What makes a car flop? Other than a select few vehicles that come bearing a massive and sometimes even fatal flaw that can cause harm and foul to the driver, passengers, or the nearby pedestrians and vehicles around, cars flop because there is a gap between expectations and the actual product.
You expect a car to be beautiful, it turns out ugly. You expect it to be cheap, it's super expensive. You expect it to be fast, it’s slow… The list is endless.
But does that mean that every flop car is truly a bad one? Truthfully, no. Some cars tend to slip through the cracks even though they are cool ones, mostly because their names have been tarnished so by the media and by word-of-mouth. It’s only later, on the used-car market, that people begin to see their worth and give them a second, permanent home.
On that note, here go 10 flopped SUVs that are worth every penny on the used-car market, today.
10 2006-2010 Jeep Commander: Complaint Stuffed But Truly Okay
The Jeep Commander isn’t the best among Jeep's SUVs. But that said; mostly all Jeep models are often ridiculed because you cannot please everyone and yes, Jeeps do come with some faults as well. So many did face problems with it.
The bad press kept it alive for only four years, and a decade and more later, you can have any of these for under $10,000. It has great off-roading capabilities and is pretty smooth on the road, plus carried good NHTSA safety ratings.
9 2002-2009 Hummer H2: Bad Press But Good Car
The Hummer H2 debuted in 2002 at the worst time ever because it was a gas guzzler that came when gas prices and environmental concerns were high. Automatically, it was labeled as the very devil and everything that was wrong with the American automobile industry.
But basically, it was a very capable SUV with cool off-road abilities too, just one that didn’t find favor with the general public at the time of launch. Today, you can have one of these from $20,000 to $50,000 depending on the condition as well as the trim.
8 2010-2013 Acura ZDX: Too Adventurous For The Audience
The Acura ZDX was a midsize luxury crossover that came powered by a 3.7-liter V6 that jetted 300 horses and 270 ft-lb of torque. Add to this a six-speed automatic and Acura’s SH-AWD (as in Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive), and you got one gorgeous car with amazing power.
Unfortunately, Acura ended up targeting this car at a mature audience who found it too sporty and bold for their tastes, with only 7,191 sold in four years. Prices fall under $15,000 today, making it an automotive oddity for its time, but a great used SUV today.
7 2009-2019 Ford Flex: An Answer No One Asked For
What is the Ford Flex? So sure, it is a full-sized SUV, but basically, this is the car you want, if you truly want a modern take on the old-school vans and wagons. Or a puffed out Mini Cooper. Either way, this was a car that became a cult favorite, and consequentially, sold in niche numbers only.
That said; it had a powerful engine, a comfortable ride, and a rather extra-large road presence. You can get one for even under $10,000 if you take an older model, but for the 2017 model onwards price touch or rise above $20,000.
6 2004-2005 GMC Envoy XUV: SUV/Pickup Fail
Technically, we cannot blame the Envoy XUV. It was an SUV with a retractable roof, with a movable watertight partition in the rear. The cargo space was modular, remained locked and covered, but could open to haul an extra-tall Christmas tree even. GM expected it to be a success, like the similar-minded Chevrolet Avalanche.
It wasn’t, mostly because of heavy chassis, a rather ugly fascia, and well, a more expensive price tag, despite the same payload as a normal Envoy. You can find one on the used car lot for $5,000, ballpark.
5 2000-2005 Pontiac Aztek: A Demonic Possession
The Aztek was truly a good car and one that was being waited for by the media and the public because SUVs were taking off big time. The 3.7-liter V6 in it powered it well too, generating 185 horses and 201 ft-lb torque.
The massive turn-off was the looks of the SUV, which seemed like a sedan had been mushed on top of an SUV. Plastic cladding added to the lack of appeal and when the car was unveiled, legend says, the audience actually gasped.
4 2007-2013 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid: Not High-Bred Enough
The Chevy Tahoe Hybrid did not do well at all, even though the normal gas-guzzling one did fine. Why? Don’t know, all we do know is that the Tahoe Hybrid was as powerful as its non-hybrid avatar. It was 4WD, seated eight, and could tow 8,200 pounds, on a 6.0-liter V8 hybrid engine, that delivered 19mpg in the city.
The fuel efficiency increase did not impress buyers much, and neither did the heavier weight. The Tahoe Hybrid did not sell well, and today you can have one for about $10,000, to save the Earth.
3 1986-1995 Suzuki Samurai: A Slanderous Overkill
When the Suzuki Samurai debuted in the US in 1985, as the 1986 model, it did so with a bang and sold in droves. Within a couple of years, it was one of the best-selling Japanese vehicles of its time and people lined up to get it. All of this came to a crashing halt in 1988, when Consumer Reports tarnished the SUV for being prone to rollovers.
Sales slowed and stopped, and the Samurai became more of a joke. Suzuki sued CR before exiting the US for good. You can get many examples for under $10,000 but mint-condition models can touch $20,000 as well.
2 2007-2011 Chevrolet HHR: Way Too Retro
When the Chrysler PT Cruiser, despite those gnarly retro looks, turned into something of a hit, Chevy decided to repeat and churn up another retro-looking me-too, and called the HHR, as in Heritage High Roof. The 2.0-liter Ecotec engine gave out 260 horses and ft-lb torque, each, which made for respectable power if not a thrilling one.
These come cheap on the car bazaar today, like under $5,000, and can still give you a retro kick in a vehicle that refuses to die.
1 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen: The Uglier Durango
How bad was the Aspen? Well, it made the Durango seem perfectly proportioned. Sales were dismal although, the optional 5.7-liter Hemi engine delivered plenty of power as did the 4.7-liter V8 that made 303 horses. Do note that the Chrysler Aspen had nothing to do with the Dodge Aspen of the ‘70s although both the cars suffered a similar fate.
You can get one in the used car market for an easy under $10,000; and sometimes, even under $5,000. Certainly a worthy contender on this list.
Sources: WashingtonPost, CarFax