What is the crappiest car of all time?

The Subaru 360: A Tiny Car That Flopped Big Time

When it comes to infamous automotive missteps, the Subaru 360 stands out—especially its brief, ill-fated run in North America from 1968 to 1970. Meant to bring affordable, fuel-sipping transportation to American drivers, this microcar instead became a textbook example of how not to enter a new market.

Shaped like a rounded egg on wheels, the Subaru 360 earned the nickname “the most bulbous bubble ever to putt-putt” from Car and Driver, which also labeled it one of the ugliest cars in history. But its looks were just the beginning. Under the tiny rear hatch sat a 356cc two-stroke engine producing a meager 36 horsepower—hardly enough to keep up with highway traffic, let alone inspire confidence on a long drive.

Worse still, the 360’s build quality and safety standards fell drastically short of American expectations. It weighed less than 900 pounds, making it perilous in even minor collisions. Consumer Reports famously refused to recommend it, citing serious concerns over performance, braking, and structural integrity. Critics joked that it was one strong gust of wind away from disaster.

Subaru sold fewer than 10,000 units in the U.S. before pulling the plug. The brand would later rebound with reliable, practical vehicles like the Outback and Impreza, but the 360 remains a painful footnote. It wasn’t just a commercial failure—it became a symbol of cultural mismatch, overreach, and the perils of underestimating American roads (and drivers).

In the end, the Subaru 360 didn’t just struggle to find buyers—it struggled to stay relevant. Today, it’s remembered less as a car and more as a curious relic: a tiny, noisy misadventure in automotive history.