# Worst Modern Car You Have Driven



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

well when in London recently I had the pleasure of driving a Fait Tipo , my god I like the Panda but that car was terrible from the interior to the driving position to the horrendous under steer , turn the wheel and you just wallow round the corner sort off.

So what's the worst you have had to endure, my wife told me to stop moaning about it and I was comparing it to mine, no I was not I was comparing it to an astra or focus that I find good know


----------



## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

I took my Peugeot 508 GT in to a dealer to get updated firmware and a new calibration file downloaded to it.
Only available from the Peugeot servers in France apparently.

I was given a courtesy car, I thought maybe another 508 for the day.

Nope. 

A new SEAT Altea. What an absolute heap of garbage.
It was noisy, unrefined, the touch screen radio thing was slow and fiddly, the interior was like something from an early 80s BL product.

To say I was glad to get my 508 back was an understatement.


----------



## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

Renault Captur or whatever it's called, had one as a hire car in Girona a couple of weeks ago. Dreadful, uninspiring, tiny boot, and how it manages to be so small inside is beyond me. And the 'infotainment' system was laughably user unfriendly.


----------



## Andy1972 (Jan 12, 2014)

My brother in laws Aston Martin Vantage V8.

By god it was quick (kind of like being pushed around a roller coaster) and it sounded immense but the seats are 'compact' for my portly frame, the steering was like turning a barge and the clutch was like trying to push back on a fat lass with a mars bar in front on her.

The suspension was rock solid and felt every pebble I ran over. That's not to mention finding reverse was impossible

However.... that sound when giving it some....I forgive all the above.


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Andy1972 said:


> My brother in laws Aston Martin Vantage V8.
> 
> By god it was quick (kind of like being pushed around a roller coaster) and it sounded immense but the seats are 'compact' for my portly frame, the steering was like turning a barge and the clutch was like trying to push back on a fat lass with a mars bar in front on her.
> 
> ...


Yes some performance cars are not forgiving in the slightest, but we have a habit of forgiving them as they make nice sounds and car burn rubber:thumb:

Its funny you say that was told by someone else similar re Aston


----------



## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

garage_dweller said:


> Renault Captur or whatever it's called, had one as a hire car in Girona a couple of weeks ago. Dreadful, uninspiring, tiny boot, and how it manages to be so small inside is beyond me. And the 'infotainment' system was laughably user unfriendly.


Another vote for the Captur - dreadful things, the hire car i had had a very worn interior after 10,000Kms. The seats had zips on them but no apparent way to take the covers off for washing (WTH ?). Truly awful quality plastics too.

The Hyundai i20 i had the following trip was 20 times better all round.


----------



## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

You're probably going to think I'm bonkers but had a Suzuki Swift Courtesy Car. Not sure what model it was but it was a flat 1.2 or 1.4 and it was horrendous. I couldn't get comfy, road noise was awful, handling was none existent it just flopped all over the place not confidence inspiring in the least.

The Fiesta...another controversial one, in laws have a 1.6 Titanium X Mk7 (the one before the current new one now) and that is so strange to drive too, the front feels quite heavy and the rear feels so light it feels like it could swap ends on you any time.


----------



## GP Punto (May 29, 2007)

Drove a Fiat Punto, a diesel, absolutely no power below 2000, and then it came in very suddenly.

Not quite so modern but a Suzuki SJ something, followed every camber in the road and ridiculously bouncy. 

Another not so modern car was a Mahindra Jeep, this was in Dubai we had hired one to go into the desert, fitted with a lorry diesel engine. Four of us in the car, every time the car came to a stop we got out, the vibrations were so bad one man lost a filling.


----------



## Fentum (May 1, 2017)

The poverty spec Rav 4 that is the staple of car hire in the Caribbean. 

The UK Rav 4 is awful enough but this version manages to plumb the depths with unforgiving suspension, vague steering, an autobox that might as well be 1 gear it hunts so long to change, an asthmatic engine, aircon that feels like it is dosing you with Legionnaire's and a hideously appointed interior that could be from the 70s. Not cheap to hire either. 

It says something that I prefer the even more basic Jeep if given option...

