5 Of The Worst Cars Built In The 1980s
The '80s were filled with some of the most iconic shows, movies, music, and cars. "Magnum P.I." was cruising around in a bright red Ferrari 308, Lamborghini Countach posters adorned the bedroom walls of teenagers across the country, hot hatches became a thing, and the world got its very first true minivan. This decade also saw the Ford Mustang SVO equipped with a turbocharged 4-cylinder, which somehow performed similarly to the 5.0 V8 GT.
While there were some incredible vehicles launched during the material decade, there were also some models best forgotten. Some of these cars didn't live up to the hype, were underpowered, plagued with continual problems, or were just plain ugly. Fortunately, none of the following vehicles are anywhere near as homely as the worst-looking cars ever designed. But, for those who want to take a look back at some automotive '80s missteps, grab some hair spray, cue up your favorite Poison cassette tape, and prepare for memory lane.
The DeLorean DMC-12 looked cool, but was a disappointment everywhere else
The DeLorean was unlike anything else at the time and would go on to become popularized in the "Back to the Future" movie trilogy. With a unique stainless-steel exterior and doors that swung up, resembling wings, the DeLorean certainly looked the part of an exotic sports car. Unfortunately, its appearance was the only positive, and it suffered from a drastically underperforming engine. Under the hood was a 2.8-liter V6, which should have been more than enough to raise a driver's pulse. After all, there are a few V6 engines which have more horsepower than an LS1 V8. Sadly, the DeLorean could only muster a meager 130 horsepower, making it painfully sluggish.
Besides lacking performance power, the car had delays and quality control issues. It was cobbled together using parts from other vehicles and ended up being 500 pounds heavier than initially planned. To make matters worse, the FBI arrested the troubled founder of DeLorean Motor Company for drug possession. Though, he was later acquitted. Fortunately, most people associate Marty McFly and Doc Brown with the DeLorean, which is probably best, as the reality of this short-lived car was a nightmare.
The Chevrolet Citation was so unsafe the US Department of Justice got involved
The '80s saw an influx of compact foreign cars that were inexpensive, dependable, and offered drivers more miles to the gallon. So, American automakers wanted to hop on this trend but, unfortunately, didn't have any experience outside of producing large vehicles. In the case of the Chevrolet Citation, automakers were not only trying to engineer a completely new type of American car, but they were also doing so in an incredibly brief time frame. The result was a very poorly built compact whose interior would come apart, its transmission frequently failed, and it had a tendency to develop rust.
The most severe issue with the Citation had to do with its rear brakes, which were sometimes locking up and causing accidents. During this time GM refused to do a recall even as serious complaints were piling up. Eventually, the U.S. Department of Justice sued GM in an effort to get the automaker to issue a recall. The effect all of this legal drama had on sales was predictably negative, with drivers not wanting to become a collision statistic.
The Yugo GV was an example of how not to make a car
While this compact import was marketed as a terrific value, the Yugo is considered the worst car ever sold in America. In fact, it was so bad it was the focus of several running jokes at the time. For example, MechanicsHub.com offers a look back at classic Yugo jokes like, "What makes a Yugo go faster? A tow truck. [And], Why do Yugos have a rear window defroster? So you can keep your hands warm while you're pushing it."
This little car was so roundly mocked because it was literally falling apart. It was made in an outdated facility in a country under a communist dictator, with workers who were seen drinking alcohol on breaks and smoking while working on the line. This resulted in less-than-stellar workmanship, with American drivers experiencing engine problems and pieces of trim dropping off their cars.
It didn't help that the Yugo GV offered only 55-horsepower and didn't come with air conditioning. But, to be fair, it did get good gas mileage at a combined 25 miles per gallon.
The AMC Eagle was America's awkward answer to Subaru
What do you get when you combine faux wood side paneling and mud flaps with an all-wheel drive system? Unfortunately, you get an AMC Eagle, which has a mug only its designer could love. Its off-road capability had potential, but sadly, its underpowered engine can't fully take advantage of the all-wheel drive system. The 4.2-liter inline-6 only outputs 110 horsepower and, at the same time, manages to offer terrible fuel economy, with a combined estimate of 16 miles per gallon.
Many also complained about the Eagle's dependability, as oil leaks were common. One enthusiast recommended anyone driving one to bring along a 5-quart oil container with them. One mechanic lamented (via tercel4wd.com), " I also had the displeasure of working on several [AMC Eagle's] back in their day. Jeeps were bad enough back then but they were reliable compared to the Eagle/SX4 line." Other facets of this car not fondly remembered were things like poor wiper performance, broken window cranks, and rust.
You won't see Plymouth Horizons on the road often because most of them broke down
When looking at cars like the '80s Horizon, with its rough-running 2.2-liter engine and drab color palette, it becomes less of a mystery why Chrysler ultimately killed off its iconic Plymouth brand. There are reports of stalling and the car shooting out white smoke, among other complaints. The two-barrel carburetors weren't great on the Horizon and could be very finicky, causing idling to be noticeably choppy.
One of the most significant concerns about this car, particularly the 1982 Plymouth Horizon lineup, was its braking performance. The front and rear brakes weren't calibrated in the right proportions, leading to the rear of the car sliding out when applying the brakes at highway speeds. One retro review from MotorWeek's YouTube channel explains the issue with braking at speed, "from 55 it's more like a game of spin the Horizon." The rear slide was so pronounced, it had the capability to send the car into the adjacent lane, which was obviously problematic.