SUVs are one of the most popular segments in the world, as more and more people gravitate to these ever-larger vehicles.
They are controversial, but there is no denying their popularity. However, some are selling better than others.
In this list, we will go through some of the slowest-selling SUVs on the market. This will include a mixture of new or recent releases and used models. Some of the data for this list comes from iSeeCars and their extensive studies.
Jeep Cherokee
The Jeep Cherokee has been around for some time, the latest debuting in 2013. Jeep ceased production of the Cherokee in 2023, with the Stellantis brand moving towards hybrid and electrification.
iSeeCars says that, on average, a Cherokee spends 128.7 days on the market before it is finally sold. Jeep’s struggles to sell some of its cars are well documented in the media, and it has gotten worse in 2023 compared to 2022.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Land Rover Discovery is a core part of the Land Rover range, and the Discovery Sport adds a bit of extra performance to the SUV. Land Rover added it to their lineup in 2014, and the current version boasts a range of inline-four and inline-three engines and hybrid power.
Typically, Discovery Sports are on sale for at least 120 days, and the vast Land Rover range could be one factor behind that time and price tag.
Buick Envision
Buick doesn’t have quite the same presence in America as it once did, and the Envision is one of the few cars it still sells in America. Buick has for some time focussed most of its attention on the Chinese market. The SUV has been on sale in China since 2014 and in the United States since 2016.
The current generation has a 2.0-liter LSY turbocharged inline-four under the hood, and they spend roughly 117 days on sale before someone finally purchases one.
Lincoln Aviator
The Lincoln Aviator is another SUV that needs help to make its presence felt in the United States. Lincoln is the luxury division of Ford, and the second generation of the SUV launched in 2020.
The power of the Aviator is impressive. The SUV has a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, and the EcoBoost has additional hybrid power. The extra 101 hp from the electric motor adds up to 494 hp overall. Aviators spend around 105 days on sales.
Ford Edge
The Ford Edge Crossover SUV is in its second generation, first launching in 2014. The new model marked the first time the Edge became available in European markets; however, that market does not recieve the gasoline engines you can find in North America.
Various powertrains, ranging from the 2.4-liter EcoBoost inline-four turbo to the EcoBoost V6 turbo, sit under the hood of the Edge. Ford, on average, has to wait around 93 days to sell an Edge.
Nissan Murano
Perhaps the Nissan Murano is less well-known than some SUVs. This mid-size Crossover has been on the market since 2003. The second generation became available in America in 2009, and the third appeared in 2014.
It was the first crossover SUV available in the United States and the only one until 2007 before the Nissan Rogue. Inline-fours and V6s are under the hood of the Murano, which underwent a facelift in recent years. These spend around 88 days on sale.
Infiniti QX80
Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury division, and the QX80 is one of its most well-known models. The current generation spends around 87 days on sale, likely due to the high average retail price of $82,847.
A third generation is set to launch for the 2025 model year. It will replace the V8 engine under the hood with a new, smaller, twin-turbocharged V6 powertrain. A more economical powertrain might boost the QX80’s sales.
Jeep Compass
The Compass is another SUV, this time a compact crossover, that Jeep is struggling to sell. In 2023, the manufacturer lost around 12 percent of its sales compared to 2022, which wasn’t a good year for the Stellantis brand.
The overall impression is that Jeep’s product mix isn’t resonating with the market, and its products are more expensive than necessary. Some customers have mentioned on Reddit they can’t find a Compass below $30,000, hence their hesitation in buying one.
Buick Encore
Buick may be struggling to sell the Encore due to its lack of a real presence in North America. The Encore GX debuted in North America at the end of 2019 and is also on sale in Mexico and China.
Two engines are available in the Encore: a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and a 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder. The 1.2-liter engine produces 137 hp, and the 1.3-liter 155 hp. Buick is struggling to sell these in less than 85 days.
Lincoln Navigator
The Lincoln Navigator is one of the most oversized SUVs on American roads. The full-size Luxury SUV debuted in 1998. The Navigator is the Lincoln version of the Ford Expedition, but it is also Lincoln’s heaviest production vehicle ever built.
The current generation Navigator weighs 5,685 lbs – 6,056 lbs, depending on the SUV version. The 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 produces 450 hp, sharing this engine with the Ford F-150 Raptor. It certainly needs all that power to shift its huge weight around.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is an SUV that has been available for some time, yet it is another Jeep that the manufacturer is struggling to sell. A report from the FCA in September 2023 listed the Grand Cherokee at seven percent less sales in Q2 2023 than at the same time in 2022.
Slow sales of the Grand Cherokee could be due to the controversy surrounding its name. Following a petition by the indigenous Cherokee Nation to Stellantis Stellantis to “retire” the Cherokee name amidst a wave of rethinks around product names, Stellantis decided to discontinue the Cherokee name.
Buick Enclave
Buick has manufactured the Enclave for 27 years, with the latest generation debuting in 2017. This marked a big upmarket move for the SUV, as Buick looked to take on rivals like the Volvo XC90, Infiniti QX60, and Acura MDX in the premium crossover SUV market.
