7 Scary Cars That Will Haunt Your Halloween

Your costume looks amazing, you have candy for all the kids, but what is that abomination coming down the road? All Hallows' Eve should be a fun & spooky evening, so be prepared to get scared!

Pontiac Aztek

This one goes without saying...The year is 1999, and somewhere deep inside General Motors, a design team was hard at work. They were given a lackluster chassis and an ancient engine with one goal: build a crossover for active young adults. What emerged was a practical, small SUV that easily converted into a campsite. Between the front seats was an insulated cooler that served as the centerpiece for your base camp. The cargo area incorporated a sturdy tent, with audio controlled by a touchpad in the rear pillar. It all looked great on paper, but leave it to stylists to make this “thing” completely abhorrent.

Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet

You can’t deny the practicality of the Murano. It offers the power and reliability of their VQ V6 along with AWD. However, a project designed for the 2010 L.A. Auto Show somehow made it to production. Convertibles are hard to build due to U.S. regulations, and they are also not a popular segment for the average buyer. Nevertheless, a faction at Nissan liked the idea of a topless crossover.

There were only a few issues bringing it to market. Losing the roof required significant changes to the suspension, which added weight and made it slower. The top was powered by electro-hydraulics, adding weight and making it even slower. Finally, it had a base price of $43,690, a tough pill for Nissan customers to swallow.

Your Old Car

Let's face it, you're never expected to see your old car again. Think back to all the crazy, sleazy, or regretful things your previous cars had to endure. Should you find yourself out on Sunday night, there is one sound that will drive fear into your heart.

The memories of your old car were supposed to be gone, locked into a chest, and dumped into the sea. Coming down the road, you hear an exhaust unlike any other. At first, you fear your parents or your ex, but then you remember the poor soul you sold it to. Run! Run and find solace in candy to make the memories fade.

Police Cars

We strongly advocate obeying all State and Federal laws. That being said, it is very easy for Law Enforcement to find issues with our hobby. Looking down to the garage, my cars could keep the cops busy for hours. Here in Florida, our locals love to write tickets for window tint, exhaust, and loud music. One problem that confounds the police is what they drive. Unmarked police tend to drive Dodge Chargers and Ford Explorers. These would easily blend in if not for their black steel wheels. Other clues like the lack of a roof-rack and a spotlight in the A-pillar will alert you to the fuzz.

Prius

Look, we have no problems with saving the environment. You can't deny its ability to offer fewer greenhouse emissions, but Prius people are not our people. They don’t care about performance. Even the newest models can’t reach 60 mph in under 9 seconds. They don’t care about style. A few words to describe the Prius are: Pensive, Angry, and unapologetic.

Saving the Earth shouldn’t evoke such polarizing views. The hybrid system lacks decent torque, so you are running on gas alone at any speed above 60 mph. Should you encounter one in the wild, consider the thought process the owner had to go through.

Subaru B9 Tribeca

This one really takes some deep thought. TriBeCa is an affluent neighborhood in New York City. Literally, the "Triangle Below Canal" is home to celebrities and the aristocracy. While it is a great name for a Film Festival, it doesn't explain a strange crossover based on the best-selling Legacy.

In the early 2000s, GM had too much cash. Instead of saving it, they bought decent shares of Saab and Subaru. This led to neat projects like the Saab 9-2x, essentially a Swedish WRX wagon. They can’t all be winners, so we were sold an amalgamation of bad ideas. If you see one, ask the owner what led them to such a decision.

Squat Trucks

We saved the best for last. A popular trend in the Southeastern U.S. has been to raise the front of trucks and SUVs. The “Carolina Squat” is a common sight from Miami to Maryland, and it has gained popularity, in part thanks to being outlawed by numerous agencies. Raising the front and dropping the back of any car will make it unstable. Aside from making it very hard to see in front of them, they are very twitchy in bad weather. If you see one, you have ventured too far away from civilization. Turn back immediately or risk encountering insecure bumpkins!

It looks as if America needs another round of Cash 4 Clunkers. Tell us which cars keep you awake at night, and have a Happy Halloween from all of us at autoevolution!