While the third-generation Ford Taurus gets hate because of how oval-shaped it was, you have to appreciate the third generation SHO. A 3.4-liter V8 with Yamaha-developed heads and a block from Cosworth shoved into a FWD family sedan? We’ll never see another car like that.
We asked readers what cars they thought were the most underrated cars of all time. These were their answers.
Now, I’m probably biased towards this take. But I will die on this hill. The Chrysler 200 from 2015-2017(RIPIP) was a very good car that was eclipsed by a booming crossover craze.
There were powertrain configurations for everyone. FWD/AWD options. Fuel sipping 4 cylinder or potent Pentastar V6. Arguably attractive exterior and interior. It looked so good, they mirrored the design in to the successful Pacifica (when I worked at FCA, we jokingly called the Pacifica the “Fat 200"). Visibility was above average for a midsized sedan. It received some of the highest crash test rating from NHSTA. Offered a ton of safety features like adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. All of this with a starting price of $21k back in 2015.
I own one. 2015 Limited model with the 4cyl and FWD. Only options I ticked were the all weather floor mats. This car was nothing but a pleasure to drive for the last 6 years. The only major repair needed was a thermostat housing replacement at 44k miles. I’m currently at 123,000 and just started to notice it burning some oil. Not much, I have to add a half a quart in between every oil change. Averaging 28MPG driving around town. Road trips can see up to 36MPG.
The 200 got a lot of heat for being an FCA product. FCA killed it for slow sales. But it did the job of being a midsized passenger vehicle. It is the most underrated vehicle ever.
Suggested by: i86hotdogs
Stop, wait, hear me out.
Yeah, it’s ugly. Yeah, it weighs 4,500 pounds. Yeah, it’s underpowered for its weight. Yeah, it has the horrible Nissan CVT. Yeah, it’s a $50,000 Mirano. Yeah, it’s ugly. Yeah, by all accounts it drives like shit. Yeah the drop top makes the back seat mostly unusable by grown humans. Yeah, it’s gets the same gas mileage as a similar era Jeep Wrangler. Yeah, it’s ugly.
But it’s a freakin SUV crossover convertible. Do we really want to live in a world where automakers are scared to take chances like this? Where there’s nothing but a sea of identical white, silver, and black blobs rolling down the road? I applaud Nissan for creating this pile of dog shit because they took a chance and weren’t afraid to do something no one asked for.
Suggested by: sschwing
The Lexus SC, no doubt. The Supras are eleventy bajillion dollars and these are $4, even though they are the same basic thing.
Styling, interior, handling, durability, decent power- they have it all.
A manual sc300 with an aftermarket turbo, modern tires and brake pads, quality dampers is probably the best value in cardom right now.
The appeal of a beater sc400 for $1200 is undeniable as well.
Suggested by: Danny Smith (Facebook)
If we’re gonna bring on the flaming, let’s do it right:
The Mustang II
It was smaller when the Mustang needed to be smaller. it more closely resembled the original Mustang than the ‘73 did. It was available in a variety of trim levels to satisfy people looking for economy, luxury, and spor... ok, it was kind of sporty.
But it was successful during its time. Without it there would be no Mustang today. It also showed that car that had achieved legendary status could have a new follow-up with a totally new platform and still thrive.
After the fact, Mustang II’s have grown more as collectibles, but one real testament to their success is that so many were cannibalized to provide better suspension components/subframes for 50's restomods.
The Mustang II didn’t deserve all the hate.
Suggested by: Sid Bridge
Honestly, I think we all owe the Acura ZDX an apology. We mocked it for being a fastback SUV and now those are everywhere.
With its 2008 to 2015 production numbers at just 6,119, this means that the ZDX is rarer than the first-gen NSX (8,999 were sold in the U.S.).
Suggested by: Aaron Otstott (Facebook)
The Chevy Volt - it should have been a game changer - one of the first PHEVs with real useable electric range (I recall that even the first generation from 2010 had an all electric range of about 30 miles that equals a lot of PHEVs today).
Suggested by: TheWalrus
1st gen Scion XB. It had more room than most luxury cars, was infinitely customizable, and was fairly fun stock. They dropped the ball on the 2nd generation; they should’ve used the 2ZZ motor and AWD, but left the body alone.
Suggested by: Carey Lane (Facebook)
The Neon, especially the first gens. Not only were they competitive compacts as commuter cars for the 90s, they were nice and light and had up to 150hp which was plenty at the time. You could even get an ACR package with a shorter final drive, sway bars, and some other goodies that made them autocross and track day heroes.
Wait, I hear you say, they had the nerve to use the Viper’s legendary ACR nameplate on a Neon? No, the Neon had it first and it spread from there.
Looking back, it’s hard to understand why these receive so much hate when they represent one of the very few times an American manufacturer has ever made a truly competitive compact car.
Suggested by: LS240
Any 1990’s-early 2000’s GM car with a 3800 V6 (Grand Prix GT, Monte Carlo SS, LeSabre to name a few). Powered by one of the most reliable engines ever made, and the supercharged variants were very underrated factory sleepers. There’s still plenty of these cars on the road 20-30 years after they were sold new.
Suggested by: Alexander Strubeck (Facebook)
A true masterpiece of Jalopness. RWD V8TT hot hatch/wagon, available in brown.
I have to agree with this one. While I never liked BMW’s fondness of “Let’s see what we can create and sell next”, the 5 Series GT has a weird special place in my heart. Plus its rear legroom puts it between both wheelbase of the 7 Series.
Suggested by: Margin Of Error
Mazda MX-3. Fun (particularly with the 1.8 V6), great handling, reliable if you forget about the distributor and lives in the shadow of the MX-5.
Suggested by: Peter Barrett (Facebook)
Fiat X-1/9: Cheap to run, easy to maintain, parts shared with more lowly 128, body structure designed to a higher crush standard than the Spyder’s, FUN to drive, huge frunk and useful trunk, targa top and AC that worked. Save all your Fix It Again Tony jokes because I daily drove it for two years. Fixed a bad alternator and leak in the fuel tank. Otherwise regular oil and filter and with a set of snows on it and a 5gal pale of sand in the frunk the car handled well in snow packed northeast.
Suggested by: Monsterajr
97 to 04 Dodge Dakotas. You take care of them, they take care of you. They are amazing offroad, they are comfortable with great handling and offroad abilities, they look great, and there are nice Hemi swap kits available for 2wd models.
Suggested by: Brian Stewart (Facebook)
The Audi A2.
It was such a clever car, spacious without being big on the outside, light thanks to aluminum construction and with big car road manners.
A similar fate occurred to the Toyota iQ (clever packaging meant they could fit 4 seats in less than 3 metres long).
Nobody understood them.
Suggested by: Ferrer
Ford Flex. It’s a gigantic Mini, and Minis aren’t getting any smaller. Or an xB.
Ecoboost, ample seating, were reasonably priced because people wanted other things.
Big fan. The dealership around here has one in the courtesy fleet and it puts in miles.
Suggested by: Robbie Drechsel (Facebook)