Not all cars are created equal. In fact, we’d be wise to steer clear of many underperformers. Some vehicles are so disappointing that we might find ourselves parting ways with them after a mere year in search of a more satisfying ride. This list, therefore, becomes a crucial tool in our quest for automotive satisfaction.

A supercar hasn’t lived up to our speed needs, or what we thought was a practical family sedan hasn’t been what we had hoped for.

This list contains a variety of cars, from luxury sedans to compact SUVs, which owners are likely to ditch after just a single year of ownership.

Mazda CX-90

Mazda CX-90
Image Credit: Gold Pony – CC BY 3.0/Wiki Commons.

The Mazda CX-90 has a lot going for it. It’s a good-looking SUV with an interior that rivals many luxury cars, and it is a good, comfortable car to drive. Yet what the CX-90 has in luxury, it loses in practicality.

It isn’t marketed as a luxury SUV and needs to catch up on some features that should have made it a practical family SUV. The third row of seats is tiny. as is the rear trunk space, and the interior is almost too lovely to use as a family daily. It is a very comfortable and enjoyable SUV to drive, but it doesn’t cut it as a practical vehicle.

Jeep Renegade

2015 Jeep Renegade
Image Credit: Jeep.

The Jeep Renegade has a lot to offer. It’s relatively cheap, it can go off-road, and it’s a small SUV—something that is becoming increasingly rare—especially ones with off-road capabilities. 

Yet, for all its good points, the Renegade has a few problems. That cheapness in price is reflected in a cheapness in quality. The interior is very plasticy, and low-quality materials appear to be used throughout. It also falls below many of its rivals in terms of safety, particularly in Europe, where it scores just a three-star Euro NCAP rating. But in a market that is becoming increasingly competitive, the Renegade doesn’t stand out.

Alfa Romeo Tonale eAWD

Alfa Romeo Tonale eAWD
Image Credit: Stellantis/Alfa Romeo.

Stellantis has had a few hits and misses over the past year. But one of the biggest misses is the Alfa Romeo Tonale eAWD. While a good-looking crossover, the plug-in hybrid becomes a liability when the battery pack depletes, offering a cumbersome and sluggish driving experience.

To rub salt into the wound, its new Stellantis twin, the Dodge Hornet, offers something more comfortable, with a lower MSRP and a more enjoyable driving experience. Looks alone can’t hide that a rival within its own family has badly outdone the Tonale.

Jeep Compass Latitude

Jeep Compass Latitude
Image Credit: Jeep.

Jeep is a company struggling to sell some of its models in 2024, and with the Compass Latitude, it is easy to see why. Under the hood, you might have a turbocharged engine, but the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four only produces 200 hp, meaning plenty of its competitors outclass it in this field.

To top it all, the Compass Latitude has somewhat unwieldy handling, and you would find it a more enjoyable driving experience when trying to tame a wild bull. Plus, it looks dull compared to rivals like the latest Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V. While not a terrible car, there are better options than the Compass Latitude on the market.

Volkswagen Jetta

2024 VW Jetta
Image Credit: Volkswagen.

Buying a new Volkswagen Jetta in 2023 could become quite a painful task. Not only are more EVs from VW on the way, but the Jetta is now long in the tooth and starting to show its age. Compared to the new Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra design, it is easy to see why many might hand in their Jetta after just a year.

The current Jetta A7 debuted in the United States in 2018, but since then, it has had only one minor facelift in 2021 for the 2022 model year. Replacing the 1.4-liter TSI engine with the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder was a plus point, but it hasn’t been enough to save the Jetta.

Hummer H2

Image Credit: Mecum.

Now, to something a little more classic. Riding on the success of the Hummer H1, AM General and General Motors felt it was time to launch a new Hummer in 2002. Enter the H2, but GM and AM General found that nobody wanted such a colossal SUV anymore.

You had a powerful enough engine under the hood; in 2009, the H2 had a 6.2-liter V8 with 393 hp. Yet that had to lug around a car that weighed in at 6,600 lbs before we came to the fuel economy. Most users would be lucky to coax 9 or 10 MPG out of their H2, which is appalling and worse than many supercars. Unsurprisingly, it took until the electric revolution for the Hummer to return.

Chevrolet SSR

Image Credit: Mecum.

If you didn’t want to return your Chevrolet SSR after just one year of ownership, then you are a stronger person than any of us. In the mid-2000s, Chevrolet decided we all wanted a small pickup truck with a big V8 under the hood and a convertible.

This led to the SSR launching with a 300 hp 5.3-liter Vortec V8 under the hood. Chevrolet upgraded the Pikcup to a 6.0-liter 390 hp LS2 V8 in 2005. Sadly, that was as good as it got for the SSR. The V8s needed more power to haul the heavy SSR around rapidly. The weight contributed to the truck’s poor handling, and as the convertible roof used the pickup bed to stow itself away, the SSR lost much of its practicality.

