It seems that Nissan can’t catch a break with its big vehicles this year. Let’s get the first thing out of the way – this V8 Armada has one of the worst fuel economies you can find this year and was placed in the “worst fuel-efficient in mid-sized/large SUV” category with 14 MPG for city and 19 for the highway. While it does compete well against other SUVs in its class, the severe fuel consumption and lackluster infotainment systems put it slightly behind the Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe and related GMC Yukon. Unless you’re a die-hard Nissan fan, it might be a good idea to skip this behemoth of a vehicle.
Car and Driver gave this one a 3.5 out of 5. “It’s still a big-bodied, fuel-thirsty family dreadnought,” writes Car and Driver. “But the three-row Armada has a serene, expensive interior and an upscale exterior that enable it to undermine high-rent rivals when it comes to price.”
Toyota Tacoma
This midsized truck is considered a staple of the pickup truck category for its rugged off-road driving, with an easy to manage interior controls and a top-level V6 that doesn't disappoint. Unfortunately, the car suffers from being quite uncomfortable and lacking in the interior tech department. In spite of its flaws, Edmunds praised this quintessential pickup truck and rated it as their Best Off-Road Truck for 2019.
The harshest review for the Toyota Tacoma came from MotorTrend. The car magazine didn’t like the Tacoma one bit, giving it a measly 1.5 out of 5 and saying “The Toyota Tacoma isn’t offered with a diesel, like rivals Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, meaning it won’t be as fuel-efficient nor will it offer as much torque for hauling and towing.” If your goal is to mostly drive off pavements, go for the Honda Tacoma. Otherwise, it seems skipping this one would be your best option.
Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback
The Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback doesn’t just give the mirage of being cheap, it actually is. Despite having a very good fuel economy and being one of the cheapest cars you can get when on sale, the Mirage has been criticized for having very slow acceleration speeds, a rough and noisy engine, excessive road noise at highway speeds, and a low-buck interior.
All the above ultimately landed the Hatchback on our list of less than worthy cars of this year. Kelley Blue Book’s expert review gave the car just a 3 out of 5.
Acura ILX
While being a comfortable car to drive and having reliable and easy handling, the Acura ILX is primarily based on a last-generation Honda Civic, which makes it a very underwhelming car. Edmunds was disappointed by the ILX, "Acura has not been able to cover up all the cheap, hollow-feeling plastics or compensate for the worse-than-average cabin noise levels. Acceleration from the ILX's four-cylinder engine is also subpar."
While the idea of a luxury sedan in a small car sounds good on paper, it doesn’t live up in its execution, reminding us of a small and messy apartment that was temporarily tidied by violently stuffing everything into the closets. It may give a good impression at first, but once you spend some time there, the chinks in the armor start to appear. Kelley Blue Book says that “if you want a small luxury sedan that’s big on safety and value, the 2019 ILX fits the bill.”
2001 Pontiac Aztek
This 4-door crossover was recently popularized by the meth-dealing Walter White, in AMC's acclaimed show "Breaking Bad". That, however, did not stop it from receiving mostly negative reviews all the way since the start of its life. The car officially launched in 2000 with the tagline 'Quite possibly the most versatile vehicle on the planet' as the prize for winning the original first season of the reality show "Survivor". Despite its solid performance, the car was blasted for being quite possibly one of the ugliest cars in existence and was soon canceled and put out of production.
Just like the DMC Delorean, this car is either hated or loved, depending on who you ask. A quick Google search would show you two sides of the spectrum. One stating that 'you should buy one today,' and others that put it as one of the worst screw-ups in General Motor’s history. If you’re still wondering how to get your hands on the original Aztek driven by Brian Cranston’s character in Breaking Bad, don’t even try - the Aztek used during the show’s filming was wrecked and deemed 'undrivable', and sold at auction for $7,800.