Walking up to a soda machine with dozens of options can be overwhelming, but some choices are clearly better than others. Multiple comprehensive taste tests have revealed which sodas consistently rank at the bottom, and the results might not shock anyone who’s tried them. From artificial-tasting citrus drinks to watered-down root beers, certain brands have earned their spot in soda infamy through questionable ingredients and disappointing taste.
Mountain Dew consistently ranks as the worst soda
That bright green color should be the first warning sign. Mountain Dew’s radioactive appearance looks more like something from a chemistry lab than a refreshing beverage. The artificial lime-green hue is so unnatural that it immediately turns off many potential drinkers before they even take a sip. This aggressive coloring comes from synthetic dyes that were trendy decades ago but now seem completely out of place.
The taste somehow manages to be even worse than the appearance. Despite claiming to be a citrus soda, Mountain Dew delivers a lemon-lime reminiscent experience that falls flat compared to other sodas in the same category. The overwhelming sweetness combined with an artificial aftertaste creates a drinking experience that many describe as unpleasant and harsh on the throat.
Surge brings back terrible 90s memories
Nostalgia can be a powerful force, but it can’t save a bad soda. Surge made a comeback in the mid-2010s after disappearing from store shelves, riding on memories of 90s kids who remembered it fondly. However, adult taste buds tell a different story than childhood memories. What might have seemed exciting to young palates now tastes incredibly artificial and overwhelming to mature drinkers.
The artificial citrus taste doesn’t remotely resemble actual fruit, instead delivering what feels like a chemical approximation of what citrus should taste like. At nearly 240 calories per can, Surge packs an enormous amount of sugar into a drink that tastes more like processed food from an era when artificial ingredients ruled supreme. The disappointment hits hard when nostalgia meets reality.
Diet Mountain Dew offers no redeeming qualities
If regular Mountain Dew is bad, the diet version somehow manages to be worse. The same unsettling yellowish-green color remains, but now it’s paired with an even more disappointing taste experience. The soda gives off virtually no aroma when poured, which should be another red flag. When something claims to be citrus-flavored but smells like nothing, expectations should be appropriately lowered.
The actual drinking experience feels pointless and unsatisfying. Diet Mountain Dew delivers only vague orange and lime notes that fade immediately, leaving drinkers wondering why they bothered opening the can. The artificial sweeteners create an even more chemical-like aftertaste than the original, making this a poor choice for anyone seeking a refreshing beverage experience.
Tropical Vitamin Water disappoints on every level
The name suggests something healthy and refreshing, but Tropical Vitamin Water delivers neither. First-time drinkers often expect carbonation, making the flat, still texture an immediate disappointment. The lack of bubbles makes it feel more like flavored water than an actual soda, which wouldn’t be terrible if the taste was decent. Unfortunately, the medicinal aftertaste ruins any potential appeal.
The cough syrup comparison comes up repeatedly when people describe this drink. Tropical Vitamin Water manages to taste artificial despite supposedly containing vitamins and natural ingredients. The tropical theme gets lost in a mess of chemical-tasting sweetness that leaves most people reaching for something else to wash away the aftertaste.
Mug Root Beer lacks any real character
Root beer should have personality, but Mug Root Beer feels like it was designed by committee to offend absolutely no one. The result is a watery, bland experience that fails to deliver the rich, creamy taste that makes root beer special. Instead of the satisfying bite that characterizes good root beer, Mug offers a muted version that tastes like it was watered down during production.
Compared to other root beer brands, Mug Root Beer falls short in every category that matters. The carbonation feels weak, the root beer essence tastes diluted, and the overall experience leaves drinkers wondering if they accidentally got a defective batch. Even within the Pepsi brand family, this particular offering feels like an afterthought rather than a carefully crafted beverage.
Hi-C varieties taste like artificial medicine
Childhood memories of Hi-C often involve bright colors and sweet tastes, but adult palates tell a different story. The grape variety smells strange and tastes incredibly bland, while the cherry version delivers an overwhelming cough syrup experience. Orange Hi-C falls into the same trap as many orange sodas, tasting like a watered-down version of what orange soda should be.
Even the fruit punch variety, which should be a safe bet, tastes like someone mixed different types of liquid medicine together and added carbonation. Hi-C beverages rely heavily on artificial colors and sweeteners that create an unnatural drinking experience. The bright, unnatural colors should serve as a warning that the taste won’t deliver anything resembling actual fruit.
Dr Browns cream soda falls completely flat
Cream soda should be rich, sweet, and satisfying, but Dr Browns delivers none of these qualities. The brand might not be as well-known as Coca-Cola or Pepsi, but that doesn’t excuse the bland, watery experience it provides. The cream soda variety lacks the depth and richness that makes this type of soda appealing, instead offering a generic taste that fails to impress.
The carbonation level feels weak and unsatisfying, making the drinking experience feel flat even when freshly opened. Dr Browns cream soda tastes like someone took a decent cream soda recipe and removed all the interesting elements, leaving behind something that’s technically drinkable but completely forgettable. The lack of any standout characteristics makes this a poor choice when better options exist.
Orange Powerade misses the mark entirely
Sports drinks attempting to masquerade as sodas rarely work well, and Orange Powerade proves this point. The drink smells like it should taste like orange soda, creating expectations that the actual taste completely fails to meet. Instead of delivering the sweet, citrusy experience the aroma suggests, it tastes like someone took orange soda and removed all the interesting parts.
The watered-down taste makes it feel more like diluted orange drink than an actual soda. Orange Powerade falls into the same category as other disappointing orange sodas, delivering a boring, uninspired version of what should be a bright, refreshing experience. The disconnect between smell and taste creates an immediately disappointing first impression that never recovers.
Sun Drop tries too hard to be different
Quirky commercials and unique marketing can’t save a soda that tastes mediocre. Sun Drop positions itself as an alternative to mainstream citrus sodas, but the actual drinking experience reveals why it hasn’t achieved widespread popularity. The citrus taste comes across as muted and undefined, lacking the punch that makes citrus sodas refreshing and appealing to most drinkers.
What makes Sun Drop particularly problematic is its excessive sweetness, which somehow manages to be even more cloying than Mountain Dew. Sun Drop goes down smoother than some citrus competitors, but the overwhelming sugar content makes it feel more like drinking syrup than enjoying a refreshing beverage. The combination of weak citrus taste and excessive sweetness creates an unbalanced drinking experience.
These consistently low-ranking sodas prove that bright colors, clever marketing, and nostalgic appeal can’t overcome fundamental taste problems. Whether it’s artificial chemical aftertastes, watered-down experiences, or overwhelming sweetness, these brands have earned their bottom-tier status through disappointing drinkers time and again. Next time someone reaches for a soda, they might want to skip these options and choose something that actually delivers on taste and refreshment.
