Buying a reliable, attractive, comfortable, and fun car is a big decision. While some brands like Toyota have made a name for themselves through quality craftsmanship, other automakers have been overlooked. Cadillac may have a bad rap, but the American company has gone to great lengths in recent years to provide consumers with quality vehicles. Check out our list of the best Cadillac cars that no one seems to be buying!
1. Lexus LFA: Still Available for Purchase Despite Declining Sales
The Lexus LFA is a beautiful luxury car that is still available for purchase, despite being discontinued in 2012. Sales declined towards the end of its production run, but the car has become increasingly popular in recent years. The head of Lexus Europe has said that the LFA is now an icon and that there is no need to replace it to keep its status secure.
The Lexus LFA is a highly desirable car among collectors and enthusiasts. It is powered by a 4.8-liter V10 engine that produces 552 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. The car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 202 mph.
2. The Cadillac ATS Saw Diminishing Returns
Cadillac sold the ATS from 2013 to 2019, hoping to reshape the brand. However, sales were sluggish, with only 1,134 units sold in 2019.
The ATS was well-received from the start, winning Car of the Year from Esquire and Luxury Car of the Year from Popular Mechanics. However, sales declined sharply in the years following its release.
3. The Ford Flex Fell Victim To Bad Marketing
Ford Flex sales were disappointing, despite the vehicle’s unique design and practical features. The Flex was marketed as a crossover SUV, but it was too boxy and wagon-like for many consumers. Additionally, Ford struggled to differentiate the Flex from its other SUV offerings, such as the Explorer and Expedition.
The Flex was discontinued in 2019 after a decade of production. During its production run, the Flex averaged sales of around 20,000 units per year, with a peak of 38,717 units sold in 2009.
4. The Mazda5 Was Overshadowed By Dodge
The Mazda5 minivan was never as successful as the Dodge Grand Caravan in the United States, despite being a well-made vehicle. This is largely because the Grand Caravan was more affordable and had a more attractive design.
In the U.S. minivan market, the Caravan outsold the Mazda5 by a factor of ten. This obstacle was too great for Mazda to overcome, and the company eventually discontinued the Mazda5 to focus on other, more successful models.
5. The Mazda6 Is Just As Good As A Camry
The Mazda6, a mid-range compact sedan, was first released in 2003 and enjoyed strong sales until 2019 when sales plummeted to 21,524 units. Despite receiving good reviews for its performance and reliability, the Mazda6 has been unable to compete with the Toyota Camry, the market leader in the US market.
The Toyota Camry sold 336,978 units in 2019, 16 times more than the Mazda6. This proves the Camry’s popularity and strong brand strength in the US market.
6. The Subaru BRZ Was Too Similar To Another Top Seller
The Subaru BRZ is a midsize sports car developed by Subaru in partnership with Toyota. The two cars share the same bodywork, and the BRZ is essentially the same car as the Toyota 86. Subaru aimed to establish itself in the midsize sports car market with the BRZ, but it faced significant challenges in convincing consumers to purchase the vehicle.
In 2019, Subaru sold 2,334 units of the BRZ, while Toyota sold 3,398 units of the 86. Despite the BRZ’s excellent handling, it was unable to compete with more popular sports cars in the market, such as the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Toyota GR86.
7. The Dodge Viper Isn’t As Popular As It Used To Be
The Dodge Viper was a popular supercar during its production run, but sales declined over time in the face of increasing competition from other supercar manufacturers. The Viper was known for its sleek design, powerful engine, and impressive performance, but it was also expensive and difficult to drive.
In 2005, Dodge sold 1,652 Vipers. However, sales declined steadily in the years that followed, and only 585 Vipers were sold in the final year of production in 2017. In 2023, Dodge sold only five Vipers, reflecting the continued decline in popularity of the supercar.
8. The Chevy SS Couldn’t Race Past The Competition
Chevrolet introduced the SS concept in the United States in 2003 but later abandoned it. In 2014, Chevrolet reintroduced the SS nameplate for the Holden Commodore SS, an Australian-made sedan.
The Chevrolet SS received rave reviews upon its release, praised for its safety features, reliable performance, and comfortable interior. However, the SS failed to gain traction in the US market, despite its positive reviews. Some experts believe that the SS’s dual identity as an American and Australian car may have confused consumers, while others believe that the car’s design was too conservative.
9. Lotus Is The Supercar No One Is Talking About
Lotus is a British manufacturer of high-performance sports cars, but its brand awareness in the United States is low. In 2019, Lotus’ CEO admitted that the company needs to focus on producing cars that meet US regulations to succeed in the American market.
The United States is a major market for sports cars, and Lotus cannot afford to miss out on it. To increase its brand awareness and sales in the US, Lotus needs to produce cars that meet US regulations and appeal to American consumers.
10. Volkswagen Placed Driveability Over Luxury With The CC
The Volkswagen CC was a luxury sedan released in 2008, but it failed to gain traction in the American market. While praised for its ride quality and handling, the CC lacked the luxury features that American consumers expected.
