SUVs are hot right now. They are the life and blood of the auto industry—along with pickups, I should add. You probably have heard how the falling gas prices and the desire to ride in something more than average led to the rise of the SUVs in the 1990s, but what you might not have known is that the year 2014 marked the time when the sales of SUVs outpaced the sales of the sedans. SUVs were becoming more prominent in the market—and you could tell this just by the sheer number of SUVs you saw on the roads back then—but 2014 marked it in IHS Automotive’s book. The title of most-selling was snatched from sedans and given to SUVs.
“Why exactly do people like SUVs?” you might ask. There are a plethora of reasons, but the answer is, I think, its ability to incorporate the various different things drivers want in a perfect combination. One of the best things it offers is the high seating-position, as with this, you are able to see the traffic ahead of the car ahead of you to a certain extent, depending on which SUV you get. Plus, SUVs are great with providing more room for legs, arms and groceries. These two features, in combination with a sharp exterior and posh interior, have won the hearts of millions of Americans.
So, let’s dive in.
20 Toughest: Lexus LX570
This car is rather extraordinary. It has the strength of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and a personality that is also similar to his. The car shares the same platform as the Toyota Land Cruiser, which might force you to say "why not get that?" That is a good question. Because this is a luxury vehicle. It has the underpinning of the Land Cruiser, but all that comes in the flavor of the LX570. So, what does that mean?
It means you get the Lexus grille. It means you get the tri-LED headlamps, which are exceptionally bright. The entire front face looks bold and big, ready to attack the road. And you better watch out, as the LX570 is aggressive from the sides also.
One of the “faults” of this car is that it is “too much” of an SUV. Unless you happen to be The Rock, you will need the running board, lest you pull a hamstring. But the side looks solemn too, regardless of the running board. Now let’s talk about the rear face. One of the unique things about the rear is that it is divided. So not only do you have a trunk that opens normally, but you also have a tailgate that pans out. Overall, it is a good vehicle.
19 Toughest: Ford Explorer
What happened with the Ford Explorer was unfortunate. There was a time back in the day when the Explorer would literally break down. Apparently, the treads of the tires would go berserk and cause a significant number of rollovers, a number that was significantly higher than the average. And, unfortunately, there is a decent amount of evidence that Firestone—the company that supplied Ford with tires—and Ford knew; that is the type of management Americans were dealing with back then. Executive Director for the Centre for Auto Safety, Clarence Ditlow, stated before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: "Emerging Information shows that both Ford and Firestone had early knowledge of tread separation in Firestone Tires fitted to Ford Explorer vehicles but at no point informed the NHTSA of their findings." Even U-Haul punished Explorer drivers by outlawing the Explorers from hauling its trailers.
Over the years, all that has changed. Currently, the Explorers look totally rad—so rad that even the cops drive them. Here are some of the pros Edmunds.com lists: “plenty of high-tech features that are easy to use; optional turbocharged V6 engine delivers plentiful power; cabin is quiet and comfortable on the highway; cargo space is generous behind the third row.”
18 Toughest: VW Atlas
While the car’s exterior reminds me of the Ford Explorer, I think the Atlas looks good, nonetheless. Produced at the Chattanooga plant in Tennessee, the SUV succeeded the VW Routan and Touareg. It is a five-door, mid-size SUV that has been in production since only 2017. The car started with a price tag of $31,000 at the launch and that seems to have helped it. The SUV gets fitted with either a 2L turbocharged I4 or a 3.6L V6. The former produces 235 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque; the latter churns out 275 HP and 266 lb-ft of torque. As you can see, the V6 produces a few more horses and torque, and while you might think the diesel would have done a better job, let’s not forget the diesel engines are under heavy investigations for cheating on emissions tests.
When VW was developing this SUV, it had in mind simplicity; VW promised the car would have third-row seats capable of accommodating adult passengers. And guess what? VW made sure that happened.
In fact, this is what Edmunds had to say: “Spacious interior offers ample room for passenger in all three rows; great compromise between precise handling and everyday comfort; straightforward cabin design makes everything easy to use.”
A very random tidbit: the car has 17 cup holders!
