Whether it’s a great car or it’s a terrible car, many cars have made a significant impact on the world. This impact could be from its sales or lack thereof, or it could be from how iconic the car is. Here are five of the most significant cars of this decade according to Car and Driver.

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage 

The Mirage is regarded by Car and Driver as an ugly and terrible car. But despite that, according to Car and Driver, the Mirage has continued to sell well in every year that it’s been on the market. 

Only about 24,000 Mirages were sold in the U.S. in 2018, which is still a respectable number considering how hated it is. Because of that fact, however, many don’t think that the Mirage is as significant as Car and Driver makes it out to be. 

Like Car and Driver and other review sites said, the Mirage isn’t a great car, but it selling well in spite of that doesn’t make it a significant car at all.  

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Car and Driver say that the Volt is a significant car because of its failure. Drivers didn’t warm up to this plug-in hybrid and that’s why Chevy ceased production of it. 

Chevy used the lessons that it learned from the Volt’s failure to allow the Bolt, a fully electric car, to succeed. And the Bolt has succeeded, as it’s now the best selling non-Tesla electric car on the market. Without learning those lessons from the Volt’s failures, the Bolt may not have been as successful as it is today.

2015 Ford F-150

Car and Driver say that the 2015 F-150 is one of the most significant cars of this decade. The EcoBoost V6 engine option is the leading reason for that.

The latest models of the F-150 all heavily feature the EcoBoost V6. This is an engine that provides a similar power and torque to a V8 engine, while consuming less fuel. The popularity and success of the EcoBoost V6 for the F-150 could be a reason why Ford is pursuing an all-electric F-150 for the near future.

2014 Ferrari LaFerrari 

When hypercars are going green, that’s when it’s clear that the industry is in the middle of a green revolution. The LaFerrari isn’t the only green hypercar, but it is one of the more popular examples of one. 

Although it’s a green hypercar, its fuel economy is still pretty bad. The government says that the LaFerrari gets about 14 combined mpg. This is good for a hypercar, but terrible compared to a regular car.

But again, the LaFerrari and other hybrid hypercars are still significant because it shows that the whole industry is becoming more environmentally conscious. 

2012 Tesla Model S

One of the most significant cars of the decade was the Tesla Model S according to Car and Driver, and that certainly seems true. Built with luxury and the environment in mind, the Model S has led a green revolution in the car market. 

The Model S and other Teslas continue to be the best selling electric cars on the market, and the continued success has encouraged other automakers to build other green cars. From the Chevy Volt to the Ferrari LaFerrari, those green cars may not exist if industry leaders weren’t impressed by the Model S’s success. 

On top of those green features, the Model S also came with some other advanced features, such as a semi-autonomous driving prototype. This futuristic technology is also something that many automakers are racing to copy.

For those trendsetting reasons, the Model S is definitely one of the most significant cars of this decade.