Peter


----------



## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Because of the issues with the car and the lack of action by the supplying dealership, i have to say Nissan Qashqai.

If the dealership can't be bothered to resolve the cause of the issues, instead treating the symptoms, then my faith in the car is none existent.


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Starbuck88 said:


> You're probably going to think I'm bonkers but had a Suzuki Swift Courtesy Car. Not sure what model it was but it was a flat 1.2 or 1.4 and it was horrendous. I couldn't get comfy, road noise was awful, handling was none existent it just flopped all over the place not confidence inspiring in the least.
> 
> The Fiesta...another controversial one, in laws have a 1.6 Titanium X Mk7 (the one before the current new one now) and that is so strange to drive too, the front feels quite heavy and the rear feels so light it feels like it could swap ends on you any time.


Wow controversial in deed , I have only driven swift sport I felt it was good but not sure on model below.
Son has 2015 fiesta red edition 140bhp it's a fantastic car, but again it's down to personal preference and again I ain't driven The titanium :thumb:


----------



## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

Hyundai i20 auto, hateful slow little thing.


----------



## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

I suppose it's what you want, need or like in a car but for me it was one of the first Ford Ka's, had one as a courtesy car and it was truly frightening. I had it while my Mk2 Golf 16v was being repaired, to say it was chalk and cheese was an understatement, first time I went round a roundabout in it I honestly thought the car was going over !


----------



## FJ1000 (Jun 20, 2015)

2 contenders...

Peugeot 3008 auto with stop start. Absolutely ****ing awful. The stop start is so slow that you get beeped at constantly, and the auto is the worst gearbox I’ve ever driven - so much lurching on every change.

Then there was the Chevrolet Malibu I drove in Florida which seemed fine till I got it on the freeway and it felt like the front wheels weren’t connected to the steering wheel. It wandered over the road so badly I genuinely struggled to keep it in a straight line at speed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

I’m surprised at the Suzuki swift, we bought our son a 1.2 szl, apart from a few rattles that I’ve sorted its a great wee car, handles like a go kart. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

The Vauxhall Mokka. 

Terrible to drive, Terrible seating position with the pedals way too high, Terrible performance, Terrible mpg, Terrible infortainment system and even worse build quality.

SUVs are in fashion though, but it's a lot to excuse.


----------



## andy__d (Jun 27, 2018)

Renault ZOE for me
sisters car i have to add she had it on a lease
the seats were, passable, the ride wasnt one i liked, the dash with the Stupid touch screen looks crass and naff and there was no "soul" to the car for me

*i have to add i Dislike touch screens in cars, there Might be new and all the fad and omf must have F.O,M.O. item and every new car has to have,, they are crass ugly stupid things a driver doesnt need


----------



## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I like the Zoe .... but i'll agree with Kerr the Mokka is a horrible thing. 

I will also throw in the Audi R8 with the R Tronic box, if you thought the 3008 was bad you should try the Audi.


----------



## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Derekh929 said:


> Wow controversial in deed , I have only driven swift sport I felt it was good but not sure on model below.
> Son has 2015 fiesta red edition 140bhp it's a fantastic car, but again it's down to personal preference and again I ain't driven The titanium :thumb:


This is it, the sporty versions probably do feel MUCH better....but the majority of people aren't driving in those versions are they it's sad to say.

Ref the Fiesta...I've driven both the 1.6 Zetec S and the 1.6 Titanium I mentioned. The Zetec S was on a test drive when they were new out so I couldn't go bonkers with it. Push on in the twistys with the Titanium and it just feels really strange and floaty on the rear end, I wouldn't be able to live with it.

Our runaround 206 2.0HDi feels nose heavy but it also doesn't feel like the back ends going to give way on you. The interior is nowhere near as good as the Fiesta obviously but...I'd take the 206 every time if on my driveway.

Like yourself and uruk hai above said, it's what you like in a car at the end of the day but I assume that us lot on here, as car people, like some sort of decent standard.

Myself I like a well planted car and I abhor cars that aren't and feel tinny/cheap. I'd rather have a lower powered car that handled nicely (in my opinion).