17 Toughest: Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is a very well-built vehicle. This car is equipped with some of the best technologies that German auto manufacturer Audi has. Right from the beginning, you have the gauge cluster, which is virtual; in fact, the entire cockpit is somewhat virtual. On top, you have the heads-up display, which is just top-notch. This is one of the most essential tools you could ask in any vehicles that are out in the market. Not only can you see the speed of your car, but also the navigation information without having to take your eyes off your vision field.
But that is not it. The center console has a place for you to write out—with the gesture of your fingers, of course—to input information in the infotainment system. Additionally, the camera features are really cool. Not only can the cameras show you what is in front and what is in the back, but they can also give you an aerial view of your car. And if you thought that was it, you are in for a surprise. The car has massaging features. So, sit back, turn on the driver assist and enjoy the massage!
16 Toughest: BMW X3
Let’s start from the exterior. It looks sharp, that is for sure. And that is one of the reasons why I didn’t choose the X6. The X6 looks a little out there in its rear design. It looks part-SUV and part-sedan, with the end result being that the protruding rear looks choppy. So that is why I stuck with the X3. Even the X5 looks good, and nothing like the X6 from the rear, but I wanted to talk about the X3 here. The exterior of the X3 retains the already successful design, so there is not much BMW could have improved upon.
The interior of the X3 is just posh. Starting from the cabin, you have a gauge cluster that is easy to read with its sharp design. The pocket on the doors are rather large, fitting some of the bigger Gatorade bottles. But that is not it. It is the phone-charging station that is rather interesting. You don’t have to plug the phone into anything. You simply toss the phone over a huge surface area, and it starts charging. Best part of the charging station? You don’t even have to place your phone in one angle or orientation; you, literally, just toss it, and it does the rest of the magic.
15 Toughest: Volvo XC90
This is one of the sickest Volvo cars. In 2014, the XC90 shifted gears to come to the second generation. The car looks just shiny, handsome and authoritative. Let’s dive into the front face. The hood looks simple, with very subtle curves in the middle. Calmly giving a sense of authority is that traditional Volvo grille. The headlamps and the below parts all work in concert to give this car a dedicated look from the front face. The side face is equally stable and sharp-looking; the same can be said about the rear. Overall, the exterior of the XC90 is one of the sharpest exteriors I have seen in a car.
Rest assured, I am not the only one to think this car is exceptionally well-designed: Both the first and second generations received the Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year award during the initial year.
When it comes to the powertrain, drivers are spoiled. All engines are 2-L and I4, but the permutation of twin-charged, turbocharged, diesel and gasoline leaves drivers scratching their heads for which option to pick. The interior is also posh; more importantly, it is practical. Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson praised the practicality of the XC90.
14 Toughest: Bentley Bentayga
This car is just insane. Even before I go into the details, here’s what Dough DeMuro had said "It literally giggles when it sees Range Rovers. It laughs openly when it sees G-Wagens. When the Bentayga sees a Nissan Rogue, it collapses in a heaving fit of hilarity. Why? The Bentayga offers 21 blues. It offers nine blacks. Seventeen golds and browns. Nine greens. Fifteen reds and purples. Sixteen grays and silvers. Twelve whites and beiges. There is a color—this is completely true—called Brodgar. Too dark for you? I completely understand. Fortunately, there's also a color called Pale Brodgar. And yet, this isn't the most ridiculous thing about the car.”
You know what the ridiculous part about the car is? It has a special clock that costs 160,000 a year. That is in addition to the base price, folks. And even if you have the money, you can’t necessarily have that clock; only four units are equipped a year with that clock. You can buy a nice little home and a convertible in Florida for that additional amount of money.
The rear of these cars is equally flamboyant. The trunk is equipped for accessories needed for tailgate parties: quilted leather bench and champagne.
13 Toughest: Lamborghini Urus
You see, the exterior of this car looks like it is about to eat other cars. Not just dominate the road—asphalt, mud, rut, sand, rain, snow, ice and sleet—but also to make sure the other car gets obliterated during the process. It looks like it is ready to tackle anything and everything, honestly. If you look at the front face, you can see the grille is sporty, furious and race-ready. The sides are equally captivating, and the rear is a little calmer, but still aggressive. The low-slung body kind of reminds me of the Range Rover Evoque; the entire car looked from the lateral side reminds me of a Porsche Cayenne, which is expected as it shares some of the structures. The good-looking infotainment system is borrowed from Audi.
