When BMW first launched the X6, it was marketed as a way for wealthy off-road enthusiasts to drive in luxury and style, while also being able to travel off-road. Unfortunately for them, the first generation of this car didn’t do a great job with either one of those things.
The SAV (“sports activity vehicle”) opened to moderate sales and wasn’t received too well nor too poorly. Over the subsequent years, BMW has smoothed out the wrinkles and managed to upgrade the car into something an off-road enthusiast would actually enjoy driving. While today’s options for a great BMW to drive in the dirt are much larger and better working, the original X6 was not something anyone would be too proud of.
Dodge Journey
When the Consumer Report publication reviewed the 2019 Dodge Journey, they described it as “Smaller than the typical mid-sized SUV … a dated and mediocre performer”. The vehicle was also placed as a contender in the “Worst Overall” and “Least Satisfying” categories. The main reasons cited for the vehicle’s poor reviews regarded its slow performance, high fuel consumption, a transmission that just doesn’t want to change gears, and a small third-row seat.
Kelley Blue Book, a California-based vehicle evaluator and automotive research company that is recognized by both consumers and the automotive industry, also deemed the Journey as a poor contender in the already crowded SUV market. Even though the car was hailed as a worse version of other great SUVs, it was still appreciated for some qualities such as ”comfortable seats, a forgiving ride quality, and many stowage areas to help keep trips bearable.”
Jaguar F-Pace
Boasting a high-performance supercharged V6 acceleration, up to a mind-boggling V8 SVR variant, the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace appears to be on track as one of the year's most exciting SUVs. With some serious marketing dollars behind it, this one made us take a serious look before being disappointed to find that there wasn't much there. The F-Pace's interior materials are a huge disappointment with a starting price of $45,000, and the stiff ride just makes us want to go sit in a Mercedes or a Porsche that goes for about the same price.
Kelley Blue Book nailed the car for having a ride that’s "stiff and choppy". The Jaguar SUV wasn't treated well in reviews and received a measly 3 stars out of 5 from Whatcar.com. They claim that "You could buy a much larger SUV, such as an Audi Q7 or Volvo XC90, for less money, although neither of those rivals is as fast or a sharp to drive as the F-Pace."
2006 Dodge Dakota
Dodge had the not-so-great idea of taking its famous Ram Dakota and completely redesigning it in 2006. The trims looked more sporty and the engine had been upgraded to a 4.7-liter V8 engine with 302 horsepower. The new 2006 Dodge Dakota sounded promising, and it managed to garner quite a bit of fame among drivers. But the dream was short-lived.
The Dakota trucks broke down a lot, often in mid-driving, making them into a financial nightmare, since many of the vehicles had to be recalled or refunded. The company had only sold 12,000 Dakotas by 2011 and decided to discontinue the Dakota model entirely just after five years of it being on the market.
1978 Subaru BRAT
The 1978 Subaru BRAT was basically a fake pickup truck. Famous for building fast, efficient, and reliable vehicles, Subaru is an incredible option when you consider their low prices. Unfortunately, however, they didn’t have the same success with their BRAT model. The car was proof enough for the company of why it should stick to regular cars and stay as far away from trucks as possible.
And truly, Subaru just added a flatbed to the back of their popular Sedan in order to turn this BRAT model into a truck. Even though the car became famous because Ronald Reagan drove one for twenty years, and this made sales go way up, the BRAT eventually tanked.