11 Car Comebacks That Should’ve Stayed in the Garage

Not every car comeback is a success story. While some models return to the market with fanfare and promise, others end up disappointing enthusiasts and buyers alike. From awkward styling to lackluster performance, these 11 car comebacks prove that sometimes, a classic should just stay in the past. Let’s take a look at the automotive missteps that left fans scratching their heads.

Pontiac Aztek

Honestly, where do you even start? I mean, they tried to make it this super futuristic, versatile crossover thing, right? It had a tent you could buy for camping, a center console that came out as a cooler… which sounds kinda cool in theory, but the look? Ugh. It was like they designed it by committee and every committee member hated each other. All these weird angles and plastic cladding everywhere. It was just… a mess. And not gonna lie, it’s become a cult classic now because it’s so ugly, but when it was new, it was what, like $21,000? And for that money, you could’ve gotten so many better, less… visually challenging cars. It’s the car you buy when you’ve given up on joy.

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Oh man, the PT Cruiser. It was everywhere for a minute, you know? They nailed the retro vibe, I’ll give them that. It looked like a little 1930s hot rod, but it was front-wheel drive and honestly kind of a slug. The interior felt so cheap, like all hard, shiny plastic. And that weird attempt at a convertible with the roof that only half-opened? What was that? I think it started around $16,000, and people went nuts for it at first, but it aged so, so badly. It went from “cool retro” to “grandma’s grocery getter” in like, two years.

Chevrolet SSR

This one is just confusing. Was it a pickup truck? Was it a sports car? It was a retractable hardtop convertible pickup truck. See? Even saying it is a mess. It had this powerful V8 eventually, which is good, I guess, but it was heavy and handled like… well, a truck trying to be a sports car. And the price! It ballooned up to over $40,000! For that, you could get a proper Corvette and a decent used truck and have money left over. It was a cool idea, like a modern hot rod, but the execution was just all over the place.

Ford Thunderbird (2002)

They tried to bring back the classic ’50s/’60s T-Bird, and on paper, it should have worked. It looked the part, sort of. It was a two-seater convertible, kinda elegant. But it was… underwhelming? It wasn’t very quick, it wasn’t particularly fun to drive, and it felt more like a boulevard cruiser than a real sports car. For about $35,000, you got a car that was all style and not much substance. It’s like they built the shell of a classic but forgot to put a passionate heart in it. It just kinda existed for a few years and then faded away.

Hummer H2

The original Hummer was this massive, military-derived beast, right? Then the H2 came along and it was like… the mall-crawler version. It was built on a Chevy Tahoe frame, so it was slightly less insane, but it was still this gigantic, gas-guzzling symbol of excess. We’re talking 10-12 miles per gallon on a good day. And it was, what, $50,000? Maybe more? In a world that was already starting to think about fuel efficiency, this thing was like showing up to a vegan potluck with a whole roasted ox. Just completely out of touch. A total flex that nobody really asked for.

Plymouth Prowler

This one hurts because it looked so cool! It was a factory-built hot rod, with those open wheels and everything. But then you looked under the hood and it had a wimpy V6. A V6! In a car that looked like it should have a massive supercharged V8 roaring away. And it didn’t even have a manual transmission option! It was all for show. It was around $40,000 for a car that was 90% style and 10% performance. Such a missed opportunity. It’s like they built the perfect body and then forgot to give it a soul.

Volkswagen New Beetle

Okay, don’t get me wrong, the idea was fantastic. The original Beetle was a legend. The New Beetle was cute, it was cheerful, it brought back that flower vase on the dashboard. But… it was kinda a Golf in a weird-shaped body. The driving experience was just okay, and the shape murdered rear visibility. It was more of a fashion statement than a truly great car. Started at like $16,000, and it was huge for a while, but the charm wore off pretty quick for a lot of people. It felt a bit… gimmicky after the initial “aww, how cute” phase.

Honda Element

I know, I know, some people loved the Element. And I get it! The plastic cladding was practically indestructible, the seats folded into a bed, the doors opened like a… well, not a car. But the design was so… boxy. It looked like a toaster on wheels. A really functional, practical toaster, but still. It was just a bit too utilitarian for most people, and the interior was very plasticky. For about $20,000, it was a great dog car or beach car, but as a daily driver for a normal person? It was a tough sell. A weird, square, tough sell.

Ford Five Hundred

This was Ford’s big attempt at a sophisticated, roomy sedan to take on the likes of Camry and Accord. And it was… fine? But it was so, so bland. It looked like every other sedan but slightly taller. They even tried to link it back to the classic Fairlane 500 name, which just felt wrong. It was underpowered and just utterly forgettable. I think it was around $23,000, and you could just feel the “meh” radiating from it. It was the automotive equivalent of plain oatmeal.

Fisker Karma

This was supposed to be the cool, sexy rival to the Tesla Model S. And my god, it was gorgeous. A real head-turner. But it was a plug-in hybrid, and its electric range was pitiful, and then the gas engine would kick in. It was also notoriously buggy. And the price! We’re talking over $100,000! For a car that was less practical and less reliable than its competitors. It was all about the drama and the looks, but it was a bit of a mess underneath that beautiful skin. A classic case of style over substance.

Cadillac Cimarron

Oh, this is the king. The absolute legend of bad comebacks. In the 80s, Cadillac needed a small car to compete with the Germans, so what did they do? They took a humble Chevrolet Cavalier, slapped some leather and a Cadillac badge on it, and charged like $12,000 for it—which was a lot back then!. Just a complete and total misfire.