These Are The Popular Cars You Irrationally Hate

The iconoclasts are out in force against the most popular cars on sale today. We asked readers to tell us about the popular cars they irrationally hate, and while there were none of the usual cold-air intake Mustangs you might expect in the list, there was the Ford Mustang Mach-E — which is now becoming everyone's favorite "non-Mustang" Mustang to hate on.

The Jeep Wrangler was likewise mentioned among the comments, but Jalops were split among the irrational hate towards the American off-road icon. You know where I stand.

In the end, however, it was Elon Musk's EVs that topped the list of popular cars that readers irrationally hate. The community has spoken and has crowned the Tesla Model 3 through Y as the most commonly cited objects of our hatred.

Tesla by a mile. They're probably good but I cannot separate them from Space Trump. Once he goes away I will test drive one.

Submitted by: J-BodyBuilder – Never stick to sports

And...

The model Y. Every other family I know either has one or is clamoring to get one. When people ask for recommendations for a new car, a model Y is always at the top of the list. I don't like teslas, mainly for the trend they started of being too tech and software dependent, and the model Y is arguably their worsta and most poorly built model, but of course all people want is a reasonably priced SUV. And I hate it.

Submitted by: nomad624

1: Mini Coopers. Very cute looking cars which are also atrociously shitty. Seems like everyone I know who owned one had them in the shop constantly.

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Submitted by: ROBOT TURDS

And...

Mini's are BMW's, so they'll have all the same issues BMW's do. It depends on which one you get if they're terribly unreliable. I guess the earlier ones (in regards to re-imagined, BMW-owned Mini) are hot garbage. The newer ones are better, about on par with your typical European car. European cars do demand more maintenance and demand it be done on time. If you skip services, they tend to go to hell pretty quick. You do bring up VAG timing chain guides, though. Those just plain suck and have for years now. Not sure what their excuse is. It's also worth mentioning that BMW had the same problem with many of their recent-ish 4cyl's. My dad had a 328i that blew a tensioner and it completely trashed the engine. Under warranty, luckily.

Submitted by: SchwarzeEwigkt

I have an irrational hatred of four-door vehicles that cannot accommodate an adult comfortably in the backseat. Ex: the new Prius. I see people lauding that there is finally a good looking Prius, but those good looks come with failing at the basic function of a sedan. If a vehicle is going to have a useless rear seat, just make it a coupe. It will look better anyway. Now I need to go yell at a cloud.

Submitted by: Mehphisto

And...

And the old Prius – you couldn't sit in the back of the gen 3 without bending your neck at an impossible angle.

Really...any Prius.

Submitted by: tom.blersch

For over a decade all Dodge has done is add more power to cater to the bro crowd...then add even more power and obnoxious packages the next year. For over a decade!

Once you factor in how recklessly and aggressively they are driven on the streets...yeah, its a no from me dawg.

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Submitted by: Levi1922

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SUVs are pointless, buy a damn wagon. You don't need the ride height.

Jeep Wranglers (and now Broncos) are overpriced bad cars for anyone but the 1% that takes them offroad.

Submitted by: CleverBS

And...

I too share the Wrangler hate. I don't get these vehicles outside the extremely specific use case of off-roading up cliffs or whatever. And even then, I think an older Toyota 4runner is a better choice because it will off road and still do other stuff. Wranglers are expensive one trick ponies. Nothing wrong with a one trick pony (SEE: Literally everything Caterham makes), but I just don't get all the obsession with them.

Submitted by: ShadowPryde

And... a great counterpoint:

I'm genuinely confused by people who don't understand why people love Wranglers. It's pretty straightforward:

1. They promise adventure. They're aspirational products that give people a sense of a life that they probably aren't able to live – and certainly not day to day. Sure, you could jump into an accord for your commute to work – but a Wrangler makes you think that maybe you're doing something more exciting.

2. They're one of the very few 4 seat vehicles that can be had as a convertible. No – most people won't take the doors or roof off – but you can and sometimes that's all that matters.

3. In a world where cars and trucks are increasingly big, powerful, heavy and angry – they provide some semblance of safety and security. They're high. They're wide. They're military(ish). They're rugged. Are they safer than an alternative – no. Are they more reliable. No. But the sense and the vibe is important if you want to understand why people buy things.

Submitted by: TheWalrus

The Nissan Altima. To be fair it is less the cars fault and more the drivers that operate them so recklessly.

Submitted by: klone121

And...

Nissans and Infinitis. I see one on the road, I keep my distance. Obvious reasons.

Submitted by: mountainbikingandtrackdays

And...

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5: Nissans. Somehow Nissan went from being right there on par with Honda and Toyota to being trash. The biggest issue is that CVT transmissions they are now using. They are fragile and if you do not change the fluid every 30k they WILL grenade. In fact CVT transmissions in general are terrible because most manufactures are falsely claiming the fluid in these are "Lifetime" fluids. Bull shit. The very nature of these things means there is constant wear being enacted on the very intricate metal belt that rubs against the cone surfaces and that generates a ton of metallic particles. I've seen what the fluid looks like after just 30k and it looks like mud. So given the general ignorance of your average car/appliance driver its no wonder these things fail so much.

