The recipe for a good SUV is rather straightforward: a decent engine, plenty of cargo and passenger space, and high ground clearance. However, for some manufacturers, that's simply not enough.
Over the years, the segment has evolved from simple workhorses or utility vehicles to luxurious feature-packed family haulers we see on the roads today. With better features, comfort, and fuel economy, came a higher demand for this segment, and brands started trying way too hard to make their SUVs stand out from the pack. As a result, some ridiculously unusual or plain hideous SUVs hit the market.
From slightly off-putting and unpopular SUVs to those that are absolute failures both in terms of design and performance, these 10 models should have probably never hit the streets.
9 Ford Flex
The Ford Flex wasn’t as consistently horrible as other cars on this list, but it needed a lot more work. The appearance threw folks off, as the SUV looked like a weird hodgpodge of a van, limo, and station wagon.
The performance wasn’t bad, but it was undermined by a dozen recalls ranging from water leaks to engine misfires, parking brake failing, bad seating, and more. Ford sold an average of 22,000 models of the Flex per year, but for every customer who says they liked it, there were a couple more slamming it. With more work from the appearance to the performance, the Flex could still be around as a fun ride.
8 Fiat 500X
Regularly topping lists of some of the most unreliable SUVs on the market, the Fiat 500X already “boasts” a bad design that looks more like a hatchback than an SUV. It’s two-wheel-drive only, making it nearly useless off-road or in unfavorable weather conditions. The 1.3-liter four-cylinder with 177 hp doesn't help it either.
It’s also too expensive considering its poor mileage, unimpressive interiors, cramped seating, and lower cargo. How it keeps going is amazing, as the 500X needs a major overhaul to compete in the market.
7 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
While it was improved with later models, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport still has some issues. No matter how much the company tries, they just can’t avoid issues with the compact SUV, which range from heat/AC not working to engine overheating, and the automatic transmission failing...and that’s without mentioning the weak 2.4-liter 166-hp four-cylinder base engine.
Its towing power is lower than cheaper competitors and the handling is sluggish to boot. It has some decent cargo capacity, but the numerous problems should have been long corrected for the Sport.
6 Ford Excursion
The Excursion's recent revival has put more attention on the model, which may have been just too strong for its own good. At the time, it was the longest and heaviest SUV in production at 8,900 pounds, which could be heavier with a stronger engine.
It did have great power, the V8 options going into the 6.8 or 7.1-liter range. But that frame, better suited for a flatbed truck, was just too much for it to reach high speeds and the longer shape made parking a hassle. This massive gas guzzler has no place in today's market.
5 Suzuki X-90
One of the bigger flops in Suzuki history, the X-90 barely sold seven thousand models in the U.S. It’s amazing they got that many since the model was flawed from the start with the bizarre attempt to meld a hatchback and an SUV into an ugly boxy package that made a Mini-Cooper look like a Rolls-Royce.
There was a weak 1.6-liter four-cylinder that didn’t even push 100 hp, and the cargo space was barely enough to talk about. Maybe it doesn’t deserve Jeremy Clarkson’s declaration of “worst car ever,” but there’s no denying the X-90 needed a lot more work in the design stages before it was put into production.
4 GMC Envoy XUV
The GMC Envoy XUV wasn’t a bad idea in concept. An SUV with a convertible option could work with the right frame and development. But GMC rushed it too fast, so the roof became, as then-GM President Bob Lux put it, “some towering wedding cake.”
It didn’t help that after all the hype, the XUV could barely hold the same cargo as a conventional Envoy, especially since the framing was weak and prone to breaking a lot. They barely sold the 13,000 models, which goes to show that mixing some good ideas doesn’t always add up to a great car.
3 Range Rover Evoque
The Evoque is a decent seller, but it’s also among the least reliable SUVs currently on the market. The 2020 version ranked 41 out of 100 when it comes to reliability, owing to recalls on airbags, brakes, wipes, and even the frame tending to fall apart.
That’s without problems with the engine, poor handling, and cramped interiors. The 2022 model is getting slightly better reviews but still scores poorly versus the competition.
2 Dodge Nitro
The first reason the Nitro failed is obvious: that front end. It looks like a truck from the 1940s somehow welded onto an early '90s SUV, the boxy front too short and the styling off. Nothing aligns—not the front, the grille, the wheels, or headlights. It’s all completely off and hardly appealing.
This disadvantage might have been offset if it could drive well, but the Nitro failed there too. A weak engine, lousy handling, and cheap interiors made it a hassle to drive.
1 Pontiac Aztek
Slamming the Pontiac Aztek is low-hanging fruit, but it’s still astounding what the company was going for here. While it has its defenders, the Aztek is better known for being one of the ugliest cars ever put on the market as well as a failure in performance. It handled badly, had a sluggish engine, and was just not fun to drive.
There were some touches like a cooler and the fold-out tent option, but for the most part, there’s a good reason the Aztek was a sales flop and helped usher the end of Pontiac as a brand. For all the “cult following” it has today, the fact remains that the Aztek should have been better developed.