Coffee Brake: What Is Your Favorite Hated Car
There are cars that are universally panned/hated by large groups of people. These cars don’t necessarily murder baby seals, or open holes in the Ozone layer, but internet chatter indicates otherwise. Sometimes one of these cars hits one of your soft spots and you can’t help but like it. What is your favorite hated car?
One of my secret guilty pleasure cars is the Acura Integra Type R (DC2 generation). I know, they are supposed to be driven around by spikey hair’d kids who drink Monster Energy drinks and wear Converse shoes, but I would drive one everyday if I could. It is also next to impossible to find a stock example, but I’d want zero modifications and just drive it on the street with R-compound rubber. This 1998 Acura Integra Type R is stock except for being lowered on Tein springs and a set of backup sensors, find it here on craigslist offered for $13,500 in Portland, OR. This yellow one in Cincinnati offered for $12k could also be a good deal if it is stock.
The Type R has a great Honda engine up front and is rumored to be one of the best driving front-wheel-drive cars of all time. It was sold in limited quantities in the US market….but that didn’t stop thousands of base Integras from being turned into fake Type Rs…here is one…another. The problem with driving a real Type R is that 99% of the folks around will think you another Fast & Furious wannabe looking to race for pinks or score some E. So you drive around with your seat back lowered so folks don’t recognize you…which doesn’t help anything.
What is your favorite hated car? Comments below.
I hated these at the time they came out. Not for how they looked but what they stood for. The early-mid 2000s, a time of excess, bling rap videos, subprime mortgages, Paris Hilton. They were all over the LA freeways, intimidating everyone out of their way. But I also always loved the way they looked and how I wanted to be the big-shot pushing the civic off the road.
hated / loved
Sean — an H2 certainly qualifies for hated but sweet. An H3T (the pickup version of the H3) is also a good choice for Hummers you hate to love.
-Vince
If you don't buy it some spikey hair, Monster energy chugging kid will and keep perpetuating that stereotype. Its an awesome car and people who know cars will know.
Ok, I'll admit it. My wife had one of these for a short while. With the V6 it was reasonably fast, the awd was surefooted, it was super comfortable on a long trip, held a lot of stuff in the back, and the rear seat had the legroom of an e38 740iL. It's only sin was being uglier than a bowling shoe.
Too much junk in the trunk
FTB — Yes, this is the thing I'm looking for!! It is hideous and easy to hate…but…great for long road trips, short grocery trips and easy to drive. You don't want to admit to fellow car nuts that you like them…but you do.
-Vince
My old boss traded in his hopped up S2000 for one of these when they came out. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little…
Honda Civic's. I absolutely can not stand them. Even in stock form.
A new car I'm learning to hate is the honda accord. Every time I drive on the highway, I always see aggressive drivers speeding and cutting people off with new honda accords. I even had a guy pass me on the right hand shoulder of the highway going 90+ mph in his brand new, no plates yet, blue honda accord.
The Juke. Everything from the name to the looks to the unoriginality.
Bro trucks have recently displaced 911s.
Sorry, I needed to read the whole thing– 3-series BMs become desirable after the status wears off. Bro trucks just plain suck.
Anyone notice that the spambot filter answers are all numbers with car connotations?
Nissan Murano convertible. Probably one of the worst ideas ever, but I appreciate the hell out of the fact that they exist. Some people just want a massive, 1950s sized kid hauler convertible and there just aren't enough absurd vehicles out there.
I saw one in traffic the other day. Ugh! One would have to be a murano to actually buy one.
Toyota Prius (glorified golf cart) and the Lexus RX350 (or any other variant). No red blooded American man would be caught dead in either one.
Smart cars going 80 on the freeway….stupid.
The Pontiac Fiero. I'm sorry, but I just love those things. As a kid in the 80's they were so cool. As a teenager in the 90's however, it was easy to pile on the hate, especially because my friend had one ('86 2m6 w/4-spd) and it tried killing us every chance it could. But I still like them. I like the idea, I just wish they had done a 2nd gen. As is often said around these parts, "they finally got it right in 1988, just in time to kill it off." Thanks Pontiac.
C3 Corvette – so curvy – i'll take the hatch glass, no chrome, in hot wheels blue or eggplant purple-black sparkle
924 – will post a story about it when i inevitably eventually get one
Hyundai i30 – rented one in Sweden last year – the most exotic option from a Hertz lot full of Fords – expected to hate it, but the little diesel really moved, and the shifter was buttery smooth
Corvair – it was a huge missed opportunity for GM. They were just getting it right when the allure of the Mustang's sales numbers caused them to veer off course and develop the conventional Camaro/Firebird instead of staying on the track they were on and offering true sports car type handling (quirks and all). High 20's gas mileage, fun autocrosser, unique looks and pancake/boxer 6. I'm surprised there aren't more aftermarket upgrades (rack-n-pinion) tuned headers and fuel injection kits already lined up for it. When the Porsches are completely dried up, rear engine aficionados may discover their true worth. (Yup, its my own special brand of crack I'm smokin!)
Most fun I've ever had on a freeway…. 1957 Buick Century at 80mph, cruising up behind people…. they will MOVE when they see that bombsight, the Dagmars (bumper bullets/nacelles) and big balleen grill looming in their rear view mirror!
I guess I am the only one that likes that earlier posted 1991 Audi 20V Avant.
Not a peep out of anyone. I guess that is why they only sold 200 copies in the USA.
Of course this is from a guy that owned hated Edsels, Pintos, Mustang II's, and Audi 5000's.
I love my '72 mustang and it is still the nicest original '72 I've seen. Not because it is perfect, but because everyone else seems to hate them, but there is sooooo much hood to love
My 1952 Jowett Jupiter. Seems only ladies "of a certain age" find the lines seductive. I drove one in high school, much ridiculed by the Mustang/Camaro/Firebird/Charger/captain-of-the-football-team crowd. Now that I am approaching that certain age, I really enjoy all aspects of the car. Still have it, 40 years on.
I really liked the Plymouth Voyager K-car minivan my parents had in the '90s. Even though the transmission was terrible, it was a workhorse and managed to look pretty decent and hold up far better than any domestic schlepmobile with roots in the early '80s had the right to.
I also really, really want a DeLorean some day. I know they are terribly underpowered heavy poser-mobiles that are supposedly wretched to drive. But I can't help but think I could do some well developed modifications at great cost and effort to make it slightly less terrible. The fact that all parts (and even complete cars) are still available new is just an awesome bonus.
Also – easy way to tell a true Integra Type R from a fake: the R had 5-lug wheels/hubs whereas every other lowly Integra was 4-lug.