What's That Name Again?
Some car names are bold, some are classy, and then there are the ones that make no sense at all. It’s hard to believe that major car manufacturers signed off on names that sound more like jokes than serious branding. So let's take a closer look at 20 of the biggest car name blunders that prove that not every marketing idea should make it to the dealership.
1. Mitsubishi Minica Lettuce
Mitsubishi made the Minica Lettuce sound more like a salad than a car. The name came from a supermarket partnership, but slapping "Lettuce" on a kei car turned it into a punchline. Drivers didn’t buy vegetables; they bought vehicles. Despite its practicality, the name made it hard to take seriously.
Toyotacoronaexsaloon on Wikimedia
2. Mazda Bongo Friendee
Naming a vehicle after an enthusiastic friend is one thing, but Mazda took it too far. The Bongo Friendee, a camper van from the '90s, featured an electric pop-up roof, ideal for road trips. Its name made it sound more like a children’s cartoon character than a reliable mode of transport.
3. Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard
Spellbindingly strange, this SUV from the early 2000s sounded like a forgotten Harry Potter character. Isuzu decided that "utility" alone wasn’t enough—it had to be "mysterious" too. With four-wheel drive and a name longer than some novels, this vehicle truly enchanted the market (or confused it).
4. Mitsubishi Carisma
This sedan had everything—except charisma. Despite decent sales figures in Europe, the Carisma suffered from bland styling and forgettable performance. Naming a dull car after an appealing trait was a bold move. However, ultimately, it didn’t make up for the model’s complete lack of excitement.
5. Geely Beauty Leopard
China’s Geely Auto wanted to bring a sense of wild elegance to the market in the early 2000s. Instead, they produced the Beauty Leopard, a coupe that looked neither beautiful nor predatory. With a 1.8-liter engine and clunky design, it had all the charm of a mismatched animal print outfit.
6. Ford Probe
Few car names make people this uncomfortable. Introduced in 1988 as a potential Mustang replacement, the Ford Probe was a sleek sports coupe with a name better suited for a medical procedure. Unsurprisingly, it failed to inspire confidence in buyers who preferred cars that didn’t sound invasive.
7. Suzuki Esteem
Confidence should be earned, not declared. The Suzuki Esteem, released in the mid-'90s, was a small sedan with modest specs and economy-focused engineering. No amount of branding could make it more exciting, and if cars could talk, this one would probably be saying, “I’m fine, really.”
dave_7 from Canada on Wikimedia
8. Honda That’s
That’s... what, exactly? This oddly named kei car left buyers guessing. Honda never clarified what "That’s" was supposed to mean. A sentence fragment masquerading as a car name created confusion rather than enthusiasm. That’s marketing at its weirdest.
9. Toyota Deliboy
Boxy and practical, the Toyota Deliboy was Japan’s answer to urban delivery vehicles. Its name, however, made it sound like an overeager sandwich shop employee. Though popular in the '90s, it never gained international fame—probably because nobody wants to drive a car that sounds like a lunch order.
10. Chevrolet Celebrity
The Chevrolet Celebrity had one of the most over-the-top names for a car that was anything but star-worthy. It was launched in the '80s as a plain, front-wheel-drive family sedan. There was nothing flashy, luxurious, or remotely "celebrity" about it.
11. Volkswagen Thing
Functionality over finesse was Volkswagen’s philosophy when it released this military-style vehicle. The Thing, or Type 181, was a utilitarian, open-top vehicle with almost no luxury. Its name suggested that even Volkswagen wasn’t sure what to call it, so they just settled on "Thing."
12. Ford Taunus P2 (Barocktaunus)
Luxury should never sound like a medieval fortress. The 1957 Ford Taunus P2, dubbed "Barocktaunus" in Germany, tried to be stylish but ended up sounding like a lost opera. Over-the-top names rarely age well, and this one was no exception.
Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England on Wikimedia
13. Mitsuoka Orochi
Named after an eight-headed serpent from Japanese folklore, the Mitsuoka Orochi looked just as bizarre as its mythological inspiration. Its odd, amphibian-like design matched its fearsome name—not exactly the sleek sports car most buyers dreamed of.
Tokumeigakarinoaoshima on Wikimedia
14. Renault Le Car
Renault took minimalism to a whole new level with Le Car. Instead of a bold or creative name, they just called it "The Car"—but in French, to make it sound fancier. In reality, it made the name both ridiculous and redundant, especially for English speakers.
15. AMC Gremlin
Few car names imply built-in defects, but AMC went there in 1970. The Gremlin, an oddly shaped subcompact, lived up to its mischievous name with reliability issues and a questionable design. Naming a car after a creature known for causing malfunctions? Bold strategy.
16. Chevrolet Citation
Chevrolet named the Citation as if it was already in trouble. Who wants to drive a car named after a penalty? To make things worse, the Citation lived up to its name with recalls, quality issues, and a reputation for trouble.
Herranderssvensson on Wikimedia
17. Hyundai Kona
Hyundai gave the Kona a name meant to evoke tropical vibes and adventure, but it didn’t quite work everywhere. In Portugal, "Kona" closely resembles a slang term, making it an unfortunate choice for that market. This name unintentionally sparked laughter in certain regions.
18. Honda Joy Machine
Honda named it the Joy Machine, making it sound like a party on wheels. The name felt more suited for an amusement park ride or a futuristic arcade game. Overall, the "Joy Machine" created curiosity, even if the experience didn’t match the excitement it promised.
19. Subaru Brat
In an era when compact trucks were gaining popularity, Subaru introduced the BRAT (Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter). Though it featured all-wheel drive, the name was more suited for a tantrum-throwing toddler than a vehicle.
20. Subaru FF-1 Star
Subaru gave the FF-1 Star a name that felt more like a technical code than something made for the road. "FF-1" sounded like a factory prototype, and "Star" added an odd contrast that never quite fit. The car had its merits, though the name made it feel more like an experiment than a standout model.
