Dented Wallets and Square Wheels: The 10 Worst Cars of 2010

In the age of high gas prices, hybrids and everyone supposedly going green like the government would make you think, the 2010 class of cars, SUV's and trucks took another hit this year with depreciation and upkeep costs. Just about all the top companies took a good hit in both categories of big and roomy and the supposedly fuel-efficient compact variety which is not as a big hit to people as many would tell you. Here's a listing of the worst performers of 2010 and vehicles you should avoid. These are not in any specific order. (contributed by Design 911)

Cadillac Escalade - Type: Luxury SUV

It's hard to say really what tipped the "experts" off on this vehicle. It did rank poorly amongst safety and value but the one statistic that really stuck out was this vehicle got top honours for the most stolen vehicle out of everything that's out there. "Pimp My Ride" apparently does not apply here.

Chevrolet Aveo - Type: Compact

The Chevrolet Aveo5 1LT overall value is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to even more expensive models such as the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic. Consumer Reports concludes that "the ride is jittery and noise is constant." . What would you expect from driving something as small as a golf cart?

Chevrolet Colorado - Type: Pickup Truck

This vehicle has been rated poorly in just about in every aspect so I'm not going to waste my time telling you about it because what does matter is the fact that GM is soon doing away with this model as well as the Canyon. So, of course the best medicine would be to stay away from these models.

Dodge Nitro - Type: SUV

The SLT model is just another version of the Jeep Liberty but with lower marks. Consumers complained
how noisy this SUV is and how it lacks agility. There tended to be some sort of body lean which added difficulty for people steering. This would be the equivalent of pushing a baby stroller in gravel.

Ford F-250 - Type: Truck

The 2010 Ford F-250 Lariat was ranked the worst on gas mileage getting on average just 10 mpg. This was a diesel engine model as well. Hate to see how an unleaded version would do. At this bad a rate of miles per gallon, one would think you'd have to get a bank loan just to get back and forth to work every three months.

Jeep Wrangler - Type: SUV

The Unlimited Sahara was the main gripe but Jeep Wrangler overall has plummeted 23% in sales since the beginning of the year. Apparently it does well off-road but fell short when driven on-road. Handling is a challenge with vague steering and low cornering limits. It's reliability was another negative for consumers.

Chrysler Sebring - Type: Midsize

Car experts ridicule this unpopular gem for its cheap interior and poor performance. It is considered the worst midsize car for the money due to the high ownership costs. Its rate of depreciation is almost faster than watching paint dry.

Mercury Mountaineer - Type: SUV

Top honours for worst midsize SUV for the money, the Mountaineer (and its twin, Ford Explorer, which ranked right behind it) is truck-based. So therefore it makes it use more fuel than the competition and not something suited for city and suburban driving. If you live in this type area, the handling may cause a vein to pop out of your forehead as well.See another worst car 2010 here.

Murilee's Down On The Street Favorites For 2008 [Down On The Street]

Every weekday in 2008- except for Christmas Day- we saw another cool street-parked vehicle from the streets of Alameda, California. Now I'm going to share my personal favorite ten DOTS finds of the year.

These are the cars and trucks that, for one reason or another, really made my day when I ran across them on the streets of Alameda. Some of them are on this list because they're rare and/or interesting (the "Whoa! What's that?" factor), while others made the cut simply because I yearn to own them. And, yes, the Fire Arrow falls into the latter category, because I'm sick like that. So here we go, my personal Alameda DOTS favorites for Ought-Eight:

1953 Citroën Traction-Avant Once I found the '75 Citroën GS 1220, I figured there'd be no way in hell I'd ever find a cooler street-parked Citroën on the island. Then… this car! Not only is it a Traction-Avant, it's a really solid street-driven example with a custom vintage hood ornament.

1958 Mercedes-Benz 220S A great big daily-driven Ponton, rough in spots but still majestic, no doubt with more miles on the clock than every other car on its block combined.

1960 Triumph TR3A Finding this car led to the epic Triumph cross-country road trip story, which was a lot of fun.

1962 Chrysler 300 I'm torn between this car, the '47 Plymouth, and the '66 Lancia Fulvia Berlina when it comes to choosing the Alameda DOTS car I most wish I owned. I think the Chrysler has the edge. It's probably best that I don't own it, because I'd put a manual transmission in it and get lynched by an enraged mob of numbers-matching Mopar purists.

1963 Porsche 356 356 owners who keep their cars wrapped in cottonwool in the garage will no doubt cringe in horror at the sight of this street-driven (and, for a time, autocross-driven) vintage Porsche, but the owner believes Porsches are made to be driven.

1964 Mercury Comet Cyclone It's a seriously rare car that vintage Ford freaks would kill to own, equipped with 289 and 4-speed, and yet it's a beat-to-hell daily driver with Greenpeace stickers and a puzzling vanity plate. I love this town!

1965 International Harvester Travelall Look at this big ol' campin' machine!

1967 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser It's a show-quality restored Vista Cruiser wagon, complete with the space-capsule roof windows, that lives on the street just a block or so from my house. I've wanted a Vista Cruiser (or a Buick Sport Wagon) for decades now.

1980 Plymouth Fire Arrow When was the last time you saw a Fire Arrow? Exactly. Those tape stripes! It's like a Malaise Era museum!

1981 Fiat Strada Europeans might think of the Strada (aka Ritmo) as a pretty commonplace, boring machine, but these things made Americans do double-takes even when they were new. To find one parked on the street was quite a shock.

First 400 DOTS Vehicles • DOTS FAQ

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Ford Makes Parallel Parking Easier for 2010 Lincoln MKT and MKS Owners

Ford has announced its new "active park assist" system that is optional on the 2010 Lincoln MKS sedan and the new Lincoln MKT crossover.

With the touch of a button the Active Park Assist system uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to parallel park the vehicle without any assistance from the driver. There are sensors on the front and rear of the vehicle to help the system guide the vehicle into the driver's desired parking spot. Ford claims that its system is better than what is offered by Lexus since it requires less driver interface.

The Active Park Assist system will be available in mid-2009 on the Lincoln MKT and MKS. Ford hasn't stated what vehicles are next in line for the technology. Instead only mentioning that the system will be on 90 percent of Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles by 2012.

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