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Over the years, there have been loads of trucks and SUVs to come and go. Some of them have amazing model names, and some do not. In some cases, a bad name can prevent a vehicle from selling well if it doesn’t sound nice to the consumer. Nowadays, automakers are putting extensive work into researching the best name for a new vehicle model that will help market it to the right demographic. When automakers don’t do that so well, they come up with some hilariously bad names for trucks and SUVs. Here are some of the funniest, and worst, options.

Subaru Brat (1978-1994) – Pickup truck (small coupe utility)

A white Subaru Brat parked near a bridge
Subaru Brat | Wikimedia

The Brat was what came before the Subaru Baja. A small coupe utility vehicle, the Brat only had the name in the United States. The same vehicle, when sold in other countries, is known as the Subaru 284. The name “Brat” is actually not a person who slams doors and stomps their feet out of the room, it’s actually an acronym. Bi-drive recreational all-terrain transporter sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. A fun fact about the Brat is that President Ronald Regan owned one until 1998. It was eventually restored and is still sitting on his old ranch in California.

Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard (1990-1998) – SUV

A black Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard parked on the street
Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard | Wikimedia

The Mysterious Utility Wizard is the 1990 five-door version of the original three-door MU, released in 1989. The Isuzu Wizard replaced both Mysterious Utility models in 1998. If that was the original name of the midsize SUV, it wouldn’t be on this list. The name for this one is not only exceptionally long, but it sounds like the name of the next book from J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Mysterious Utility Wizard might be interesting, but the Isuzu MU Wizard is one of the funniest, worst names for a vehicle we’ve ever seen.

Volkswagen Thing (1974-1974) – SUV

Orange Volkswagen thing parked outside near trees
Volkswagen Thing | Flickr

This four-door, convertible SUV was originally manufactured for use by the Western German Army. It was titled the Volkswagen 181, but that changed every time it went to a new country. The Thing was the title of this vehicle only in the United States. It gained other names as it traveled the world and was sold in different places. In Mexico and South America, it was known as the Safari, the Trekker in the UK, and even the Kurierwagen in West Germany when produced for civilians. Its time in the US was short-lived and part of it might have been because no one wanted to tell people they just bought a brand new Thing.

Nissan Friend-Me (Concept) – SUV

The Nissan Friend-Me concept from the Auto Expo in Indiana in 2013
Nissan Friend-Me Concept | (Photo by Pradeep Gaur/Mint via Getty Images)

The Nissan Friend-Me never became available to the public after its announcement. The Nissan Friend-Me is one of the worst names we’ve ever heard. Nissan introduced it as a concept in 2013 and said it would deliver on customer aspirations in China. What those aspirations were, we remain unsure. Nissan wanted to deliver a vehicle that connected drivers to the vehicle, meant to appease the younger generation in China. It even used the phrase “Four Seats, One Mind Connectivity” to market the vehicle, which today seems a little off-putting.

Chevrolet LUV (1972-1980) – Pickup truck

A Chevrolet LUV pickup truck driving off-road near tall grass
1974 Chevrolet LUV | (Photo by Eric Rickman/The Enthusiast Network via Getty Images/Getty Images)

The Chevrolet LUV got rebadged for new generations a few different times but was always designed and manufactured by Isuzu. After production of the Chevrolet LUV ended, it gained the names Isuzu Faster, Chevrolet S-10, and eventually the Chevrolet LUV D-Max and Isuzu D-Max. This light pickup truck received its name for just that reason. LUV is not a shortened version of the word love because you’ll love the truck so much. It’s another acronym, which stands for Light Utility Vehicle.

These are just some of the funniest and worst pickup truck and SUV names we could find. There are many more, some of which get a little less appropriate. Driving.co.uk shared many more of the most ridiculous car names ever. Most modern vehicle names are much better not only because the massive marketing teams who produce them are good, but also because they just don’t sound outdated. Modern truck and SUV names aren’t perfect, but Dodge definitely isn’t bringing back the Dart Swinger any time soon.

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