When Toyota announced that just 6,600 GR Corollas would make it onto American soil for the 2023 model year it probably punched a few fans in the gut because it means that many will miss out. That low production figure is disappointing to be sure but it’s nowhere as bad as it could’ve been. In fact, it’s made us wonder… which automaker is more disappointing than all the rest?
We’re not talking about which automaker has made one or two or even a few disappointing choices though. We’re trying to figure out which one we’d put next to the word ‘disappointment’ in the dictionary if we had to choose. Here are a few examples to get you in the right headspace.
General Motors is capable of some amazing things like the mid-engine C8 Corvette and its racier Z06 trim. At the same time, it manages to make basically every other vehicle in the fleet feel and look somewhat cheap inside. It also fails to offer the same standard advanced driver assistance systems that brands with far less market share do. And don’t get me started on that single complimentary maintenance visit that many models come with.
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Chevy isn’t alone though. Nissan built a loyal pickup truck following only to let the Frontier languish for so long that even the brand-new replacement feels old already. The Titan isn’t exactly ground-breaking either despite the fact that it’s also fairly new to the field. The majority of the other cars and SUVs in the lineup are pretty bland as well. Of course, the upcoming Z sports car might be a sign of life.
Another pair of Japanese brands, Subaru and Mitsubishi, have gone from being just about all anyone could talk about in the early 2000s to a pair of companies known for people movers and a lack of real passion.
For my choice, I can’t think of a brand that’s disappointed fans as much as Volkswagen. They’ve been the epitome of the bait and switch tactic in automaker form. How many amazing Golf R prototypes have they shown off at countless auto shows over the years only to effectively say “just kidding, we know you like this but you can’t have it or anything like it.”
Remember the wild Volkswagen W12 supercar concept that they developed for a time before axing it as well? Not only did it never make it to production but one time they put that engine in a Golf just to prove that it could be done. It’s like they just keep leading fans along with a carrot and stick.
Hey, maybe things are changing though. Finally, after more than 20 years of showing us various bus replacements that went nowhere, the ID.Buzz is a real production vehicle but even that isn’t coming to American shores anytime soon.
But perhaps there’s another automaker that’s been even worse so you tell us below. Which car company is the biggest disappointment of them all?