2014 CAR review: top 6 biggest disappointments

Published: 22 December 2014 Updated: 26 January 2015

Mercedes GLA45 AMG

1) Mercedes GLA45 AMG

We’re cross with Merc about this ill-thought-out lash-up that looks and drives like it was signed off by the kid on work experience. It lets AMG – and the GLA – down.

 Nissan Pulsar

2) Nissan Pulsar

This from Steve Moody: ‘I thought Nissan’s genre-busting crossovers and bonkers Nismos had consigned motoring nonentities to history. But I hadn’t driven the Pulsar’.

Honda Civic Tourer 

3) Honda Civic Tourer

It’s not the car itself we take issue with, but the stupid rear-axle-only adjustable suspension, an idea clearly thought up by a fusty penny pinching committee. Very odd to drive. 

 Infiniti Q50

4) Infiniti Q50

Nice car ruined by proper scary drive-by-wire steering system. You make an input, the computer decides if it likes it, then tells the wheels to do something else. Shocking.

 Toyota Prius by Newport Convertibles

5) Toyota Prius by Newport Convertibles

LA’s cabrio king Al Zadeh misses the point in spectacular style, turning laudable into laughable. ‘Worst car I’ve ever driven’ – B Pulman.

 Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 triplets

6) Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 triplets 

He’s probably writing something like: ‘With all these resources how come you made a giant step backwards?’ Dull, off-the-pace, visionless city car clones left us ice cold.

 

Click below for the rest of CAR’s top 100 moments of 2014:

The nine best sports cars of the year
Four seismic Nurburgring laptimes
Eight cars that changed our minds about electric power
Top six people we talked about
Six wishes for 2015
Six back-from-the-dead stories
Six things we said goodbye to
Top 10 motorsport moments
Seven things we never thought we’d see
Top five tech trends of 2014
Top 10 quotes of 2014
10 great CAR magazine features from 2014

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