From Thrill to Kill: The Deadliest Cars Ever Made And Their Shocking Flaws

Some cars are made without much thought being given to the need for safety and security out on the road, making them the deadliest cars ever made.

Whether it was a penchant for bursting into flames or dangerous driving manners, some cars weren’t safe in the hands of your average driver. Today, most cars come with advanced safety features and electronic nannies to take over some of the driving for you. These modern, safe, and secure vehicles don’t compete with the deadliest cars that have ever hit the roads. Let’s look at a few and what caused them to be dangerous.

Pontiac Fiero

The Fiero is well-known as a dangerous car. It was low-slung, made of fiberglass, and had a set of hidden pop-up headlights that often malfunctioned, leaving drivers with only one light working while driving at night. The Fiero was only sold from 1983-1988, but it managed to rack up several cases of danger and trouble on the roads. This little two-door coupe would often overheat, leaked oil, and the engine burst into flames in at least 260 cases. This car lacked any hint of safety, but thankfully, only six people were injured during those engine fires.

Chevrolet Corvair

You can still find some Corvair models at car shows, but this is easily one of the deadliest cars ever made. It was so bad that Ralph Nager called it “unsafe at any speed” and titled a book from this saying. The Corvair had a rear-engine layout, but that caused the steering to be extremely difficult, especially at higher speeds. Tire pressure differences were required between the front and rear tires to avoid oversteering, which should have been a hint that this car was too dangerous to be on the road. Thankfully, it was only offered from 1960-1963.

Ford Pinto

Are there any cars that can cook your family while driving? The Ford Pinto could do just that. This car was called “a barbecue that seats four,” which is certainly unappealing when you want your family to be safe on the road. The Pinto was a 1970s car that was prone to gas tank explosions, a problem that killed 27 people. Another Pinto problem was its penchant to hop gears, which killed 24 people on the road.

Chevrolet Cobalt

Some relatively modern cars are among the most dangerous cars ever made. The Chevy Cobalt is responsible for killing 124 people and seriously injuring 274 more. The trouble began with the side airbags, which were rated Poor by the IIHS for the 2005-2008 models. This low safety rating and high fatality rate eventually led to several recalls for various reasons, including power steering problems, fuel leaks, and faulty switches, which could cut the engine’s power while driving and deactivate the airbags, which is a recipe for certain fatalities.

Suzuki Samurai

The Samurai came from Japan and brought a foreign disease to the car world called the “death wobble.” This little SUV was known for being top-heavy and would easily roll over in turns, which caused this Suzuki to have a terrible reputation. This SUV was in the market long enough to cause 213 deaths and 8,200 injuries from 1986-1995. This caused the company to settle more than 200 wrongful death and injury lawsuits, but the company was terribly unapologetic for the deadly machine.

Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer is one of the most well-loved SUVs in the American auto market, but it is also among the deadliest cars ever made. From 1990-2004, there were 330 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries associated with the Ford Explorer. The Explorer from that time used the same suspension and Firestone tires as the Ranger truck, but the Ranger was 600 pounds lighter than the Explorer, making the heavier SUV unstable and with a high tendency to roll over. Making things worse, the Firestone tire tread was known to separate, which made for trouble on any road.

Ford Bronco II

When Consumer Reports warns to avoid a vehicle and the IIHS lists it as the most deadly vehicle, you should probably run away screaming. The Ford Bronco II was known as “The Bucking Bronco” for its tendency to pop up on two wheels, even while turning slowly. During the Bronco II’s time on the road, 823 people were killed due to rolling over in this Ford SUV. Thankfully, the Bronco II was only produced from 1983-1990, although it was strangely never recalled.

These are seven of the deadliest cars ever made. Thankfully, most of them aren’t part of the current market, and most owners understand the dangers of these vehicles.