----------



## c87reed (Dec 9, 2015)

Our old '15 Corsa was a pretty mediocre drive in terms of driving pleasure, especially considering it had 'sports suspension'. It was quiet inside and rode the bumps well but without any enjoyment for the driver. There was no mistaking that the engine in ours was the lowest in the range, it was thirsty as hell and had zero character. No power high up in the rev range let alone low down. Our VW up! that replaced it is only 60ps but manages to feel nippy still.


----------



## FJ1000 (Jun 20, 2015)

SteveTDCi said:


> I like the Zoe .... but i'll agree with Kerr the Mokka is a horrible thing.
> 
> I will also throw in the Audi R8 with the R Tronic box, if you thought the 3008 was bad you should try the Audi.


I've heard that about the r-tronic...never driven one though

That's why I bought an s-tronic R8 - the box is unbelievably fast (and smooth)!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Fentum (May 1, 2017)

Starbuck88 said:


> Myself I like a well planted car and I abhor cars that aren't and feel tinny/cheap. I'd rather have a lower powered car that handled nicely (in my opinion).


I entirely agree - we are spoiled these days for hp. And there are so many aids that the driving skill level demanded to push a lower powered car around has dropped too.

My old Alfa Spider four banger at 124 bhp (fresh out of the factory - probably lucky to be at 100 by now, almost thirty years later) puts out a third to a quarter of the power of my Panamera V8 (around 400 bhp from memory) and has no electronic trickery but I find it more satisfying to chuck around country lanes because the suspension, chassis and engine are a beautifully put together combination.

Needless to say, the Porsche is an excellent car but it is not half as emotionally engaging...

Peter


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Fentum said:


> I entirely agree - we are spoiled these days for hp. And there are so many aids that the driving skill level demanded to push a lower powered car around has dropped too.
> 
> My old Alfa Spider four banger at 124 bhp (fresh out of the factory - probably lucky to be at 100 by now, almost thirty years later) puts out a third to a quarter of the power of my Panamera V8 (around 400 bhp from memory) and has no electronic trickery but I find it more satisfying to chuck around country lanes because the suspension, chassis and engine are a beautifully put together combination.
> 
> ...


Have to agree but there are well sorted cars that are under powered as well, the GT86 I feel would have sold far better with more power IMHO chassis could handle it well.
that's what I loves about my e30 beemer in the 80's I knew where the front wheels where all the time and all the feed back when losing grip to correct it nice and smoothly. far easier to correct with lighter weight but I must admit most of the time I seen the rear end in the mirror


----------



## Radish293 (Mar 16, 2012)

Volvo V40 177bhp diesel. Truly awful car. Roof line very low, a pillar extends so far back that it’s almost impossible to get in without banging my head. Any one over 6’6” can’t get behind the wheel. Auto box rough as guts in sports mode. The worst torque steer I have evolved experienced. The fleet manager was told they were not fit for purpose but he bought them anyway. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Radish293 said:


> Volvo V40 177bhp diesel. Truly awful car. Roof line very low, a pillar extends so far back that it's almost impossible to get in without banging my head. Any one over 6'6" can't get behind the wheel. Auto box rough as guts in sports mode. The worst torque steer I have evolved experienced. The fleet manager was told they were not fit for purpose but he bought them anyway.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


That's good to know another to avoid:thumb:


----------



## Sicskate (Oct 3, 2012)

Ford EcoSport are awful cars! 

Sent from my FRD-L09 using Tapatalk


----------



## packard (Jun 8, 2009)

Dacia ... horrid just horrrid the thing that’s meant to be 4x4 ... truly horrid.


----------



## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

I think it’s difficult to make that remark.
Sometimes if you have a car like a courtesy car for a short time, you dislike it (especially when it is a class lower than your normal drive) you can’t get the seat / steering wheel position right, you can’t see the dashboard the way you like it etc. 
The opesite is also true, if you get a big upgrade in a premium car, mostimes it’s very enjoyable.

Than of course you have the car that are build to a price ( a low one) and you have to value them on their merits, a 9k Dacia Duster is not going to be a 32k BMW, not even when the BMW is worth 9k. 
But if I was short on money and didn’t need a car for business, I would maybe consider something like that, if I wanted to drive new. 

