Sometimes car reviewers are split about the quality of a car. Odyssey testers divided into two categories, some suggesting that you should absolutely buy it, and others warning to avoid it completely. The 2019 Honda Odyssey is a curious case of a split judgment. Highly regarded for its modern family safety and tech features, with a V6 that’s powerful enough to make any father happy when he wants to kick the pedal by himself.
Edmunds rated the car 8.1 out of 10, while Consumer Reports lumped it in the same category of “Worst Overall” with the previous 3 SUVs. We recommend giving the Odyssey a test drive in your nearest dealership before making a decision for your family car.
1971 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron
With a length that would make a boat feel uncomfortable, the 1971 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron was one of the longest cars ever made. At 224 in. long, and over 5600 lbs. of pure American steel, the Imperial LeBaron made even a Hummer H2 look conservative when you see how massive this car was. Unfortunately for Chrysler, if you disregard the impressive length of the car, you realize that that’s just about all it had going for it.
The inside of the car was a lot less spacious than you’d expect for such a long car, and it pretty much just looked like a really long box. The Imperial LeBaron hurt the sales for Imperials for years to come, until the name was finally scrapped in 1983.
Kia Cadenza
While we appreciate the challenge of trying to repeatedly say "Kia Cadenza" really fast, this car doesn't have too much in common with an actual musical cadenza. Rated at an average of 7.5 out of 10 by Edmunds and rated as one of the "Least Reliable" of 2019 by Consumer Reports, the Kia Cadenza is just another entry in the fairly unpopular large sedans category. Its V6 is lacking in power and the ride suffers from boring handling that takes away the fun and excitement of driving.
It's sad that finding a great affordable large sedan is very difficult nowadays. But that does mean that there's not too much competition for this one, despite its less-than-stellar qualities. You can get yourself a Cadenza for the starting price of $33,000 up to a fully loaded model at around $44,000, but perhaps you’d be better off saving for a year or two in order to get the Mercedes Benz which kicks this one into the dirt by far.
Volkswagen Atlas
Usually known for their high quality and reliability, it was a surprise for sure when we found the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas hiding in the corner with a shame-filled expression and a “Least Reliable” badge attached to it. However, it was quite well-received by Edmunds, which said they're "quite pleased" with the 2019 Atlas. When compared to the Honda Pilot and the Mazda CX-9, Edmunds chose to name it as their Best Midsize SUVs for this year.
However, Consumer Reports didn’t share the same sentiment. The publication said “Though the V6 engine and smooth eight-speed automatic make the Atlas feel lively during everyday driving, its acceleration trails competitors’ and its 20 mpg overall fuel economy is not outstanding,” You can find the Volkswagen Atlas at prices ranging from $30,000 to the SEL premium 4Motion model at $48,000. All in all, you might rather check out the Kia Telluride before running to the Volkswagen dealership.
1958 Edsel Corsair
In 1958, Ford launched the Edsel Corsair (which was named after Henry Ford's son). The car was highly publicized, and Ford allegedly spent a calumniated $400 million on the engineering and marketing of the car. Despite containing new features such as self-adjusting brakes and automatic lubrication, which would be adopted across the automotive industry – the car was just too ahead of its time (and had a very, very ugly grill). Edmunds.com ranked the 1958 Edsel as the 7th worst car of all time.
The Edsel had many features that were hated by the public, starting from its push-buttons on the wheel that would make you accidentally change gears when trying to change radio stations, and up to the outer grill which made it look like "a Mercury pushing a toilet seat". Ford is estimated to have lost over $250 million on the Edsel, and the name is synonymous to this day with "a commercial failure". The car was eventually discontinued around 2 years after its launch, and is a painful reminder to all Ford fans, that even the best companies can sometimes make hilariously bad mistakes.