It’s time to come together and call out the cars that, despite being popular, we just don’t like
- There are many models that are wildly popular today despite their flaws.
- Sure, there’s no such thing as a perfect car, but some of them are overrated.
- So tell us, which are the ones you absolutely dislike – and why?
Every year, automakers churn out an assembly line of fresh sheet metal, but very few end up making waves. Of that group, even fewer garner widespread appeal or popularity. On top of that, the ones that end up maintaining that sense of universal love are rare. Today, we’re rolling up our sleeves and asking the real question: which car that everyone else seems to love makes your skin crawl? I’ll go first to set the tone—I think the VW Golf GTI is as underwhelming as store-brand cola pretending to be Coke.
Before diving into the fray, it’s worth noting that popular cars aren’t all loved for the same reason. Some rest their popularity on heritage, and others have such widespread appeal because they’re genuinely awesome in design, reliability or practicality. Vehicles like this might be the Jeep Wrangler, the Toyota Camry, and the Tesla Model 3.
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That doesn’t mean that such cars are without flaws and to some folks, those flaws are simply unforgivable. For instance, the Jeep Wrangler excels off-road but is unapologetically rough to drive on tarmac, where most of them spend the majority of their life.
The Toyota Camry may be the perfect car for making it clear that you’ve given in to buying based on practicality over performance or fun. Nothing wrong with that, except the fact that if you even remotely enjoy driving, it’s an instant turn-off. The Tesla Model 3 has its own issues too like the lack of physical controls and the controversy surrounding the Autopilot and Full-Self Driving semi-autonomous systems. These cars are good overall but no doubt some surely hate them despite that.
For my part, I’ll openly admit that I don’t get all the love for the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Was the original a unique and noteworthy car from a historical standpoint? Sure, but the reality is that the GTI didn’t so much invent the hot hatch category – cars like the AMC Gremlin (remember that?), Autobianchi A112 Abarth and Renault 5 Alpine preceded it – as much as popularized it.
In my eyes, the Golf GTI feels like a hot hatch coasting on its reputation. In the US, customers miss out on the 262-hp upgrade that Euro-spec models get and have to make do with 242 hp instead – plus no manual option, just the DSG. Cars such as the Toyota GR Corolla actually push the envelope in terms of driver engagement and performance in the segment; and yes, we’re very much aware of the Golf R, but that’s a different (and much pricier) beast compared to the GTI.
So yeah, I’ll say it: the Golf GTI is overrated. It’s fine, but it’s not the second coming of driving nirvana. Fight me.
In any case, now it’s time to pass the baton to you, dear reader. Which wildly popular car do you secretly—or not-so-secretly—despise? Is it the Porsche 911 because everyone treats it like a deity? The Honda Civic, perpetually “just good enough” to be unremarkably reliable? Or maybe it’s something else entirely. Sound off in the comments and let the hate flow freely like overpriced synthetic oil at a luxury dealership.
