News: Top Ten Worst Selling Cars In America, 2010 Edition

Spectre

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Yahoo and Forbes have compiled a list of the worst selling cars in America for 2010. I don't have time to post up the entire articles, but I'll drop the links here and post their list.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1629/the-years-worst-selling-cars

http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/03/2010-worst-selling-cars-business-autos-worst-selling-cars.html

Smart ForTwo
Sales decline: -61%
The quirky two-seater was popular in 2008, when gas was $4 a gallon, but now that fuel prices have moderated, sales have collapsed. Penske Automotive Group, which distributes the vehicle in the U.S., is now testing Smart in Car2Go, a car-sharing concept, and plans to market an electric version soon.

Subaru Tribeca
Sales decline: -61%
Subaru's been on a tear lately, but the ungainly Tribeca crossover SUV hasn't really been part of the success story. It's an also-ran in the crowded crossover market. Where Subaru stands out is with its four-wheel-drive cars and wagons.

Mazda RX-8
Sales decline: -50%
Even $30,000 sports cars aren't selling when people are worried about their jobs. {At least not if it's the RX-8, the Mustang is still selling like mad. - Spectre)

Suzuki Grand Vitara
Sales decline: -42%
This crossover SUV has grown long in the tooth, and can't compete in what is one of the hottest segments.

Suzuki SX4
Sales decline: -47%
Refreshed a year and a half ago, the SX4 just gets lost amid the competition and lack of advertising support.

Suzuki Equator
Sales decline: -39%
The entire Suzuki lineup is suffering, including this mid-sized pickup manufactured by Nissan in Tennessee. Now the carmaker is marketing it as a way to transport Suzuki motor bikes.

Toyota Yaris
Sales decline: -38%
Small cars aren't selling as well now that gas prices have moderated. Toyota's rash of quality recalls hasn't helped.

Mazda Tribute
Sales decline: -36%
A poor stepchild in the Mazda lineup, it can't compete with the Ford Escape, on which it's based.

Scion xD
Sales decline: - 31%
More stylish than its predecessor, this youthful Scion still faces the challenge of its Toyota Yaris cousin: Really small cars aren't much in demand.

Porsche Cayman
Sales decline: - 31%
Nobody really needs a $50,000 sports car. Porsche hopes the addition of its most powerful mid-engine in the newly introduced Cayman R will create some buzz.


Discuss.
 
Frankly I'm not that surprised with the list except the porsche.

I wouldn't expect it to sell that many units in the first place, but to take such a heavy hit in sales declines and make the top 10 just seems weird to me.
 
The RX-8 was long in the tooth. Not to mention Mazda has stopped making them.
 
The Scion xD surprised me. It's a surprisingly-roomy-inside car, it looks unique (and not in a bad way), it's cheap, and it gets good fuel economy. I've driven my mom's, and while it's not an enthusiast's toy, it's a really good car for people who want something practical and cheap with a dose of unique style.

Cayman shocked me. I love that car.
 
Better title: Top Ten Largest Drops In Car Sales?
For all we know, there could be millions of Smarts sold this year (yeah, right), but after billions last year that obviously is a huge drop :tease: Phrased differently, is a car selling better when it sells 100 units this year after 50 units last year (+ 100%) than a car that sold 100000 units last year and only 50000 units this year (-50%)? I'd say no.
 
Why buy it when you could have a lightly used 911?

With a longer warranty thanks to Porsche's CPO program.

Lightly used 911 that's back off a short-term lease: 6 years, 100K warranty.
New Cayman: 4 years, 50K warranty.

Given that they're the same money and sitting side by side at the dealership, who in their right mind is going to buy a GayCayman?
 
A lot of the Suzuki stuff can be reasoned away by Suzuki's inexplicable ability to NOT advertise their lineup. SX4's a solid entry (could use a nicer interior though), it's just not advertised. Grand Vitara I'm torn on...it does fill a niche (off road capable small SUV) and has a very nice interior (kicks the Rav4's and Escape/Tribute's ass), but its filling a very small niche of the market, and it can't compare to car based CUV's when it comes to fuel economy.

Tribeca and Scion Anything: Little to no advertising, Tribeca's too small and too expensive compared to the competition- a deadly combo.

Tribute-Again, no advertising. I think it looks better than the Escape personally.

I think that the majority of these can be attributed to not advertising the damn things. If people don't know about a product, they wont check it out..what a surprise. /sarcasm
 
Oh good, an automotive list article from Forbes, that shining vanguard of the fourth estate with their pulse firmly on the world of automotive journalism.
 
A lot of the Suzuki stuff can be reasoned away by Suzuki's inexplicable ability to NOT advertise their lineup. SX4's a solid entry (could use a nicer interior though), it's just not advertised.

I'm fairly certain the SX4 is the only road-going Suzuki I've seen any advertisement for in the past 5 years.
 
Is it the case that nobody wants small cars, or is it that the market segment has gotten more crowded in the past year? I mean, you could get a Yaris, or you could get a Mazda 2 or Ford Fiesta, both of which are better. The Smart probably is failing because people noticed that a Jetta diesel gets similar mileage, and you can bring friends along.
 
With a longer warranty thanks to Porsche's CPO program.