On the other side, we had a premium car, and I didn’t like it at all, good fun to drive short distance, but a pig on the long distance.
For some reason me and my than business partner thought it was a good idea to buy a new Porsche 911 Turbo, screamer good fun, but we had to go twice a month to Munich from the Netherlands, and the car was a royal pain in the backside (literally) too hard, too low, too thirsty, too noisy, you name it.

And than you have the cars you learn to love and to live with, they do just what you want, fit like an old duffel coat, you grown into them.

I was on holiday in Greece a couple of years ago, when I came on the airport of Kalamate the only car for rent was a 5 year old Fiat Panda.
The thing was an ugly green colour, dirty and dented, we had it for 3 weeks, I beginning I hated it, but after the first week, it was the right car for the area we where in.
Small enough for the little streets, could du p it anywhere, no worries about a scratch or a dent. 
Did everything we wanted, and while I hate small boxy cars, it put a smile on my face, no guts, but it throttled on in his own time.

If you had asked me the first week, what my worst car was, they was the winner, but for the situation it was the best rental car ever.


----------



## gargreen7 (Apr 12, 2009)

Everything with a Fiat badge. Every single one is laughable.


----------



## davidcraggs (Aug 1, 2007)

Another vote for vauxhall Mokka. Had one as a hire car last year, followed by a Ford BMax a few weeks later which was infinitely better! Mind you the Peugeot 1007 is probably the worst I've ever driven, going back further.


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Caledoniandream said:


> I think it's difficult to make that remark.
> Sometimes if you have a car like a courtesy car for a short time, you dislike it (especially when it is a class lower than your normal drive) you can't get the seat / steering wheel position right, you can't see the dashboard the way you like it etc.
> The opesite is also true, if you get a big upgrade in a premium car, mostimes it's very enjoyable.
> 
> ...


I agree with a good lot of that, yes we may expect too much that's what the wife said, but surely at normal speeds a car needs good body control to be safe.
Could these by why we have so much bad drivers know ?

I liked the panda in Italy it was great fun my though it was funny me and my little blue panda did the job well


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Well done vaxhaul you seem to be star with the Mokka


----------



## davidcraggs (Aug 1, 2007)

500 mile business trip coming up and my hire car is a petrol, 5 speed, gold, Mokka. Not sure what I did to deserve that. It's also a right mess inside - crumbs and dust everywhere. Bet the trip mpg is lower than I'd manage in my Golf R...


----------



## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

davidcraggs said:


> 500 mile business trip coming up and my hire car is a petrol, 5 speed, gold, Mokka. Not sure what I did to deserve that. It's also a right mess inside - crumbs and dust everywhere. Bet the trip mpg is lower than I'd manage in my Golf R...


Your boss clearly wants you out the door. :lol:

My hire car also had the 5 speed box. It's so far out of its depth at motorway speeds.

It's really noisy above 70mph and on a straight motorway run the hire one I had returned something like 26 or 28mpg. V8 fuel economy for a gutless 1.6 isn't clever.


----------



## davidcraggs (Aug 1, 2007)

Think Avis resent having to do a home delivery so you always end up with a POS! When I spotted it out the window I thought 'I hope that's the car they've used to take the delivery driver back in' but sadly not - the Mokka was for me and the Avis guys drove away, probably laughing, in a Golf.


----------



## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Clearly, nobody here has driven a Chevrolet Spark. If you had, then you'd know.


----------



## Demetrios72 (Jun 27, 2011)

KIA Piccanto - what a load of rubbish

Best thing about it was the DAB radio


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Kerr said:


> Your boss clearly wants you out the door. :lol:
> 
> My hire car also had the 5 speed box. It's so far out of its depth at motorway speeds.
> 
> It's really noisy above 70mph and on a straight motorway run the hire one I had returned something like 26 or 28mpg. V8 fuel economy for a gutless 1.6 isn't clever.


:lol: That is bad I managed the Broch to Banchory via Aberdeen, then Ballater , lecht , cairngorms , Aviemore, Inverness and then home to Broch with a few spirited blasts on the way and I still had 3 didgets on the tank:doublesho Added in a whole load of fun on the way as well


----------



## Tricky Red (Mar 3, 2007)

I'll be a little controversial here. Borrowed a 1.0 Polo 17 plate. All mod cons etc but could not pull the skin off a rice pudding. Felt heavy and listless and not anywhere near the Hyundai i10 that replaced it as a loan car. That was great and I can see why they are popular. 

