Cars and Drivers

This Is the Slowest Car in America

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: September 27, 2021 8:30 am

Stories about cars are so popular that several media have been supported by writing about them for years. At the head of this list are Motor Trend and Car and Driver. They are, however, only the tip of an iceberg of hundreds of websites and magazines that cover cars. Among the most written about aspects of individual models is how fast they are. Usually, this is measured by an old but arbitrary yardstick. How fast can a car travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour?

Most lists of fastest cars are dominated by highly expensive models from companies like Porsche and Ferrari. The American-built Chevy Corvette often makes these lists. Some of these can travel from zero to 60 in less than three seconds. They all have gasoline-driven engines. These lists have been partially upended by extremely fast electric cars. The new Tesla Model S Plaid can go from 0 to 60 in 1.98 seconds, which arguably makes it the fastest car for sale in the United States.

One subject the car media rarely covers is which are the slowest cars people can buy in America. Motor Trend has a slow cars list that includes every car it tested from the 2020 model year.

The slowest car was the 2020 Nissan Kicks SR, with a 0 to 60 time of 10.5 seconds. Nissan markets it as a “fuel-efficient compact crossover.” Crossovers have become a large part of the U.S. car market as buyers drop sedans to buy crossovers and sport utility vehicles. The Kicks has a very low price point of $19,600, based on its manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). Higher-end models of the car have prices approaching $25,000.

One advantage of the Kicks that Nissan markets is that it is highly fuel efficient. The 2021 model gets 31 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway. The primary reason is its small 122 horsepower engine.

Overall, the Kicks gets mediocre reviews from car media and research firms. U.S. News rates it 7.4 out of 10. So does Edmunds. Car and Driver gives it a slightly better 7.5 out of 10.

Click here to read about the slowest-selling car in America.