Topic: Your ten worst import models for model year 2007?

[dr_spock]

Gee, RR is German??. Didn't those guys LOSE the war....

So did the Japanese.   And we're all driving around in Hondas now. 

[gap4you]

Mercedes R class - One ugly truck to me eyes... however I did sit in one and the interior is very good

I think otherwise....I firmly believe that the R class looks very sexy and sleek with some unique design cue...something like a suv that has the look of a sexy wagon.

[aquadorhj]

Mercedes R class - One ugly truck to me eyes... however I did sit in one and the interior is very good

I think otherwise....I firmly believe that the R class looks very sexy and sleek with some unique design cue...something like a suv that has the look of a sexy wagon.

Obviously, design tastes differ from person to person, and I see you have an R class, so you voted with your wallet.  :thumbs up:

For MY eyes, though, R class is as attractive as Pontiac Aztec.

[kenobe23]

Not too many dogs on the list below but since you asked:

Pontiac Wave/Suzuki Swift -- bring over the real Swift already!!!

Kia Rondo - useless 3rd row and ugly as sin

Hyundai Elantra - they could have come in heavily in this segment but missed the ball completely

Nissan Sentra (see Elantra)

Smart car - overpriced pogo stick

Mercedes R class - One ugly truck to me eyes... however I did sit in one and the interior is very good

Acura CSX - no so much the car as the badge engineering

Mitsu Eclipse - bloat mobile and torque-steer monster

Mitsubishi Endeavor

Nissan XTerra -- They're still selling this thing? Time for a redo

Wow, I agree with pretty much every car on this list. The Elantra and Sentra are both particularly disappointing. Hyundai and Nissan were poised to do big things, but totally missed the mark. I don't see how either can compare to Civic/Mazda3.

[Mitlov]

There is no way the XTerra belongs on this list.  "Still making it"?  It was all-new for 2005, and the second-generation XTerra is one of the best, maybe the best, vehicle in the segment, according to most test-drives I've read:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10776/rock-hopper-suvs.html
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suv/112_0604_midsize_suv_comparison

[Snowman]

There is no way the XTerra belongs on this list.  "Still making it"?  It was all-new for 2005, and the second-generation XTerra is one of the best, maybe the best, vehicle in the segment, according to most test-drives I've read:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10776/rock-hopper-suvs.html
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suv/112_0604_midsize_suv_comparison

I agree, in the sea of Wannabe SUV’a the Xterra is one of the last of the "real" ones and is very modern and up to date.

[Careener]

YTD sales are down 29.4%.
2007      2006   % Change      2007      2006   % Change
Xterra           103       201      -48.8     1,265     1,793      -29.4

[Mitlov]

YTD sales are down 29.4%.
2007      2006   % Change      2007      2006   % Change
Xterra           103       201      -48.8     1,265     1,793      -29.4

So what?  Just because sales are tapering off, does that mean that an SUV that was absolutely fantastic when it debuted two years ago is suddenly one of the "ten worst import models" in North America?

There's more to "bad" than dropping sales (indeed, I'm not sure poor sales are even an indication of a vehicle's quality at all, because good sales certainly don't mean good quality).  Otherwise, this list would be easy.  I'd just pick the ten lowest-selling import models.

[Craig]

The Legacy 2.5i?  Top of the list?

Having driven that car, I was quite impressed with it in 2005.  I never had a chance to really test the suspension, but highway acceleration was better than expected, the interior was quite good for the class of vehicle, and it was a strong contender back then.  I would be quite happy to own one today.

[Benhaze]

There is no way the XTerra belongs on this list.  "Still making it"?  It was all-new for 2005, and the second-generation XTerra is one of the best, maybe the best, vehicle in the segment, according to most test-drives I've read:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10776/rock-hopper-suvs.html
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suv/112_0604_midsize_suv_comparison

But customers think otherwise obviously... The new Jeep Wrangler seems to have brought the XTerra sales to a grinding halt, even in Canada!  I am surprised Nissan sales are not doing better. I think the cool factor has vanished, but it certainly doesn't deserve to be on this list IMO.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

There is no way the XTerra belongs on this list.  "Still making it"?  It was all-new for 2005, and the second-generation XTerra is one of the best, maybe the best, vehicle in the segment, according to most test-drives I've read:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10776/rock-hopper-suvs.html
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suv/112_0604_midsize_suv_comparison

But customers think otherwise obviously... The new Jeep Wrangler seems to have brought the XTerra sales to a grinding halt, even in Canada!  I am surprised Nissan sales are not doing better. I think the cool factor has vanished, but it certainly doesn't deserve to be on this list IMO.

I don't recall a Nissan Xterra advertisement recently. Think a few amongst others in the newspaper, but nothing in the newspaper or TV in memory. Nissan has so many SUVs in the dealership it may be easy to point to another model, and the Xterra isn't the carlike crossover the market's hot on. That said, Wrangler is racking up the sales and the FJ Cruiser has to have made a dent too... maybe Nissan needs to send the message stronger to make a special edition that does a better extroverted job of standing out?

[safristi]

X terra X trails X files lets call the whole thing a GUT wrenching CD collection fer 2005

[Careener]

YTD sales are down 29.4%.
2007      2006   % Change      2007      2006   % Change
Xterra           103       201      -48.8     1,265     1,793      -29.4

So what?  Just because sales are tapering off, does that mean that an SUV that was absolutely fantastic when it debuted two years ago is suddenly one of the "ten worst import models" in North America?

There's more to "bad" than dropping sales (indeed, I'm not sure poor sales are even an indication of a vehicle's quality at all, because good sales certainly don't mean good quality).  Otherwise, this list would be easy.  I'd just pick the ten lowest-selling import models.

Perhaps you should come up with your own list then ;-)That was mine. I have'nt seen any new XTerras on the road period. I'm sure they are fine vehicles but they obviously aren't on many people's radar.
They've only sold 1700 in Canada.. that's a horrible figure.

[lurker]

I don't believe the Suzuki Reno was ever even released here.  Just the US.  Call it the Chevy Optra5 or a Daewoo.

I would have to include the Kia Spectra.  Recently introduced and not aging well.

I third the motion on the rehashed VW City Golf/Jetta.

Perhaps it's sacrilege but I've never been more bored than in a Corolla.  A beige Corolla.

[Wolfe]

I wonder where the Toyota trucks are made as they have their share of problems and I don't think they are all that attractive either in my view. THey won some awards but then lost most of them in about 1 month alone. I have never seen that happen to any make before that quickly. 

Hey, don't mess with Texas.

[Wolfe]

I would have to include the Kia Spectra.  Recently introduced and not aging well.

Isn't the current Spectra just a rebodied Hyundai Elantra? The Elantra seems to sell fairly well. I've only had one ride in the last-generation Elantra and my main impression was that the engine was somewhat unrefined, but otherwise it seemed like a decent car.

I think the Spectra simply gets lost in the shuffle as a mediocre car in a tough market segment sold by less well established company.