Submitted by: ROBOT TURDS

The new Mustang Mach-E.

It may be a great car to drive (never driven one) and it's honestly not a bad looking crossover.

But it's NOT a Mustang. Just because you slap a pony badge on the front doesn't make it a sports car. And the Mustang is the 'sine qua non' of sports cars.

If Ford had just called it the "Ford Mach-E", I'd have been fine. But as it is, they have sullied the Mustang name.

Submitted by:senpai71

It has to be Dodge RAM trucks with their stupid fuck tow mirrors out. The assholes who buy and own these things are breed all to themselves. I wish only the worst Dodge build quality issues on these coal rolling clowns.

Submitted by: the_AUGHT

"Luxury" half-ton, full-size, crew-cab, short-bed pickup trucks. They're just large, upscale cars with impractical "trunks" and way-too-high step-in heights. Plus, their MPGs are the same as sedans that they're allegedly replacing.

Submitted by: JimmyZZZZZZZ

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These two fucking things and everything else built on their platforms. I am not kidding when I say they make up at least a third of all vehicles in the state of Ohio. They're so numb, dull, and lifeless, that every single person who drives one is in a constant half-lucid state with no self-awareness. Also every example of these is also emblazoned with 500 pieces of dealership branding, Ohio State stickers, and "Don't TXT & Drive" stickers.

Submitted by: The NSX Was Only In Development For 4 Years

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Generic Subarus. Outbacks, Foresters, and Crosstreks with NA engines and CVT. The new Camrys. Ever get stuck behind one in Colorado's high elevation mountain roads? They are so underpowered that they just cannot accelerate any faster.

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Submitted by: mountainbikingandtrackdays

And...

Believe it or not we bought a Subaru last year. My wife really wanted one. So before we looked I did some research. From 1999 to 2011 Subaru had major issues with the head gaskets they were using. So for over 10 YEARS they used the same fucking gasket for their engines despite it being well known the gaskets were not up to snuff and had a high failure rate. It was not until 2012 that they finally started using a better gasket and since then there has not really been a problem. My Brothers owns a 2010 Forrestor and it had a major recall where the piston rings were undersized. So it was burning quarts of oil. To their credit Subaru did the repair for free. So fingers crossed.

Submitted by: ROBOT TURDS

The recent Tahoes

They are just too. Damn. Big and for no reason. And they're usually driven by people who can't see over the steering wheel.

Look at it!

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WHY IS IT SO MASSIVE! I can just picture that chevy emblem embedded into my chest as I become a fly on it's grill. now the Escalade is even more ridiculous, but I have a soft spot for those (Johnsons Family Vacation).

Submitted by: darthspartan117

It isn't a "sportscar" and hasn't had any real performance chops since the MkII (or the R32 – GolfR was overpriced). Sure, it is better than the basic econobox (sometimes, the old TSI was a better overall choice). When I did give it a try, it is the most disappointing experience ever. I expected "wow" but got bland soggy toast.

It is akin of something saying they "love" spicy food and that means they have some Taco Bell Hot Sauce somewhere in their kitchen drawer. In the world of "hot hatches" it is the "taco bell" sauce, and not even the fire

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And that packet has better build quality too....

Submitted by:FutureDoc

My wife's BMW X1 (or any entry level luxury brand car).

She constantly refers to her "truck."

That's right.... "Truck", because she heard a salesman call it a CUV or SUV or some dumb shit. To be clear, she parks it next to not one, but TWO BOF vehicles (a '12 Pathfinder and a '21 Titan).

Now, I am too smart to correct her and tell her it is a hatchback, at best.

If this behavior was limited to her, I might brush it off, but I see it more than I can mentally handle.

It is a trash car to up the fleet MPG.

That's it.

Submitted by:

The C8 Corvette

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Firstly, I'm a traditionalist and IMO a Corvette should have a V8 up front and a differential in the rear, however I was completely okay with a rear transaxle. As far as I'm concerned the C8 is not a 'real' Corvette; it's an amazing performance car, but not what I think of when I imagine a Corvette.

Second, the styling. Take away the crossed flag logos and it's practically a caricature of a supercar. Chevy walked away from the long hood/short deck proportions that defined the Corvette for 60 years.

Sure the C8 handles better than the C7, can put more power to the rear wheels and will be available with AWB once the E-ray hits the streets. It also has more luggage space, if that really matters to a 'Vette owner. But the QOTD does state 'Irrational Dislike' and I'm pretty irrational when it comes to the C8.

Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I

Somewhere David Tracy be like [...]

(Ha! But, truly, we love our boys and girls who are now over at the Autopian!)

Submitted by: Pedro S