Lightly used 911 that's back off a short-term lease: 6 years, 100K warranty.
New Cayman: 4 years, 50K warranty.

Given that they're the same money and sitting side by side at the dealership, who in their right mind is going to buy a GayCayman?

I think the Cayman is the better-looking of the two, and from what I've read, it out-handles a Carrera. Plus, there's something nice about having a performance car that no one else has ever owned. Yeah, I know, depreciation etc, but there is something satisfying about a car that's never been driven before you.
 
Is it the case that nobody wants small cars, or is it that the market segment has gotten more crowded in the past year? I mean, you could get a Yaris, or you could get a Mazda 2 or Ford Fiesta, both of which are better. The Smart probably is failing because people noticed that a Jetta diesel gets similar mileage, and you can bring friends along.

I read somewhere that the ForTwo has the lowest owner satisfaction than any other vehicle sold in North America right now. Beyond the ridiculous impracticality and unremarkable fuel economy, there's a harsh ride and a harsher transmission.

When pre-facelift Sebrings leave bigger smiles on owners' faces than car X, you know car X is bad.
 
When pre-facelift Sebrings leave bigger smiles on owners' faces than car X, you know car X is bad.

A lesser frown would be a better way to describe it.
 
When pre-facelift Sebrings leave bigger smiles on owners' faces than car X, you know car X is bad.


What's wrong about the Sebring? :p

It looks fine, ...at least as convertable...
CHRYSLER-Sebring-Cabrio-2-7--2001-2003-.jpg


:D


For some Cars, I can see a fairly good reason why they suck so bad over there;

Smart ForTwo & Toyota Yaris = In a Country, where Full-sized Cars where rated as compact 2nd car for mom, nobody really needs a Roadgoing Shoppingtrolly, don't you?

Subaru Tribeca = the Facelift still can't lift the Facepalm off Subaru inthusiasts and SUV lovers.

Porsche Cayman = the only people who buy Porsche Boxsters, live in California, and mostly it's beeing driven by women, who look sexy in it, so why do they need a Coupe version of it, when it nearly never Rains and people can't see the boobs bumbling, when she drives over a speedbump?

Scion xD =
i102582_XDSmile3.png

name says it all, in a internet-connected-world. :p
 
What's wrong about the Sebring? :p

It looks fine, ...at least as convertable...
CHRYSLER-Sebring-Cabrio-2-7--2001-2003-.jpg


:D

Wrong generation. I meant the current generation, pre-facelift (the post-facelift was just unveiled, renamed the 200).

Chrysler-Sebring_2007_photo_06.jpg


Awkward exterior, terrible interior quality, and arguably the worst-driving four-door in North America.
 
I read somewhere that the ForTwo has the lowest owner satisfaction than any other vehicle sold in North America right now. Beyond the ridiculous impracticality and unremarkable fuel economy, there's a harsh ride and a harsher transmission.

When pre-facelift Sebrings leave bigger smiles on owners' faces than car X, you know car X is bad.
You are forgetting the price tag. You talking about a starting price of 12 grand. In that same price range you have:
Yaris ~13
Fit/Civic (both around 15)
Fiesta ~13
Versa ~ 10
Mazda 2 ~ 14

And ALL of them are better cars in that they can actually achieve highway speeds and have room for more than 2 people. And this is just the new car market... If they were like 5-6K a pop I could see them being a viable vehicle but at their current price point I'm surprised anyone bought one...
 
You are forgetting the price tag. You talking about a starting price of 12 grand. In that same price range you have:
Yaris ~13
Fit/Civic (both around 15)
Fiesta ~13
Versa ~ 10
Mazda 2 ~ 14

And ALL of them are better cars in that they can actually achieve highway speeds and have room for more than 2 people. And this is just the new car market... If they were like 5-6K a pop I could see them being a viable vehicle but at their current price point I'm surprised anyone bought one...

The thing is, Smart should have kept/sold the transmission as it is everywhere else in the world...instead of advertising it as a "Automatic w/ manual mode" its a semi automated manual, and most everyone agrees that the car drives much better in manual mode. But noooo they had to dumb it down for "the Americans" so most people who drive it will see "PRND" on the US specific gear selector surround, assume that it's Automatic, and herk and jerk around during their test drive.

They also should have sold it WITH the diesel engine. Without it you turned off the core people hoping for the car to show up due to the fantastic MPG, alienated the "normal" people afraid of diesel by the gas engine's mediocre MPG/meager torque/premium fuel requirement, and turned off everyone by rebranding a fucking manual transmission as "automatic." Dumbasses.
 
The thing is, Smart should have kept/sold the transmission as it is everywhere else in the world...instead of advertising it as a "Automatic w/ manual mode" its a semi automated manual, and most everyone agrees that the car drives much better in manual mode. But noooo they had to dumb it down for "the Americans" so most people who drive it will see "PRND" on the US specific gear selector surround, assume that it's Automatic, and herk and jerk around during their test drive.

They also should have sold it WITH the diesel engine. Without it you turned off the core people hoping for the car to show up due to the fantastic MPG, alienated the "normal" people afraid of diesel by the gas engine's mediocre MPG/meager torque/premium fuel requirement, and turned off everyone by rebranding a fucking manual transmission as "automatic." Dumbasses.

The average American does not want a manual.
 
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