Skip advert
Advertisement

Ten worst cars tested: The ten worst cars we've ever tested

You’ve read about the greatest icons from the last 100 issues. Here are the dogs

Which car was so embarrassing to be seen in thaat no-one would drive it? Which long-termer was so bad we sent it back? Which car was so ugly we refused to feature it? The answers lie below.

Cars that don’t quite make the top ten of awfulness include the Invicta S1, which even John ‘It’s got four wheels, so it must be at least four stars’ Simister couldn’t bring himself to love, the not-a-patch-on-its- predecessor Peugeot 206 GTI, and the Lexus GS430, of which Harry wrote, ‘I simply have no desire to drive the GS430 ever again’.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Hayman wanted to nominate 'every single non-exotic car that has a semi-automatic gearbox. Also, every “fast” Saab we ever tested.’

Then there's the Grinnall Scorpion IV – 'Loads of power that it couldn’t cope with and it felt like you were going to fall out of it through the turns’ according to Roger Green – and the current Mazda MX-5, saved from inclusion by the lingering suspicion that we’re still yet to drive a properly set-up example.And finally, a special mention for the one car that we refused even to feature in the mag, simply because it looked so goddamn awful. Who could forget – and God knows we’ve tried – the FBS Census? (Not pictured - ever).

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport review – taking aim at the Porsche Cayman GT4
Lotus Emira 420 Sport front
Reviews

New Lotus Emira 420 Sport review – taking aim at the Porsche Cayman GT4

Lotus’s sports car gets added focus and is all the better for it. As it needs to be with such a lofty target...
22 Jul 2026
Why car bosses are quietly scrapping their multi-billion pound EV plans
Porsche badge
Opinion

Why car bosses are quietly scrapping their multi-billion pound EV plans

Industry giants U-turning on EV plans is not entirely good news, reckons Meaden
21 Jul 2026
Audi Quattro restomod uses RS4 underpinnings, with an optional 10,000rpm V8
Audacious IV Audi Quattro restomod front
News

Audi Quattro restomod uses RS4 underpinnings, with an optional 10,000rpm V8

A modern interpretation of the original Quattro swaps five-cylinder power for high-revving or supercharged V8 power
23 Jul 2026