And when you get inside the car, you feel like you have mistakenly climbed into a fighter jet’s cockpit. It looks just glorious and dashing with so many buttons, toggles and switches. A rookie wouldn’t even know what features exist—various types of driving modes and numerous comfort controls—let alone what to do with all of them.
And then, you still have the brutal powertrain: 650 horses and 627 lb-ft of torque.
12 Toughest: Mazda CX-9
Kelley Blue Book people were doing a review of this beast, and they brought up a really good point. What the reviewers did was duct taped the Mazda badges in the front and rear, and stated when you hide the badges, this car looks like it is from a luxury brand. And honestly, that is definitely the case with the Mazda CX-9. The seating is a bit average in the CX-9. The cabin seats are good; the second-row seats start to become just a little tight for adults; and the third-row seats will give you a decent amount of discomfort if you are an adult. The cargo area is also a little less than what others offer in its class. But besides that, it is all good. Here’s what Edmunds has to say about the pros of this car:
“With sharp, modern style inside and out, the CX-9 feels richer than its cost; sporty handling makes it fun to drive; comfortable interior remains quiet on the highway; top-level Signature trim is on par with some luxury-brand competitors.”
The sharp look of the car comes in part from the styling of the Infinity QX70. Car and Driver couldn’t stop praising the car’s interior. “Mazda’s material choices look and feel rich. Many of the plastics are so finely grained and soft to the touch that they appear to be bovine based,” said Car and Driver.
11 Toughest: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
I wanted to put something exotic here, like the RR Cullinan, but decided to settle with the Alfa Romeo, as the Cullinan is still in production and hasn’t actually come into existence. So, I settled with the handsome Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Just to show how crazy this SUV is, take note of the fact that it tested its engine at the famous Nürburgring. Car and Driver states “Two SUV protagonists currently vying for ’Ring lap-time supremacy and the brand cred that comes with it are Porsche—no surprise there—and little Alfa Romeo.”
The car looks its part with the fancy design. The classic triangle of the Alfa Romeo is ever-present and evergreen; in fact, even its name comes from a winding road in Northern Italy. The interior of the car is well-appointed, too. However, it should be noted the car is not a serious off-roading vehicle, which also leads to it having mediocre towing capacity.
Despite being an SUV, the car boasts of sportiness. “… The Stelvio backs it up with sharp handling, accurate steering, and an engine that's eager to break speed limits,” states Edmunds. While the base Stelvio gets the turbocharged four-cylinder, the Quadrifoglio gets the turbo treatment, just with the more powerful V6.
10 Will Fall Apart: Dodge Durango
For some reason, Dodge can’t seem to get a lot of its lineups right. Perhaps it has something to do with parent company Fiat Chrysler. Chrysler has a few divisions under its wings, but most of them aren’t doing too hot in the market. There was a time when Chrysler used to rule the roads—but even then, it wasn’t always ahead of rivals Ford and GM—and even those times are largely gone by now. So now, people are left with a company that produces less competitive products for the large part, and is mainly kept alive by Dodge Charger, Challenger and now-retired Viper.
I always thought that this car was not the most well-designed SUVs that I have ever seen. The front face looks weak and powerless, especially when the remainder of the car is taken into account. Here is what a disgruntled owner had to say: “I'm scared every day to drive it. I pray every day before I leave the house. This too shuts off while driving and the steering wheel locks while I'm driving. When I bought the car, the hazards didn't work on it so I can't even put them on when I'm stuck on freeway or road. I put down 10 grand on this car so I don't have money to trade it in…”
9 Will Fall Apart: Jeep Compass
Let me start with what Car and Driver listed as the highs of this car: power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, a backup camera, and push-button start. For a car trying to please the customers of 2018—the same populace that has one of the shortest attention spans in the history of the US—this car is just not going to make it. The base price of $22,000 is the only good thing, perhaps, but even then, there are several better options for similar price; the Compass isn’t able to rise out of its mediocrity at best. And at worst, it is simply hideous.
“At the Sport’s $22,090 base price—AWD adds $1500—the Compass’s interior is a throwback. The fabric on the seats is rugged, the carpet isn’t plush, and the plastic pieces are very plasticky,” states caranddriver.com.
