The Most Dangerous Cars Of All Time

Drivers Watch Out!

Cars are beautiful, complex objects that have captured the hearts of millions of people. That being said, they also have a strong capability to end your life, as evidenced by this list.

DeLorean DM 12

The film Back to the Future certainly served as effective propaganda for the DeLorean car, but look under the hood and you’ll see a lot of problems. In fact, it became specifically notorious for how dangerous it was.

One big problem was that the jammed doors couldn’t be opened from the inside, and the small windows offered no escape route. These issues might remind you of modern problems with Tesla cars.

Chevrolet Camaro Coupe

Why specifically is this car so bad for that though? It seems like the muscle car format inspires a lot of reckless driving, as they make people feel big and powerful when behind the wheel.

Audi 5000

Prone to unpredictable acceleration, the faulty engines could make the fate of your drive happen in a split second. And think about the other people on the road being affected by this too.

Chevrolet Corvette

The name “Corvette" has a strong association with drivers around the world. In particular, it’s a draw to young drivers who want to speed up on the freeway.

Unfortunately, the combination of its powerful engine, aerodynamic design, aggressive driving tendencies, and narrow tires resulted in far too many accidents. This is a problem that unfortunately persists to this day.

Dodge Charger Hemi

Hemi Chargers pose a high risk not just to their own drivers but to others on the road as well. They hold the second-highest rate of "other-driver" deaths at 164 per million registered vehicles.

Kia Rio

One of the smallest and most affordable cars out there, the Kia Rio has been known to struggle with safety performance. Since the start of the 21st century, it’s been considered one of the most dangerous vehicles in the United States.

The 2012 to 2014 models were alleged to have significant vulnerabilities, particularly in the head and leg areas. These regions were found to be prone to severe, potentially fatal injuries in rear-end collisions.

Pontiac Fiero

This two-seater car, sold from 1983 to 1988, met the needs of buyers seeking smaller, more efficient vehicles but couldn’t promise much on the end of safety. The problematic coolant features had a tendency of leading to fires.

The problem was the coolant lines were placed in unsuitable engine locations and, additionally, there was incorrect oil fill guidance, leading to chronic under-filling and oil leakage that created numerous engine fires. It’s a shame, as the intention of the car was good.

Ford Bronco II

The market demanded a compact SUV and in response, Ford gave consumers the Bronco II. Despite its initial popularity, the Bronco II gained a reputation for frequent roll-overs.

The car’s high body design made navigating curved roads dangerous. It is widely believed that drivers attempting tight turns at high speeds contributed to numerous accidents.

Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer followed in the wake of the controversial Bronco II and was a top-heavy medium-sized SUV mounted on a truck chassis not designed for its weight and dimensions, leading to non-stop rollover issues. Despite some attempts to address this, Ford neglected the core body design flaws, which just made things worse.

The car suffered further accidents due to low tire pressure, meaning tread loss and crashes from reduced grip. Fortunately, by the 2010s, Ford got its act together with the car.

Yugo GV

In the 1980s, this car tried to make itself known on the market with the tagline “Great Value”. However, this affordability came at the cost of quality, as the vehicle was constructed with cheap materials and poor design.

The Yugo GV provided no protection in frontal crashes, lacked safety features, and had an unreliable engine that rattled and eventually disintegrated, putting drivers at high risk. Furthermore, around 126,000 Yugo GVs were recalled because their carburetor fuel systems failed to comply with air pollution standards.

1984 Maserati Biturbo

The Maserati Biturbo, though not the most beautiful car to look at, was nonetheless representative of many design trends of the time. However, despite looking okay enough, the vehicle suffered from pretty significant design flaws.

Consumers quickly turned on the 1984 model, as it was prone to breaking parts or burning out regularly. A bad product is one thing, a bad product that can kill you is a whole other.

1923 Chevrolet Series M

In 1923, Chevrolet introduced the Series M, which provided even more headaches after a number of failed ventures. The car distinguished itself by featuring individual air-cooled cylinders equipped with copper fins, meant as an innovative alternative.

The design made it prone to overheating, meaning it was unreliable and unsafe in hot weather. Basically, driving it in Florida could result in death.

1955 BMW Isetta

A lot of people think the BMW brand has been spotless, but the 1955 Isetta model says otherwise. To begin with, it wasn’t a very pleasant vehicle to look at.

Featuring a wholly impractical engine that made walking a better option, the car offered virtually no redeeming qualities. It’s pretty easy to imagine it being crashed into or crushed by bigger, better cars.

1956 Renault Dauphine

The 1956 Renault Dauphine was among the slowest cars of the mid-20th century. Its rear-mounted engine produced a mere 32 horsepower, meaning you couldn’t expect it to get you anywhere soon.

Again, fast cars are very dangerous, but one that moves that slowly on the freeway would be a nightmare. At least the car was a cheap buy!

1957 Trabant

This car was introduced in East Germany, and thus aimed at a buyership who wanted to shun western decadence. With only 18 horsepower and a front-wheel-drive system, it was the definition of a basic vehicle.

Missing essentials like brake lights or turn signals, the car frankly would’ve been kind of dangerous to drive in. Thankfully, the car never hit the American market.

1960 Chevrolet Corvair

The 1960 Chevrolet Corvair exemplifies why you should never put the engine at the rear of a vehicle. This design, with excessive weight concentrated at the back, caused the Corvair to spin out rather frequently.

Intended as the brand’s response to the Volkswagen Beetle, this car instead proved quite hazardous, whether one oversteered or understeered. Consequently, there were over 100 lawsuits related to crashes with the car.

1968 Volkswagen 411/412

These models were considered the least attractive Volkswagens ever released, defined by a bulky and uncomfortable design. They were also equipped with rear-mounted, air-cooled engines, which ended up causing further trouble.

The engine, fitted with twin carburetors, was advertised to deliver up to 80 horsepower, but it had a considerable flaw: it was prone to catching fire. This problematic 411 car was soon succeeded by the even more disappointing 412 model.

1971 Chevrolet Vega

This car initially seemed promising, but it was plagued by several mechanical issues. Its aluminum engine, while cost-effective, proved to be a significant source of trouble.

Critics were initially favorable of the car but the lack of quality control became gradually very evident, exemplified by a 1972 recall due to rear axle shafts detaching, which caused the wheels to fall off. You really don’t want that happening while you’re driving!

1971 Ford Pinto

This car is widely considered an all-time classic disaster due to its tendency to burst into flames even during low-speed collisions. It seemed to all stem from a poorly designed gas tank that would rupture upon impact.

It’s estimated that as many as 180 deaths were linked to this car and its fuel tank fires. Despite this, Ford opted against recalling the card, determining it was more cost-effective to settle with victims rather than fix the actual problem.

1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Diesel

This car was a valiant effort by the United States to develop a diesel engine as a response to the 1973 oil crisis. Unfortunately, this diesel variant of the Cutlass Supreme was very problematic.