Submitted by Matt Keegan on June 8, 2011 to Auto Trends Magazine on line
Poor Sales dog several of today’s models.
It is easy to focus on the hot selling cars of today as these models create the buzz that automakers crave. A number of models, however, don’t receive accolades due to outdated styling, poor marketing, strong competition and other factors.
Car owners frequently personalize their rides, taking exception to any criticism levied. Our list of seven flop cars of our day is based on sales figures primarily with the other factors weighed in. To that end, we offer up to you a number of vehicles that rank at or near the bottom, vehicles sorely in need of a makeover or perhaps better suited as a candidate for being discontinued.
1. Smart ForTwo — The ForTwo features a dated design, seats just two people and is being matched or beaten in fuel economy by much larger cars including the Chevrolet Cruze. In other words, this vehicle is almost pointless. Evidence of its unpopularity are found in its sales numbers — after debuting stateside in January 2008, the FortTwo enjoyed brief interest, but that novelty quickly wore off as gas prices retreated. Even with gas prices nearing record levels again, ForTwo sales are weak, down 30 percent year to date. Parent Daimler is finding it difficult to sell 500 units per month.
2. Lincoln MKT — The wagon-like MKT rides and handles well, but like its Ford Flex cousin, the styling of this vehicle is polarizing. I like the car’s looks, but I’m not in the market for one. Nor apparently are most shoppers as sales of the Flex and MKT are down 30 and 38 percent, respectively. The Ford Explorer makes the Flex redundant; Lincoln needs an original model that will bolster its line up.
3. Suzuki (multiple models) — Save for the Kizashi, Suzuki doesn’t have much to offer. Brand sales are up this year, due to heavy marketing and favorable response for its midsize sedan. Its SX4 line is a slow seller as is its Grand Vitara crossover. Its Equator pickup truck is a Nissan product, rebadged to help fill out Suzuki’s woefully underperforming line up.
4. Mazda6 — Honestly, there is nothing wrong with the Mazda6, a car that has spawned the Ford Fusion. Unlike the Fusion, the “6” has seen its sales slides, victimized in part by a segment controlled by more aggressive players including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata and now the Kia Optima. Mazda recently announced that it was stopping production of the 6 at the Flat Rock, Mich., plant that it owns with the Ford Motor Company.
5. Honda Ridgeline — At one time, the Ridgeline seemed like a good idea: build a larger truck on a car chassis, stick a storage compartment in the bed and give it quirky styling. The Ridgeline’s time has passed and this truck will likely be dropped by Honda unless the Japanese automaker decides to bring out an all new model. That seems unlikely because for the first five months of 2011, Honda sold just 4,598 units, hardly making for a worthwhile product investment.
6. Volkswagen Routan — The Routan is the third model in a series of minivans produced by the Chrysler Group and is the oldest model of the the three. While the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan were updated for 2011, VW chose to keep the Routan “as is.” That’s because this model hasn’t sold well for Volkswagen who may be rueing the day that it agreed to source a car from Chrysler and not offer up a wagon of its own.
7. Lexus HS Hybrid — Based on the platform underpinning the Toyota Prius, the Lexus HS Hybrid is at once expensive as it is ridiculous. Why pay a premium for a car that doesn’t match the Prius’ fuel economy, rated at 51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway? Instead, this Lexus delivers just 35 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and costs at least $10,000 more than the Prius. The Lexus HS Hybrid demonstrates what happens when an automaker compromises to bring to the market a less than stellar product. Sales through May 2011 are down by nearly 80 percent, with just 1,198 units sold year to date.
The easy thing for each manufacturer to do is to update or discontinue unpopular models. One option is more costly, the other more sensible, but the car shopping consumer will ultimately decide which vehicles are hot or not.