Additionally, the car is not tech-savvy. The infotainment system is so small at 5 inches that it becomes rather easy to get in the habit of looking at the rear-view mirror and, indeed, physically turning back to take a glance at the surrounding space, than try to map what the rear camera displays on the screen. Consider getting the Mazda CX-5 or Honda CR-V, lest you get drowned in mediocrity.
8 Will Fall Apart: Infinity QX60
This car has an excellent exterior. The mesh-shaped grille is just tantalizing. It is simple—much like that of the Jaguar F-Pace—but it looks better because it has some curves to the chrome outline. Overall, the car has a very nice exterior look; and the interior is also well-appointed. The cargo will also satisfy your wandering brain.
The problem comes with the quality of the powertrain and dependability. Indeed, motor1.com states the car, like the Nissan Pathfinder, got a below-average score in powertrain. Furthermore, as shiny as the exterior looks, the dependability of the body and interior fared similarly. Consumer Reports has bashed this SUV for relentless problems with the transmission and drive system.
This is one what one of the reviewers had to say about her 2015 Infiniti QX60: “Probably the worst car I have ever had. A basic station wagon with a weak engine and sloppy transmission. No power, horrible brakes, handling. The tires are the worst. I hydroplane all the time in rain. Absolutely no traction in the snow even in snow mode. Making a buzzing and whistling sound like our 2013 JX did” (consumeraffairs.com). Overall, Infinity QX60 does not hold up well at all in the courts of critics and public alike.
7 Will Fall Apart: 2010 Range Rover
Some of these cars look beautiful. The current Range Rover Sport and Evoque are just fabulous. The Evoque in particular is rather well-built, rugged and daunting, with its sharp top-half design that gives a lot of other SUVs a little taste of what “looks” actually mean. And while the Evoque was not present in the year 2010, those descriptions can be applied to the Range Rover Sport.
But then reality hits you. That is all there is to Range Rover cars. Looks. That is it. No more praises after that because, after that, you are forced to realize how poorly built these cars were. Here is what Holly Martin of OSV Ltd had to say: “If we look at J.D Power, from the years 2007 to 2016, Land Rover and Range Rover’s best score was either 3 out of 5 or 6 out of 10. For eight of those years, they scored 2.5 out of 5 or less. This is below average for dependability. A further study by J.D Power found that the industry average for problems was 133 per 100 vehicles. Land Rover had pretty shocking 179 problems per 100 cars.”
That is a rather poor score for a car that is supposedly a good off-roading vehicle. No thanks, I don’t want to be stranded in a rut.
6 Will Fall Apart: Suzuki Samurai
This car has its proponents and detractors alike, although the scale tips toward the critics. Let’s start with what the proponents have to say. They argue the car was really cheap at a price of $6,200 in 1985. But, of course, the extremely reasonable price was not going to be the only thing that would entice the customers. It was the off-roading features, including the lightweight and durability, that made it very popular amongst the folks. In fact, 47K units were sold in just the first year. Other features, such as the simple design and an accessible engine and suspension, which made modifying things much easier, made the car insanely popular amongst the off-roaders. Plus, the light-weight made sure it never got stuck in the muddy tracks in the wilderness.
But it seems to me that the design is precisely what led to trouble. Consumer Reports reviewed the car and said the car was “unsafe and prone to rollovers.” Well, that took a toll on the car. Suzuki North America sued, but it doesn’t seem like that led to any definite answers. Consumer Reports said that its statement was not referring to driving it under routine conditions, implying it was off-roading that it failed at!
5 Will Fall Apart: Buick Encore
If there was one word that could sum it all up, it would be “rounded.” That is what this car is, essentially. There is one reason for that. Audience. That is what matters, and that is what Buick had in mind when designing this car. The car is meant to entice the Chinese population, the audience that it has won over. Seriously, if you look at the Chinese cinema, Buick cars were considered a status symbol, much like Mercedes was considered here in the US. That tradition has continued. And I suppose the rounded, amorphous, bulbous design—or however you want to put it—has secured its spot in the heart of the Chinese people. It doesn’t matter whether the vehicle is a sedan or a compact SUV; that shape is to follow, apparently. And it is not like designing a non-bulbous car is impossible in the compact SUV category. Look at BMW X3—that car has a superb design. To each his own is all I can say.
