Cars
GCBC's The Bad 8 features just two new nameplates for 2015. Six contestants remain from last year, as an insufficient number of new vehicles have been awful enough to replace them. As was the case last year, these are the vehicles that would be least welcomed in GCBC Towers' driveway, probably rejected for the long-term even if welcomed briefly.
Let's put it this way: Do you want to get us something for Christmas? Don't get us any of these vehicles.
They're listed here for a number of reasons, some for just one reason. Whatever the reason, it's bad enough to cause your sales analyst of choice to reject the car so completely that I'd prefer to own anything else on the market; to reject the car so completely that you, too, should strongly consider avoiding it at all costs.
One key premise behind modern car reviewing suggests that, in 2015, there's no such thing as a bad car. But that doesn't mean you can't do better. In the case of these eight cars, you can definitely do better. It's not about reliability or durability or outright performance - it's about desirability, and the point at which desirability lines up with perceived value. These eight vehicles have their pluses, but the minuses – however few or however many - far outweigh the positive side of the ledger.
Click any of the images to be taken to the model's Sales Stats page. Don't forget to check out GCBC's The Good 12, the list of vehicles you should definitely park in GCBC Towers' driveway on Christmas morning.
RECOMMENDED READING
2014's The Bad 8
2013's The Bad 8
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2014 YTD U.S. Sales
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2014 Canadian Sales
2015's The Good 12
- Gcbc's The Good 12 For 2015
GCBC's The Good 12 for 2015 includes the vehicles that would be most welcomed as permanent members of the GCBC Towers driveway. Park them out front on Christmas morning. Top marks for your generosity. None have base prices above $65,000...
- Gcbc's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - November 2014
The Honda Accord's sales figures were the most commonly viewed numbers for a specific model on GoodCarBadCar.net in November 2014, a position the Accord has held many times over the last few years. Trailing the Accord was an Accord-related car,...
- Gcbc's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - November 2013
GCBC's Review Of The V6-Engined Ram Pickup Has Been The Most Popular Review At GCBC Over The Last Two Months. The Ram Has The 25th-Most-Viewed Sales Figures.A month ago, it seemed ironic that despite Fiat's dramatic sales declines, GCBC's...
- Buick Encore Sales Figures
Here you will find monthly and yearly Canadian and U.S. sales figures for the Buick Encore. Use the dropdown at the top right of this page or at GCBC's Sales Stats home to find sales figures for any other vehicle currently on sale in North America....
- Cars For Retirees
Don't take Car&Driver's list of eight mainstream cars (and two oddball entries) for retirees to be critical at its core. Not all members of the list equate to Town Car status. (LTC phenomenon defined: the only car people leave their wedding...
Cars
GCBC's The Bad 8 For 2015
Let's put it this way: Do you want to get us something for Christmas? Don't get us any of these vehicles.
They're listed here for a number of reasons, some for just one reason. Whatever the reason, it's bad enough to cause your sales analyst of choice to reject the car so completely that I'd prefer to own anything else on the market; to reject the car so completely that you, too, should strongly consider avoiding it at all costs.
One key premise behind modern car reviewing suggests that, in 2015, there's no such thing as a bad car. But that doesn't mean you can't do better. In the case of these eight cars, you can definitely do better. It's not about reliability or durability or outright performance - it's about desirability, and the point at which desirability lines up with perceived value. These eight vehicles have their pluses, but the minuses – however few or however many - far outweigh the positive side of the ledger.
Click any of the images to be taken to the model's Sales Stats page. Don't forget to check out GCBC's The Good 12, the list of vehicles you should definitely park in GCBC Towers' driveway on Christmas morning.
 | Acura RLX I'm already nodding off. Not that the RLX needs to be terribly exciting, but at this price point it needs to be a great car, regardless of its dullness. But there are no redeeming qualities. Alternative: Cadillac CTS |
 | BMW X4 The X4 is an X3 with less space and less design acumen. But it costs more than the X3. Your mother taught you to avoid situations like this, which is why you don't eat expensive salads for lunch. Alternative: BMW X3 |
 | Buick Encore Slow and somewhat ponderous for such a small package, the Encore does two things very well: be small, and be quiet. If only your children could do the same. If only the Encore did more. Alternative: Honda HR-V |
 | Fiat 500L We say this isn't all about reliability. And it's not. But in addition to being awkward, slow, and slow to shift, the 500L is also dreadfully unreliable. Alternative: Kia Soul |
 | Honda Crosstour Not only is the Crosstour ghastly, it's been ghastly for a long time. Honda keeps chugging along, more than five years in to the car's tenure. People do want this type of car; just not this specific car.Alternative: Subaru Outback |
 | Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG Edition 1 This is from the company which sells such class as the S600. Imagine that S-Class buyer seeing this tasteless hatchback parked alongside in a Benz showroom. "Oh, but it's fast," isn't enough.Alternative: Porsche Macan S |
 | Mitsubishi Mirage This car was behind the times when it arrived in September 2013. Time has passed. The world has turned. The Mirage is still inexpensive, but it feels cheaper than ever.Alternative: Nissan Micra |
 | Nissan Versa Sedan How to design a cheap car by the numbers. A new car needs one powertrain, four wheels, a few seats, one steering wheel, four brakes. Humans want more, however. "More" is not in the Versa sedan's vocabulary.Alternative: Honda Fit |
RECOMMENDED READING
2014's The Bad 8
2013's The Bad 8
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2014 YTD U.S. Sales
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2014 Canadian Sales
2015's The Good 12
- Gcbc's The Good 12 For 2015
GCBC's The Good 12 for 2015 includes the vehicles that would be most welcomed as permanent members of the GCBC Towers driveway. Park them out front on Christmas morning. Top marks for your generosity. None have base prices above $65,000...
- Gcbc's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - November 2014
The Honda Accord's sales figures were the most commonly viewed numbers for a specific model on GoodCarBadCar.net in November 2014, a position the Accord has held many times over the last few years. Trailing the Accord was an Accord-related car,...
- Gcbc's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - November 2013
GCBC's Review Of The V6-Engined Ram Pickup Has Been The Most Popular Review At GCBC Over The Last Two Months. The Ram Has The 25th-Most-Viewed Sales Figures.A month ago, it seemed ironic that despite Fiat's dramatic sales declines, GCBC's...
- Buick Encore Sales Figures
Here you will find monthly and yearly Canadian and U.S. sales figures for the Buick Encore. Use the dropdown at the top right of this page or at GCBC's Sales Stats home to find sales figures for any other vehicle currently on sale in North America....
- Cars For Retirees
Don't take Car&Driver's list of eight mainstream cars (and two oddball entries) for retirees to be critical at its core. Not all members of the list equate to Town Car status. (LTC phenomenon defined: the only car people leave their wedding...