Lewis Shaw
Here are 8 different vehicles we do not recommend buying in 2015. Some will soon be replaced with all-new models.
1. 2015 Dodge Dart
Dodge had high hopes for its Dart compact sedan upon the car’s model-year 2014 debut. The slickly styled four-door has a nice interior featuring a strong UConnect infotainment system, but its multitude of engine options, none of which earn strong marks for smoothness, can be confusing to buyers. Overall reliability has been below average. Try the Hyundai Elantra for generous standard features at this price point or the Honda Civic for its strong blend of build quality, handling fun, efficiency and reliability.
2. 2015 Ford Focus Electric
The Focus Electric is still only available in a few national markets, and although it has come down in price quite a bit since it was originally released, there are still other electric cars that are a better value. Chiefly among reasons why is the Ford’s poor driving range, making it more likely to leave motorists stranded without enough juice to get home. Among affordable mainstream electric cars, we recommend the longer-range Nissan LEAF and much more engaging Fiat 500E. For those who can swing the steep upgrade in price, the Tesla Model S is still the primo EV on the market, able to travel for more than three times as long as the Focus Electric before needing a recharge.
3. 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage
Mitsubishi makes a bold and technically correct claim about its super-tiny Mirage economy car: it’s the most fuel efficient gas-powered car on the market. It would also appear to be a strong bargain at just $12,995 to start. Appearances can be deceiving, though, as the Mirage’s sheer lack of power along with 1990s-style stripped down interior make it one to avoid.
We recommend the Nissan Versa instead, which features a huge back seat, a much more powerful engine and also a very low price. The Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio twins are also fine choices with high standard feature content.
4. 2015 Nissan Titan
Although the Nissan’s 5.7-liter V-8 has a ton of power, it’s also the thirstiest pickup on the market, which really stacks up for drivers who use their truck to get from one job site to the next day in and day out. The aging Titan’s reliability also cannot match new models coming out of Detroit, all of which have been recently redesigned. Try the Ford F-150, which sees a full redesign for 2015 featuring a lightweight aluminum-intensive body and efficient turbocharged V-6 engines. Or, wait for Nissan’s all-new 2016 Titan model, which will be the only light-duty pickup on the market with a diesel V-8.
5. 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
There is no more competitive segment than the good old midsize family sedan, where the top players sell units each year numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Leading entries like the Honda Accord and Mazda6 offer lots of driving excitement, while the VW Passat and the Toyota Camry offer more-coddling rides and lots of space.The Malibu, which to its credit will be totally redesigned later this year for 2016, is none of those things. It’s small in the back, and its powertrains are coarse. A lone bright spot has been strong reliability. This is one to avoid until the gorgeously styled new model comes out.
6. 2015 BMW Z4
The nicely styled Z4 seems like it has a whole lot going for it, but in a sports car segment where entries like the Porsche Boxster offer superior performance and even the Mazda MX-5 Miata brings a more thrilling drive, the BMW is getting a little long in the tooth. The car is not bad, and for some drivers its curvaceous styling might be enough of a selling point, but it lacks engagement. BMW is currently hard at work behind closed doors developing the Z4’s successor, which will probably get a different name, through a joint partnership with Toyota. With the German luxury brand known for its engaging and refined new models, its next roadster may be leaps and bounds better.
7. 2015 Mazda CX-9
Mazda’s smaller crossover SUV models, the CX-3 and CX-5, have come during the brand’s “SKYACTIV” engineering era and feature light weight, great handling performance and modern interiors. The larger CX-9 is much older, and while it still may make a compelling choice for those with large families who still love to drive, the reality is there are much better choices among full-size crossovers. The Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia offer much more spacious and better-designed interiors, while the recently updated Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot are known for top-notch reliability.
8. 2015 Infinity Q60
Since Nissan’s luxury brand switched to its new “Q” naming system, the four-door sedan model that was formerly the G37 has been replaced with a decent new compact sport sedan called the Q50. The coupe version, now called Q60, still rides on the previous-generation platform related to the Nissan 370Z sports car. While the “Z” is all about sharp-edged performance, buyers in the luxury segment want much more than that. The Q60 has a strong engine but a very harsh ride in a segment where offerings like the BMW 4-Series and Audi Q5 are much nicer and more refined overall.