The only decent thing about this car is its interior. However, even then, don’t expect it to be luxurious; it is a premium car at best. The powertrain is lacklustre and infirm.
4 Will Fall Apart: Dodge Nitro
Speaking of Dodge, here is another one. Here is what one of the Jalopnik writers had to say about the car:
“The Nitro had the same problem lots of Chrysler products had in 2007: terrible interior quality, an underwhelming powertrain, and styling that makes that ‘look back’ owners do when walking away from their new cars a painful event every expletive time.”
The interior of these cars seemed very plasticky. It seems like there was only one thing the designers had to build this car with: cheapest plastics from around the world. Everything was hard inside the cabin, almost as if you were traveling in a car with bricks, except the car didn’t exactly have the beauty of bricks. So, you were left with dull and hard interior. While the design of the interior was not awful, it was mediocre at best.
The powertrain was infirm, simply put. It had a 3.7L V6 mated to a four-speed automatic, producing a meagre 210 HP. That wee of an engine was just not made to haul two-ton monster like this.
Plus, the exterior was bulky, as if extra metal was added just to increase the weight of the of this car for some unknown reason.
3 Will Fall Apart: Chevy Suburban
There’s not much you can do for looks when it comes to a full-size, extended-length SUV; it will look like what it generally looks like: disproportionate and large. After all, you can’t have a lot of curves and design in a car that has difficulty not jutting out of a parking space. So, we will leave that as is.
The only benefit you will have from getting this car is the humongous cargo space and, of course, the ability to seat not only your family of four, but also your neighbor’s family of five. Given the cargo capacity, you can definitely add a couple of dogs and cats to the equation without much trouble. The car allegedly has a powerful V8 engine, but Edmunds states the engine doesn’t live up to its expectation, saying, “lazy gas pedal response makes engine feel weaker than rated.” “Maneuvering in tight spaces is challenging” and “high cargo floor means more effort to load objects” were two more cons of this monster.
And motor1.com was not happy with this car either—or, more accurately—JD Power did not give the car any favorable ratings. Dependability and Suburban don’t go hand in hand, essentially; JD Power gave it the lowest ratings in every category.
2 Will Fall Apart: Pontiac Aztek
There was a time when Edsel held the title of being the archetype of automotive failure. That division and its lineups—courtesy of none other than our very own Ford—were a failure that nearly floundered the parent company.
Ford actually wrapped up its business pretty shortly—just two or three years—after realizing its blunder. Edsel held that title for almost five decades; now the Aztek holds that title.
Here is what Aaron Miller of Thrillist had to say about this: “The Aztek had some of the best and brightest GM designers working on it, including a man who would later be responsible for the current Corvette. The problem was that each designer had a say and the resulting cacophony never quite found its harmony. Consequently, the Aztek became the poster child of design by committee, lacking focus and any semblance of a unified vision.”
The reason for the mishap was that Pontiac was trying to re-establish the brand. Pontiac wanted to become what it sporadically had been from 1960-1980: avant-garde. But the lack of an authority led to a mishap that was yellow with grey plastic base and had turn signals that were on top of the lamplights—an atrocity.
1 Will Fall Apart: Bronco II
While it looked like the famous Bronco, the Bronco II and Ford Bronco were not related. The Bronco II was a two-door compact-sized SUV, in production from 1983-1990. There were several things that led to its demise. One was that the drivers got a taste of big SUVs, so the Bronco II stood no chance. Plus, and perhaps more importantly, the Bronco II was plagued with safety and instability issues. Turns out, Ford had started noticing problems with the safety of the car as soon as during the testing phase. The J-turn test was canceled, with Ford fearing the lives of its own drivers. The hard-working engineers suggested changes; money-seeking officials declined as that would have delayed the marketing. Naturally, there were several complaints and reports, but these complaints got lost in an “unusual document handling procedure.” Sound similar to “my dog ate my homework”?
That was all pre-production. But, knowing that Ford didn’t change anything, you can guess where this will go. The NHTSA got a whiff of the Bronco II having a high number of rollovers and investigated further. Other entities got involved, and each one took turns to find faults in these cars. Ultimately, Ford ended up losing $2.4B in damage settlements.
Sources: wikipedia.org, www.motor1.com, www.autotrader.com