis of what most people imagine when they hear "supercharged coupe," the Buick Riviera is only an exciting car if driving a sofa is your idea of fun. The addition of a supercharger to this generation of Riviera wasn't completely useless though, power was kicked up to a decent 225 hp, it's not half bad, especially for this generation of American "luxury" cars, just nothing as special as the addition of a supercharger would make it seem.
14 1989-1996 Ford Thunderbird SC
By the late '80s, the Ford Thunderbird was a far cry from its gorgeous and ultra-luxurious '60s predecessors. At the tail end of the '80s though, Ford decided to make a Thunderbird with some pep. The result was the Thunderbird SC, with a supercharged V6 laying down 210 hp, it was surprisingly fast for the time. But today, the '90s plastic hasn't aged well, these Thunderbirds today do make for some great cheap thrills, but that's about it.
13 1994-1997 Toyota Previa AWD
Mid-Engine, Supercharged, AWD... I'm not describing a supercar here, I'm talking about this '90s Toyota minivan. While the engine placement and addition of a supercharger are unique, don't expect supercar performance, it's only impressive in theory. The supercharger was added on American models after people complained the engine was too weak, as a result, that same engine now makes 158 hp. Exciting! Not.
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12 1989-1991 Mercury Cougar XR7
The Mercury Cougar XR7 was at one point a name that indicated a serious muscle car, but with a touch of luxury. By the Malaise of the late '70s though, the Cougar was a run of the mill commuter car with nothing truly special to distinguish it. The return of the XR7, in theory, solved that problem, with a supercharged V6 making 210 hp, but the rest of the car was as plastic and dulled down as its contemporaries. Less than 5,000 were sold when it debuted in 1989.
11 Subaru Vivio RX-R
Are you a fan of the Subaru WRX? Do you wish it was shrunk to half scale, kept the AWD system, but instead of a boxer engine was given a supercharged 658 CC Inline 4? If so, the Vivio RX-R is the perfect car for you. For everyone else though, it's a silly little toy car come to life. That supercharged 4 banger produces a mighty 63 hp, hardly any power, although it does only weigh 1,500 lbs.
10 1993-2002 Mazda Millenia
When you read about the Mazda Millenia today, it seems strange that it would fail in the USA as spectacularly as it did. This sedan packs a 210 hp supercharged V6 and a plush interior but is almost entirely forgotten nowadays. Why? Tough competition. In the early 2000s, Mazda was far from a name you'd consider when cross-shopping with BMW 3 series and other luxury sedans, very few people took the risk on a "luxury" Mazda leading the Millenia to fade into obscurity.
9 2002-2005 Nissan Xterra
When you hear about a supercharged SUV today, you may think of practical rockets like the Jeep Trackahwk, but the early 2000s the Nissan Xterra is probably the last vehicle on your mind. It in fact is supercharged though, not that it makes any serious power, a paltry 210 hp is laid down, enough to get the job done, but nowhere near enough to turn this SUV into something exciting to drive.
8 2005-2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS
Exemplifying mid-2000s economy cars, the Chevrolet Cobalt is as far from an exciting performance car as possible. The Cobalt SS is a drastic improvement though, with a supercharged 4 cylinder putting out 205 hp, and performance parts added all around the car. It's a fun little car, but not a serious contender for any performance title.
7 2001-2004 Nissan Frontier SC
There's nothing wrong with just using a supercharger to get a bit more functional torque out of a workhorse of an engine. But, there is something wrong with covering the vehicle in "SUPERCHARGED" badges when that supercharger only adds 40 hp. Using the same supercharged engine set up as the similar year Xterra models, the Frontier SC is by no means a bad truck, but the supercharger just doesn't do enough here to justify it's existence over a bigger engine, or all the flashy badges added.
6 1997-2003 Mercedes Benz C-230 Kompressor
Not every Mercedes Benz can be a fast and luxurious masterpiece, the C230 Kompressor is a great example of that. While it's not a bad car by any means, the "Kompressor" aka Supercharger, isn't anything impressive here. Producing 190 hp from its Inline 4, the C230 Kompressor is by no means a fast car, being the entry-level model as well, it's not even that luxurious on the inside.
5 1990-1999 Subaru Sambar Supercharged
This pint-size Kei car from Japan comes in many flavors, from mini trucks to a (truly) minivan. In particular, though, Sambars made between 1990 and 1999 came with the option to have a supercharger installed in them. Pushing out a dinky 57 hp, the supercharger here just doesn't do much, not surprising considering how tiny the engine is.
4 1989 Nissan Micra Super Turbo
Do you love rather slow, but unique, 1980s Japanese hatchbacks? If so, this may just be your new dream car. As the name suggests, not only does this otherwise unremarkable hatchback have a supercharger, but also a turbocharger working in tandem. It's an insane setup, but the results aren't anything spectacular. Only 110 hp is pumped out from the tiny engine, although the pure ridiculousness of it makes it hard not to like.
3 1989-1993 Volkswagen Corrado G60
The Corrado had big shoes to fill when it replaced the legendary Scirocco, and it filled them well. However, it wasn't without growing pains. The G60 was the early engine choice for the Corrado, a supercharged Inline 4 producing 158 hp. Not bad, but the uniquely awesome VR6 motor that replaced it made 30 more hp without a turbo or supercharger. In my personal taste, the VR6 also has a better exhaust note.
2 2004-2005 Chevrolet Impala SS
The previous generation of Impala SS was a rather plain, but badass car. With a big and comfy interior and a proper American V8 sending power to the rear wheels, it was a true return to form American muscle. However, the 2004-'05 Impala SS ditched the V8 in favor of a supercharged V6. It may still shred tires, but with 240 hp, and without the V8, it just wasn't the same.
1 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
By the late '90s, Pontiac was suffering. With a line up consisting of mediocre economy cars like the Grand Prix, the company needed to take drastic measures if they were to survive. Unfortunately, one of those drastic measures was to introduce the Aztek and continue their "performance" trim Grand Prix GTP. The GTP made 260 hp with a supercharged V6 but just wasn't enough to win over buyers. In 2005 Pontiac shut down for good, mercifully taking the GTP and Aztek with it.