Volkswagen discontinued the CC in the United States in 2017, attributing its failure to its high price and lack of brand awareness in the US market. However, the CC remains a popular choice in other markets, such as Europe and China.
11. Buick Missed The Mark With The Regal
Buick Cars has been trying for years to attract a younger, more modern consumer base to its brand. The company recently went through a complete rebranding process and redesigned several cars to make them more attractive to younger buyers, including the Regal sedans.
The sporty Regal sedans were well-designed and well-received in automotive publications but never gained traction in the U.S. market. In 2019, only 10,363 Regal sedans were sold in the United States.
12. Nissan Brought The Juke Out Of Left Field
The Nissan Juke was an instant hit when it launched in 2010. Selling nearly 40,000 units in 2011, the Juke was a solid performer for a new car. However, sales plummeted just a few years later, falling to less than 20,000 units in 2016.
Despite its decline in sales, the Juke has found a loyal fan base, particularly among younger buyers. The average age of Juke buyers is reportedly under 40, which is a positive sign for Nissan.
13. The Mitsubishi Mirage Never Materialized Any Sales
Compact hatchbacks, once popular for their affordability and efficiency, have seen a decline in sales in the United States. However, Mitsubishi introduced one of the best compact hatchbacks on the market with the launch of the Mirage. Unfortunately, sales have failed to materialize.
Mirage sales have been so dismal that the small car has reportedly been sitting in Mitsubishi parking lots for over 130 days! This suggests that there is a disconnect between what consumers want in a compact hatchback and what the Mirage offers.
14. The Dodge Avenger Wasn’t Very Heroic
Despite being part of Dodge’s redesigned product range and offering affordability, reliability, and ease of driving, the Dodge Avenger failed to meet sales expectations. Unlike the Charger and Challenger, the Avenger never gained traction in the market.
Nearly a decade after its launch, the Avenger had only sold 543,000 units, leading Dodge to discontinue production in 2014 to focus on other, more successful models.
15. The Kia K900 Was A Luxury Vehicle No One Wanted
Kia’s bold move to enter the luxury car market with the K900 was backed by a major marketing campaign, including a deal with the NBA and LeBron James as a brand ambassador.
Despite the marketing investment, the K900 failed to gain traction with American consumers. Kia’s lack of brand recognition in the luxury segment and its previous attempts to move upscale have likely contributed to the K900’s demise.
16. The BMW Z4 Fell Out Of Fashion
Once the king of the road, the BMW Z4 has seen a dramatic decline in sales since the 1990s. Despite its elegance, speed, reliability, and excellent performance figures, sales peaked in 1998 at 20,613 units and have since dwindled to just 1,187 in the United States in 2016.
Experts attribute the Z4’s decline in popularity to several factors, including the rise of SUVs, the increasing cost of sports cars, and the changing preferences of consumers. With so many other options available, it’s become more difficult for sports cars like the Z4 to stand out.
17. The Cadillac CTS Is Superior In Every Way Except Sales To The BMW 5 Series
The Cadillac CTS is a great car that’s overshadowed by the BMW 5 Series, a German car brand that remains more popular despite being inferior in many ways.
CTS sales peaked at 61,000 units in 2005 but plummeted to less than 20,000 units in 2015. Experts attribute the decline to the CTS’s high price tag, lack of marketing support, and the strong German brand recognition of the 5 Series.
18. The Scion FR-S Turned Into A Toyota 86
The Scion FR-S, a front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car, was sold under Toyota’s youth-focused Scion brand in the United States and Canada. Scion launched 2,500 FR-Ss in 2013, but sales dropped by 500 units in 2014 and 2015, suggesting that the car did not create much of a stir. When Scion ceased production in 2017, the FR-S was renamed the Toyota 86.
Despite its lack of popularity, the FR-S is still a great car with many features, including heated seats, heated outside mirrors, and push-button ignition. It is possible to find used FR-S models on the market, and the car remains a popular choice among enthusiasts.
19. Infiniti’s New Name For The Q60 Hurt Sales
Infiniti’s Q60 sport luxury coupe, launched in 2013 in North America, started strong but quickly fell into obscurity. Despite a marketing campaign that heavily relied on social media and influencers, sales plummeted to just 3,000 units in 2014 and 2015, with only a few hundred sold in Canada.
In 2014, Infiniti renamed the Q60 to the G-Coupé in an attempt to “create a new identity and direction and increase consumer familiarity.” However, the new name seems to have had the opposite effect, further damaging sales. Despite its poor sales performance, the Q60 is still a great car with excellent running performance.
20. Porsche Tried To Compete With Itself With The Cayman
The Porsche Cayman, a further developed version of the award-winning 911, was named the world’s best roadster in 2016. Porsche expected the Cayman to generate high sales, but to their surprise, consumers were more interested in the flagship 911 model.
Unlike the other cars on this list, the Cayman is still in production, so its sales numbers are subject to change. However, the fact that the Cayman is still being produced despite its lower sales suggests that Porsche believes in the car and its potential.