Too many manufacturers still producing cheaper underpowered cars for me just to get you on the model ladder.


----------



## Kyle 86 (Jun 15, 2013)

I'd probably have to say the Dacia sandero is the worst car I've driven. Gutless and the gearbox is the worst I've ever come across

Fiat panda. Another horrendous car

My mate has a Mokka for a company car. Took it round the block last week and yeah it's not great. Seating position is bad but nowhere near as bad as the ones above

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


----------



## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

Another vote for the Craptur.
Flimsy, cheap, disposable transport module. Suitable only as a hire car or people who have absolutely no idea or are terminally stupid.


----------



## MSwiss (Sep 25, 2017)

I hire a lot of cars my worst is-

Fiat 500x, a controversial vote, maybe but it just seemed to really ride strange and made my wife car sick. It wasn't the car either, two different occasions with different models the same thing happened.


----------



## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

I'm going to say it again, for those who weren't listening the first 13 times.

SEAT Altea. Bloody horrible.

Sent from my VFD 710 using Tapatalk


----------



## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

I'd probably say a C3. Simply because the peddles were dangerously close together. Several times I caught the accelerator whilst braking or the brake peddle whilst changing gear!

Plus the dash/centre console was the plainest, more boring thing ever


----------



## SBM (Jul 4, 2013)

garage_dweller said:


> Renault Captur or whatever it's called, had one as a hire car in Girona a couple of weeks ago. Dreadful, uninspiring, tiny boot, and how it manages to be so small inside is beyond me. And the 'infotainment' system was laughably user unfriendly.


I to had a brand new Clio on hire in Italy this year and had the same experience - plus it was utterly gutless.


----------



## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

RandomlySet said:


> I'd probably say a C3. Simply because the peddles were dangerously close together. Several times I caught the accelerator whilst braking or the brake peddle whilst changing gear!
> 
> Plus the dash/centre console was the plainest, more boring thing ever


My mum has the first gen C3 and agree they were rubbish. Some how its still going but its probably its last year (2002 and 125k miles), Suspension and steering components have been the cause of all its troubles over the last ten years we've had it. The engine is sweet and runs like new. 1.6 from the Saxo VTR, the only good part about the car is it is reasonably nippy but the handling is a joke in the corners.

I know its not a new car but for my First car i discounted the option of the Saxo/ Peugeot 106 as the pedals in them were definitely too close together and agree with what you said its too easy to catch one you dont want to.


----------



## Gas head (May 28, 2010)

Audi tt when they first came out, silly buying a new model for sure, never had so many issues, never trusted it would get from a to b without some drama.
The only car that I have been doing the speed limit on a motorway backwards, the ride gave me back and neck issues, the handling/suspension was horrible.
Would have been more happy with a fiat panda.


----------



## packard (Jun 8, 2009)

Dacia duster, a dangerous car poor power. Crap build, struggles on motorway just yuk.


----------



## Bulkhead (Oct 17, 2007)

Well, my old MG Maestro was pretty bad - windscreen leaked, carbs never stayed in tune, it ate tyres and the red paint faded quicker than the fuel gauge! It did have a certain charm though and the voice synthesiser had novelty value. However, by far the worst car I've driven was a Holden Barina. We have one as one of our pool cars and I had the displeasure of using it a couple of months ago. Everything about it was awful. The interior plastics made take away cartons feel sturdy. There was no USB connectivity - in a 2018 car!! The engine was woefully underpowered and coupled to a four-speed auto box so progress was slow and the engine was screaming most of the time. The paint was peeling from the roof, it handled like a shopping trolley and it was excessively noisy. No wonder they're struggling to offload them over here.


----------



## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

3 series BMW... How do they make a car feel so cramped inside the drivers seat area I'll never know.

I had one and got used to it but when you jump back into a htach back like a Golf you realise how weird the 3er is.

On another note, cars that surprised me: Hyundai i10, Fiat Panda, Both great little cars that are probably better than their German rivals but don't get the credit.


----------