According to iSeeCars, however, Enclaves spend around 83 days on sales. The SUV isn’t cheap, starting at $43,900, but it is practical and can seat up to seven people, so it is still a good option for some.
Infiniti QX60
It is tricky to determine why the Infiniti QX60 is struggling to sell because reviews regularly rate the luxury crossover highly. Car and Driver said the 2024 QX60 is “Stylish inside and out, thoughtfully placed storage cubbies, nine-speed automatic shuffles gears effortlessly.”
However, the SUV has some downsides. Most notably, the loud V6 engine and the 20-inch wheels reduce driving comfort. A wired connection for Android Auto is also a weird and inconvenient issue that makes phone connectivity tricky.
GMC Acadia
Of all the SUVs on this list, the GMC Acadia is among the least interesting. iSeeCars states that it spends around 81 days on sale, but the average price is around $135,081.
However, its fortunes might yet turn around. GMC revealed the new, third-generation Acadia at the 2023 North American International Auto Show. The SUV has grown in size, becoming a full-size SUV again, and it will have a 2.5-liter LK20 turbocharged inline-four under the hood.
Ford Explorer
The Explorer is one of the longest-standing models in the current Ford range. Its current slow sales are unusual, as in 2020, CNBC reported that the Explorer was the best-selling SUV of all time in America.
While it is a solid, dependable, and well-priced choice, the Explorer faces ever-increasing competition from BMW, Mercedes, Chevrolet, and Acura. However, its reputation still puts it in a good place for the future, particularly with the latest hybrid version.
Hyundai Nexo
The Hyundai Nexo is one of the most exciting SUVs on the market. Its hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain makes it a real standout among hybrid, electric, and turbocharged SUVs.
CarPro listed it as the second slowest-selling SUV of July 2023. However, that comes with a caveat. Sales were up 17 percent compared to July 2022, showing the increasing demand for hydrogen vehicles. How the Nexo stacks up in July 2024 will be fascinating, as there are now more electric SUVs on the market.
Cadillac XT4
According to iSeeCars, Cadillac’s XT4 is one of the slowest-selling SUVs on the used car market. Typically, they sit for roughly 71 days before selling, and the average used price for one is $31,650.
The XT4 launched in 2019, so as iSeeCars themselves alluded to, the Cadillac SUV probably needs a redesign. Its powertrain also needs an upgrade; the XT4 currently uses a 2.0-liter LSY turbocharged inline-four with 237 hp, much less than many rival SUVs.
Tesla Model X
The Tesla Model X is a surprising addition to the slow sales area of the used car segment. The Tesla SUV debuted in 2015, but it has gone through various upgrades, and the long-range version boasts an impressive 348 miles of range.
The issue with the Model X is that there are more appealing rivals on the market. Crossovers like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 look better and are a lot cheaper, too. Elon Musk’s various controversies have perhaps not helped either.
Land Rover Range Rover
The standard Range Rover, one of the most famous SUVs in the world, is also struggling to sell on the used market. iSeeCars says these are on the market for an average of 68.4 days.
They are also expensive, with the average price currently at $75,060. The Range Rover range is full of alternatives to the standard model, and there are more and more rivals to the SUV. Their questionable reliability also doesn’t help their cause.
Chevrolet Blazer
The Chevrolet Blazer is an exciting prospect. They are struggling to sell on the used market, but since 2018, the model has only had a facelift, which came in 2023. The SUV is still in its first generation.
However, in 2023, Chevrolet launched the Blazer EV for the 2024 model year. Consumers may wonder why they should buy an outdated SUV when an all-new electric version is on the way, one that also looks sharper than its predecessor.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
The Wrangler is a staple of the Jeep range, and the Wrangler Unlimited is one of the highest-spec versions on the market. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the SUV, and the Unlimited Rubicon is also an award winner.
Its struggles in the used car market are similar to those of Jeep in the new car market. With an average sales price of $49,709, consumers are likely put off by a high price tag for a used SUV.
Lincoln Nautilus
The Lincoln Nautilus debuted in 2018 for the 2019 model year and was the luxury Ford division’s counterpart to the Ford Edge SUV. The styling was similar to the Continental and Navigator, and the SUV went through a refresh in 2021.
Ford and Lincoln initially launched the car in China for the second generation. It debuted in early 2023, and then the US version debuted in April. Slow sales for the older generation model will likely continue, with the new version coming very soon.
Ford EcoSport
The current generation of Ford EcoSport is likely suffering as it has yet to receive a significant update since its launch in 2012. It only went on sale in North America in 2018, but iSeeCars states that the compact SUV will sit on sale for 60.1 days.
The EcoSport’s price is low, with the average at just $19,755. The most likely reason for its sluggish sales is rivals offering more, as Ford hasn’t updated the EcoSport for some time.
Audi Q8
The Audi Q8 is the SUV that fared the best in iSeeCar’s study of slow-selling used vehicles. The website said they will be on sale for around 60 days, but it is easy to see why that is the case.
An average sales price of $55,099 is a lot of money for a used vehicle, mainly when you can pick up a Lincoln Nautilus for less at around $38,329. The Q8 has been around since 2018 but is still a dependable part of the Audi range.
