The Yugo was a tiny hatchback imported from Yugoslavia, priced at roughly $8,000 (taking inflation into consideration). The car was a complete environmental disaster. In 1992, the EPA forced Yugo to recall the entire line of cars made because of their excessive pollution. The car was even voted one of Car Talk’s worst cars of the millennium. If you’re old enough, you may still remember the Yugo’s original advertising slogan, “Everybody needs a Yugo sometime”. To be honest, we really think that nobody needs a Yugo, perhaps to the extent of being better off simply taking the public bus.
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Even years after its demise, the Yugo is still very common in Eastern European countries such as Serbia, with over half a million cars that were originally built over a decade ago still in use. In the United States, the story is a bit different though, since it was very poorly received and did not survive the attempts to be imported.
Cadillac Escalade
The Escalade is often featured in music videos and is considered a luxury large SUV. The vehicle costs around $85,000 and has a strong V8 engine that is "never at a loss for power". Its benefits don't seem to outweigh the cons though, from being less comfortable than other luxuries SUVs to its heavy sense of steering that just doesn't work as smoothly as you’d expect at this price range.
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Consumer Reports also listed a few issues with this expensive SUV, including a faulty climate system, transmission issues, and less-than-stellar in-car electronics. “The Escalade falls down on the fundamentals as a luxury SUV; it rides too stiffly and can’t stop or handle with the grace of its peers,” the magazine said.
Honda Clarity
Electric vehicles have always been the cause of many arguments and conspiracies, and the Honda Clarity is no exception. Honda has reliably produced hybrids in the past few years, but this venture into fully electric didn't go without a hiccup. With a comfortable cabin and solid driving range, you'd expect it to be very well received, but Edmunds chose to rate it as "acceptable" rather than anything stellar.
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You’d be hard-pressed to find a brand new electric Clarity since these cars are in fairly limited supply, but with an acceleration that takes 8.4 seconds to cover 0-60 mph and average technological prowess inside the car, it might be better to consider any alternative to this $35,000 car.
Jeep Compass
This is the second “worst overall” Jeep on our list. The extra small SUV was mostly liked for its spacious seating and high-tech interface, with the obvious compliments that every Jeep vehicle gets of being an absolute beast off-road. Unfortunately, other aspects of this car aren't nearly as capable: from the weak four-cylinder engine to a limited cargo space (both in the cabin and cargo), uncomfortable seats, and a sluggish transmission. The Compass got a 7.3 out of 10 from Edmunds but a 5 out of 10 from The Car Connection.
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While it has the luxury brand name of the Jeep franchise, its pricing is very affordable and it is a great and cheaper alternative for the Jeep Wrangler. Its MPG is 23 for city driving and 32 for the highway. The Compass starts its pricing at $21,845 for the Sport and goes up to $29,195 for the Trailhawk.
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta was highly reviewed by Edmunds, who gave it an 8.2 and recommended anyone looking for a small hatchback to give it a try before Ford stops making these categories of cars completely. It's a sporty car that handles well, with a great interior and awesome tech options. You can practically imagine yourself as a racing driver in this one, especially if you get the ST model, which is the real deal when it comes to performance. This one does a 0-60 in about 9.4 seconds and has a very intuitive steering and a grippy steering wheel.
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Not everyone is a fan of Ford’s small but impressive car though. Forbes wrote: “Consumer Reports thought the Fiesta sedan/hatchback felt substantial, with good fuel economy and ride and handling qualities,” wrote the publication. “But found the car to be overpriced, with very tight rear-seat room, and featured poorly designed controls.” Oh well, better luck next year.