What is the most underpowered vehicle found in large numbers on the roads today?

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I'm thinking about buying a 1996 Ranger, with the 2.3L and extended cab. This will not be a peppy performer, with ~115 horsepower motivating 3300 lbs. But it made me think of some of the truly slow vehicles I've owned... There was an era (the 1980's) when almost every car made was very slow by modern standards and some were outrageously underpowered.


You don't see many NA diesel Jettas or air-cooled VW buses out there on the highways anymore, but there are still 4-cyl Rangers and S10s plugging along.

So... what do you think is the slowest vehicle that is still pretty common on the roads today? Is it the Ranger?
 
Yeah, our four cylinder Ranger at work is almost unsafe in how slow it is. I think it's a 2010. 2.3L four cylinder with 143hp I think? Makes my super slow 171hp 2.5L Ford Escape feel like a rocketship and that isn't saying much!
 
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Originally Posted by brages
You don't see many NA diesel Jettas or air-cooled VW buses out there on the highways anymore, but there are still 4-cyl Rangers and S10s plugging along.

So... what do you think is the slowest vehicle that is still pretty common on the roads today? Is it the Ranger?


Nah, 2.2 S10 is definitely slower
lol.gif


Mines especially slow with 3.42 rear gear... I've gotten passed by loaded semi's going up the 10% grade mountain...
 
A Mitsubishi Mirage with the CVT. Try one, you won't be disappointed. Or wait.. you'll be wholly disappointed.
 
If you want to get into vehicles on sale today, the subcompact crossover class comes to mind. Toyota CH-R, Honda HRV, Ford Ecosport for example, all either close to or over 10 seconds to 60mph. The subaru crosstrek is another which is just slow for a brand new car in 2019.
 
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Any Subaru with the 2.0/2.5L N/A engine, the Prius - and I live to tell some almost gnarly overtakes I had to do. For some reason, even though a Prius has more torque than a Scion xA/xB/xD and the Echo/Yaris, it doesn't have the go for passing.

The Ford-era Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager was also a dog. Why didn't Nissan stick in a VE30DE/VQ30DE into the Quest? Certainly would have been better to move 4500lbs around.
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Underpowered vehicles were not sold in the US for at least 50 years.



I agree, most vehicles have "enough" power. If i had to chime in though, i will say I recently rented a Subaru Outback and went to pass at 70mph and was surprised how much effort it took. Granted, it was a n/a 4 cyl and this was in Colorado elevation. As an aside, I thought the car was pretty cool, never driven a Subie before

Also, someone mentioned the 2.3 Ranger. I thought it was ok, except one condition; towing! I once towed a small trailer with my '09 loaded with under 1000lbs, and it acted like it had a Geo motor in it!
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Underpowered vehicles were not sold in the US for at least 50 years.
I mostly agree, although vehicles of around 40-45 years ago were generally closer to "underpowered" than those of 50-55 years ago. Typical American V8s of the mid-1970s were slower than any of the modern vehicles that are ridiculed in preceding posts of this thread.
 
Today's underpowered vehicle was a halfway decent performer back in the day.

My 71 chevy mailibu and 68 ford galaxie were both 4000 pound cars with small block V-8's both rated at 200HP. Most cars today (except for the slow ones mentioned here) are quicker than those cars which were considered to be adequately powered at the time.

Those vehicles did have more low end torque and could climb hills quickly without needing high rpms, or tow rather heavy loads without anything breaking.
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Underpowered vehicles were not sold in the US for at least 50 years.


Which 50 yrs? Plenty of under-powered vehicles from the 1970's and 80's. Our 1963 Plymouth Valiant with 101 hp certainly wasn't powered well. And the Chevy Corvair of 1960-1964 at 80 hp wasn't exactly quick. Model T's were no speedsters either....with the 1920 Model T at 20 hp. Cars were fairly powerful in the 1930's through 1950's....but that's not nearly 50 yrs. But, I'd bet if we looked hard we'd find some slugs there as well.
 
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Originally Posted by zorobabel
Underpowered vehicles were not sold in the US for at least 50 years.

I am soon probably going to get BMW 328i E90 from around 2011.
So, I was looking on youtube some videos and the guys says: yeah, it is not fastest BMW, it takes some 6 seconds to 60.
Since when 6 seconds are slow? Most interestingly with sport package it can hit 150mph, but apparently it is pretty slow.
 
Another Ford Ranger vote. Years ago we picked up a used bare bones base model 1997 Ford Ranger regular cab, short box 4x2, 2.5L 5spd for my dad for $3K. This was probably about 2002. It was in good shape and had about 80K miles on it IIRC. It was so gutless the first time I drove it I thought the parking brake was dragging. I considered buying a new one back in 1992, similar configuration. Terrible even for those days.
 
I had a 76 LeMans with a 110HP Olds 4.3L V8; bought it for $150, with about 60K on it; estate car.

Regardless of the fact that all my vehicles I currently drive have been mentioned, the LeMans is a class leader in dangerously slow vehciles
 
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Originally Posted by CR94
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Underpowered vehicles were not sold in the US for at least 50 years.
I mostly agree, although vehicles of around 40-45 years ago were generally closer to "underpowered" than those of 50-55 years ago. Typical American V8s of the mid-1970s were slower than any of the modern vehicles that are ridiculed in preceding posts of this thread.


Disagree, my first mid-'70s car had a 350cu in and 4 barrel carb, was not slow at all. First late '70s car had a 305cu in and wasn't slow either, both completely stock (Oldsmobiles no less, not sports cars), quite fast compared to say a Geo Prizm, and had higher top ends than a Trans Am of the era... just couldn't go over 140MPH without the steering/front suspension getting nervous.

The Geo Prizm though, Yugo, Ford Escort Pony, etc., several very cheap compact cars were arguably underpowered, could not even maintain 55 MPH going up hills on the interstate.
 
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