Which popular car do you secretly can’t stand?

It’s time to come together and call out the cars that, despite their popularity, we just don’t like

Every year, automakers churn out new sheet metal assembly lines, but few end up making a splash. Among this group, even fewer achieve widespread appeal or popularity. Above all, it is rare to find people who ultimately maintain this sense of fraternity. Today, we’re rolling up our sleeves and asking a real question: Which car is everyone else’s favorite and gives you goosebumps? Let me set the tone first – I think the Volkswagen Golf GTI is as bland as a store-brand Coke passing off as Coca-Cola.

Before we get into that, it’s worth noting that popular cars aren’t all loved for the same reasons. Some are popular because of their heritage, while others have broad appeal because they are truly superior in design, reliability or practicality. Such vehicles may be the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Camry and Tesla Model 3.

Review: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition is a rock-crawling muscle car

That doesn’t mean cars like this are without flaws, and to some, those flaws are inexcusable. The Jeep Wrangler, for example, is great off-road but unapologetic when it comes to driving on tarmac, where most people spend most of their lives.

The Toyota Camry might be the perfect car to make it clear that you’re buying based on practicality rather than performance or fun. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just that if you enjoy driving even a little bit, you’ll immediately lose interest. The Tesla Model 3 has its own problems, such as a lack of physical controls and controversy surrounding Autopilot and semi-autonomous systems for full self-driving. These cars are generally good, but there is no doubt that some people will hate them despite this.

Personally, I’ll openly admit that I’m not entirely a fan of the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Was the original a unique and noteworthy car from a historical perspective? Sure, but the truth is, the GTI didn’t so much invent the hatchback category as it popularized it, with cars like the AMC Gremlin (remember that?), the Autobianchi A112 Abarth and the Renault 5 Alpine.

To my eyes, the Golf GTI feels like a hatchback that’s coasting on its reputation. In the U.S., customers miss out on the 262-hp upgrade that European-spec models get and are limited to 242 hp, and there’s no manual option, just DSG. Cars like the Toyota GR Corolla actually push the envelope of the segment in terms of driver engagement and performance; yes, we know the Golf R pretty well, but it’s a different (and more expensive) car compared to the GTI of beast.

So, yes, I’m going to say this: the Golf GTI is overrated. That’s fine, but this isn’t the second coming of driving nirvana. fight with me

Regardless, it’s time to pass the baton to you, dear reader. What popular car do you secretly (or publicly) despise? Could it be the Porsche 911, because everyone regards it as a god? Is the Honda Civic ever “good enough” to be reliable? Or maybe it’s something else entirely. Shout in the comments and let the hate flow as freely as overpriced synthetic oil at a luxury dealership.