REVA G-Wiz

Reva_i_silver
Image Credit: RevaNorge, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Early attempts at electric vehicles have occasionally not lived up to expectations. Yet there is no excuse for just how terrible the G-Wiz is, and, arguably, the reputation of the tiny EV set electric cars back for some time. Indian company REVA wanted to develop a small, practical, and affordable electric car that was classified as a quadricycle.

However, its small size meant it never stood a chance at being practical, even if REVA said it could seat four people. The eight six-volt lead-acid batteries produced just 15 hp and could only reach a top speed of 50 mph. Its most significant issue, however, was safety, as any G-Wiz accident could be catastrophic.

Pontiac Aztek

Image Credit: Mecum.

The problems with the Pontiac Aztek are well documented, yet this unusual SUV always makes a good topic of conversation. As we know, the biggest problem with the Aztek was its controversial styling. Pontiac called it “Xtreme” futuristic styling, which saw it regularly rank high on “ugliest car” lists.

This caused sales to slump and left owners unsatisfied with their Aztek. Yet the sad reality is that underneath that bizarre exterior was a spacious, reliable, and competent crossover. But like other unusual-looking vehicles like the Fiat Multipla, Pontiac’s Aztek couldn’t shake off its ugly reputation.

Ford Pinto

Image Credit: Mecum.

The Ford Pinto will go down in history as one of the most unsafe and lethal cars to ever grace our roads. Ford’s small hatchback launched to strong sales in 1971. However, it didn’t take long for its reputation to be quickly tarnished in the most dramatic way possible.

Several accidents saw Pintos involved in horrific fires, many of which would be fateful. It transpired that the fuel tank placement meant they could rupture and catch fire in rear-end collisions. It was a horrible PR nightmare for Ford, which got even worse when it was revealed they knew about the design flaw but did nothing about it before production commenced.

BMW X1

2024 BMW X1
Image Credit: BMW.

Back to something more modern, and that is the current BMW X1. This is a difficult one because, when taken in isolation, the X1 is fine. It is a competent SUV with reasonable space inside and a robust and reliable engine under the hood.

However, where it struggles is among the competition. Manufacturers are starting to realize how good small SUVs can be for sales, and the X1 faces off rivals in the form of the current Ford Puma, Volkswagen Taigo, and others. Compared to them, the X1 could be better to drive, it isn’t the most comfortable, and it certainly could be better-looking. Plus, at around $40,000, it’s also on the expensive side of things. You can buy a stylish, electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 for about the same price.

Aston Martin Cygnet

Aston Martin Cygnet
Image Credit: El monty, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

For whatever reason, Aston Martin decided in 2010 to enter the small car market. Why? The 2012 European Union-imposed fleet average emissions regulations meant it needed a small, efficient car to comply with them. So, they took the Toyota iQ and slapped their badge and the Cygnet name on it.

The results were, as you would expect, terrible. While it ensured the British brand met the new EU legislation, demand for the Cygnet was so bad that production stopped after two years. Making it the second-shortest-running production car in Aston Martin’s history. What didn’t help was that the Cygnet cost over $30,000, about three times as much as the identical iQ.

Citroën C3 Pluriel

Citroen C3 Pluriel
Image Credit: Rudolf Stricker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Upon initial impressions, the 2003 Citroen C3 Pluriel looked like an absolute bargain. You had a small, quirky-looking convertible with enough seating for four people and what Citroen claimed was a “five-in-one car. The French manufacturer said it was a hatchback, a ‘sunroof saloon, a Cabrio, a spider, and a roadster pickup rolled into one.

But the reality was far different. Detaching and reattaching the C3 Plureil’s roof was a nightmare and one of the most complicated processes on any automobile. The roof felt flimsy and cheap, as did the interior, and it cost over $12,000 when launched. Cheap in 2024, but back in 2002, not many people wanted to pay that much for a car that required you to have an engineering degree to assemble its roof. The best bit? The detached roof was so big you couldn’t store it in the C3 and had to leave it behind. So good luck if it rained on you!

Author: Henry Kelsall

Henry is a freelance writer, with a love for all things motoring whether it be classic sports cars, or Formula 1 racing. He has freelanced for over eight years now, mostly in automotive matters, but he has also dabbled in other forms of writing too. He has a lot of love for Japanese classics and American muscle cars, in particular the Honda NSX and first-generation Ford Mustang. When not writing, Henry is often found at classic car events or watching motorsports at home, but he also has a curious passion for steam trains and aviation.

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