In 2024, we drove many cars that we enjoyed; click here to see our picks for the best ones.
But, as always, there were also some disappointments. Here are the cars we found most underwhelming in the past year:
Mini Aceman
The first only electric model from the British brand didn’t get off to a great start. BMW partnered with Great Wall Motors for its electric push, yet this car, the Mini Aceman, feels outdated.
Its DC fast-charging capability tops out at 95 kW in the more powerful version, the range doesn’t exceed 400 km, and the battery efficiency is subpar. While it retains Mini’s typical driving dynamics, it’s hard not to think that with a bit more effort, this car could have been much better.
Opel Grandland (ICE version)
Perhaps my expectations were too high, but the new generation of the Grandland, in its internal combustion engine version, feels entirely wrong.
Built on a new platform clearly optimized for electric powertrains, the car is larger than before but saddled with small, economy-class engines. The result is a large, heavy, and clumsy SUV with an underpowered engine that struggles to keep up. Thankfully, Denmark doesn’t have many hills!
Toyota Yaris Cross Facelift
The Yaris Cross is a commercial success, but it never convinced me, especially in its initial version with the 115-hp engine borrowed from the regular Yaris. That engine felt out of place in a larger crossover.
The facelift brought a more fitting 130-hp engine and nicer color options, but it’s unacceptable that the interior quality is still so low. Even with the extra power, the car remains too noisy and somewhat sluggish.
Leapmotor C10
If this is what Chinese automakers are offering, European manufacturers can rest easy—for now. Leapmotor seems like another misstep by Stellantis, as the partnership was meant to leverage Leapmotor’s technology. However, even Stellantis’ e-CMP platform offers more modern and compelling performance.
The C10 is a mid-size crossover with a disappointing claimed range of 420 km, DC fast charging capped at just 84 kW, and a slow 6.6 kW on AC. Even the older Fiat 500e supports 85 kW, which is sufficient for its smaller battery and allows for faster charging.
In short, the C10—and Leapmotor’s other offerings—aren’t particularly compelling in terms of technology or design.
Polestar 4
How could a brand that created a technical and aesthetic gem like the Polestar 2 produce a beautiful yet flawed vehicle like the Polestar 4?
The car is visually striking and enjoyable to drive, but it’s the opposite of practical. The rear window has been replaced with cameras that lack depth of field and are overly zoomed in—making visibility poor. The software feels unfinished, and while the build quality is generally excellent, the soft-touch steering wheel controls (used for most functions) are prone to breaking.
It’s a shame, especially considering the charging capabilities. While 200 kW isn’t bad, the SEA platform it’s based on supports 800-volt architecture—a feature standard in all of its competitors. Polestar, why?
