Ten Cars That'll Never Be Classics

By
We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Despite reaching the 25-year age requirement, many cars lack the personality and soul to become true classics. With your help, we've composed a list of ten cars that will never become classics.

This is Answers of the Day - where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's "Question Of The Day". It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers.

Advertisement

If you want to see this post in one long page click here.

Advertisement

10.) Pontiac Sunfire

Suggested by: rawtoast

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: The inherent problem with the Sunfire is that it's ugly and the issue is only exacerbated by enthusiasts who insist on modifying the car's body to make it look fast or aggressive. All they succeed in doing is creating eyesores for people with more refined tastes and sensibilities. The car has an enthusiast base, but they will almost all be long gone by the time the car reaches 25 years.

Advertisement

Photo Credit: Bradjward

9.) Jaguar X-Type

Suggested by: Alfisted

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: Most Jaguars are pretty lustworthy and many are revered around the world. The X-type will never receive the same attention and worship that older Jaguars get simply because it's basically a Ford Mondeo. It was so bad that TIME magazine called the X-Type the "British Cadillac Cimarron" in its list of 50 Worst Cars of All Time.

Advertisement

8.) Non First-Gen Pontiac Grand Am

Suggested by: Darnell's Auto Wrecking

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: The Grand Am's low quality and lack of performance make this car undesirable to those who really know cars. It seems that the majority of Grand Ams serve as beaters and daily drivers for teenagers and 20-somethings. I doubt Grand Ams across the country will live long enough to even reach the age necessary to qualify as a classic.

Advertisement

Photo Credit: Greggory Melle

7.) Cadillac Catera

Suggested by: flyingstitch

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: The Catera was a badge-engineered GM product and marketing nightmare. Good thing Lutz and the GM crew launched the Art and Science design language seen in the previous generation CTS and other Cadillac vehicles. If the Catera wasn't popular in its day, even with the help of Cindy Crawford and a duck named Ziggy, why should it be popular any time in the future?

Advertisement

6.) Chrysler Sebring

Suggested by: I Can be Stig?

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: The Sebring is a terrible car. After having driven one extensively, I have come to the conclusion that the car was actually trying to kill me. Nobody wants a car that wants to kill them that isn't a Viper or Stratos. In addition to the Sebring's wily nature, the car didn't have the good looks or performance Chrysler's once possessed, something cars need to be lusted after even years after they've been discontinued.

Advertisement

Photo Credit: Ian T. Edwards

6.) Chevy Aveo

Suggested by: DennyCraneDennyCraneDennyCrane

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: The Aveo is a box and an ugly one at best. It seems that the only people who will purchase the Aveo are car rental companies for their fleets and the only people who will drive them are cheap travellers who didn't want to fork over the extra cash for a mid-size vehicle.

Advertisement

Photo Credit: Michael Kappel

4.) Daewoo Nubira

Suggested by: geistkoenig

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: The Korean Daewoo is a very mild-mannered car, but under that plain exterior lies a very mild-mannered interior. The Daewoo Nubira is about as interesting and exciting as watching mold grow, or however that saying goes. The Nubira will surely never become a cult classic because there is literally nothing to love about it.

Advertisement

Photo Credit: M. Peinado

3.) Ford 500/Mercury Montego

Suggested by: 2ndGearSuperHero

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: Designed to be as bland as possible, you'd be hard pressed to find people who know what a 500 or Montego is, despite having been built within the last decade. If you're going to rob a bank make the 500 your getaway car, because witnesses will variously describe the car as a Taurus, Passat, and "uhh...a car."

Advertisement

2.) Chevy Cavalier

Suggested by: doozed

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: There seems to be some strong hate for the Cavalier. This J-body toaster was one of the best selling cars in the U.S. Why, you ask? Chances are because it was cheap. How did it become so cheap, you ask? Cheap materials, generic styling, and sheer volume to bring the price down. In 2030, the current generation Cavalier will more likely be melted down into a Chinese coal plant than rotting away in a collector's garage mahal.

Advertisement

Photo Credit: José Luis Ruiz

1.) Toyota Camry

Suggested by: 87CE 95PV Type R

Why It Will Never Be a Classic: Nearly all Toyota Camrys are appliances. They serve one purpose and that's to safely transport a person from point A to point B and sometimes to point C in the safest and most automated way possible. You don't buy classic toasters or classic microwaves and you definitely won't buy a classic 2004 Camry. Notable exception for the wagons and Camry All-Trac.