Cars That Owners Get Rid Of Within The First Year
Breaking up is hard to do unless it's with a car, truck or SUV that doesn't live up to expectations. Whether it's buyer's remorse, high ownership costs, reliability issues, or maybe the reality it just didn't live up to the hype, a surprising amount of new car buyers part ways with their purchase within the first year of ownership. Econo-boxes aren't exclusive to this list and high-end European marques hold a large number of spots, meaning that luxury may have its limits. Here are some of the cars, trucks, and SUVs that people trade-in or sell before their first year of ownership is complete, according to data from ISeeCars.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the German marque's mid-size luxury sedan that's slowly evolving into a mini S-Class. The styling is now starting to follow that of the bigger sedans and the technology and luxuryne on the inside mirrors the bigger cars as well.
Despite the upscale appearance and features, the C-Class is the car that is gotten rid of most by owners in the first year, with 12.4% of buyers saying "Auf Weidersehen" to the handsome sedan. Maintenance costs, insurance costs and high cost of ownership likely has a lot to do with that high return rate.
BMW 3-Series
BMW's 3-Series have always been the benchmark for sports sedans. The Bavarian company's smooth and powerful six-cylinder engines and a well-tuned, balanced chassis have made the 3-Series the choice for drivers who want luxury, power, and handling.
It's a car that other manufacturers continually measure their own models against, and for good reason, the 3-Series is a fantastic driving car that expertly mixes canyon-carving ability with everyday practicality. However, not all that glitters is gold, and the 3-Series suffers from high maintenance costs. 11.8% of buyers sent the mid-size Bimmer packing within the first year of ownership.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
The Land Rover Discovery is the model to choose if you plan on spending some time off the beaten path. It's potent engines and epic off-road ability make it a great choice for exploring away from pavement.
It's one of the few off-road orientated SUVs that is as comfortable on the road as it is off, and the levels of luxury that can be optioned are as posh as you'd expect from the premium brand. Still, high maintenance costs and reliability issues plague the "Disco" and 11.8% of owners opted to say "Cheerio" within 12 months of buying.
Land Rover Evoque
The Evoque is Land Rover's smallest SUV. It was a big hit when it first debuted in 2011, with edgy styling and off-road chops that matched its chiseled good looks. Despite being powered by a modest four-cylinder engine, the Evoque proved to be incredibly capable off-road, fun to drive on the road and loaded with a luxury kit that belies its entry-level status.
The little Land Rover can wade through nearly two-feet of water and is equipped with the excellent Terrain Response system for traversing rough trails. High ownership costs, insurance, and reliability issues contributed to 10.9% of buyers ditching the Evoque after less than a year.
MINI Clubman
The Clubman is a stretched version of MINI's Cooper hatchback. The first generation had smaller suicide rear doors, giving access to the rear seats and the second generation got full-size doors. Technically, the Clubman is a station wagon, but the proportions on a stretched MINI Cooper have always been slightly "off."
The visual style and driving dynamics of the bigger Clubman have been the subject of a lot of panning by automotive journalists. Poor reviews, high maintenance costs and a driving experience that doesn't live up to the hype likely influenced the 10.7% of buyers who gave the Clubman the heave-ho in ownership year one.
BMW X1
The X1 is BMW's smallest crossover, but also one of their best. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine has enough punch to make the X1 move at a good pace and the sharp handling makes it one of the most fun crossovers to drive.
As you'd expect from a BMW, the X1 is full of high-quality materials and the fit and finish is top-notch. However, drivers report that the little Bimmer is loud on the freeway and the ride can be jarring over rough roads. This led 10.4% of buyers to decide that the X1 wasn't good enough to keep around more than a year.
BMW X3
Thanks to BMWs numerical naming system, it's easy to figure out where all the SUVs stack up in the hierarchy; X1 through X7 is the system, while the X3 slots in between the X2 and the X4, unsurprisingly.
It may seem that BMW is just making SUVs incrementally bigger than the previous one, but that assumption belies the fact that the mid-size X3 is genuinely a fun crossover to drive. Despite the luxury, the excellent handling, and an available 355-horsepower turbocharged six-cylinder engine, 9.0% of owners ditched the middle-child of BMWs SUV line-up.
Nissan Versa Note
Nissan's entry-level Versa Note is a pretty basic car. It certainly has better styling than the Versa sedan, but many of its competitors from other manufacturers offer more features, better value, and a better overall driving experience.
On the upside, the bmwNote is relatively inexpensive, making it a good option if your vehicle requirements are simply getting from point A to point B and saving money. Nissan designed the Note to be as affordable and reliable as possible, but being basic can have its drawbacks. 9.0% of buyers got rid of the little Note within the first year.
Jaguar XF
Jaguar's XF has style for days and one of the best ride qualities of any four-door sedan. The XF Sportbrake wagon is especially nice, and both the XF and XF Sportbrake are exceedingly rare.
But, all the style and curvaceous bodywork in the world isn't enough to hold on to buyers if the experience of ownership is poor. The XF suffers from underwhelming performance, minor interior quality issues, reliability issues, and perhaps most problematic of all, a huge cost of ownership. Overall, 8.8% of buyers found issues with the Jag and sent it home before the first year was over.
Nissan Versa
The Nissan Versa is basic, entry-level transportation. It's supremely affordable and very reliable but it lacks a lot of features that are standard in competitor cars. With its bland styling and bare-bones build, many buyers may grow weary living with less.
The Versa does its job well, just without anything that could be misconstrued as exciting or fun. Perhaps that is why 8.7% of buyers said "farewell" to the Versa in their first year of ownership. Basic is good, but sometimes being too basic can get tedious.
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is the German marque's full-size SUV. Available in a wide variety of trims and with several different engines, it's generally regarded as one of the best luxury SUVs on the market. It's also Porsche's sales leader, generating the income necessary for the sport car maker to continue building exciting models like the GT2RS and 918 Spyder.
Despite all the goodness, all the luxury and speed, the downside to luxury vehicle ownership is often the high cost of ownership and maintenance. In all, 8.7% of buyers felt "nicht sehr gut" (not very good) about their purchase within a year of ownership.
Mercedes-Benz GLA
Mercedes-Benz's GLA is one of the more distinctive crossovers on the market today. Available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the GLA is peppy, and handling is crisp, making the small crossover a lot of fun to drive on twisty roads.
Many owners complained of cramped back seats, overly harsh ride and small cargo area. But, it's small size makes it very efficient and capable of 34-mpg on the freeway. The GLA's issues may be enough for owners to question their purchase, as 8.5% of them did, returning the small Benz after less than a year.
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is an automotive icon, the unquestioned top dog of sports cars everywhere and one of the most engaging and thrilling driving experiences on the road.
There are as many 911 variants as there are stars in the sky and each one has a unique character that endears the model to enthusiasts. It's a car that many makers are inspired by and for good reason. However, for some the 911 isn't all it's cracked up to be. That 7.1 % of new buyers found fault with Stuttgart's finest and returned them within the first year of ownership.
Nissan Rogue Sport
The Nissan Rogue Sport has a naming problem. Adding "Sport" to the name of any vehicle denotes performance, speed, fun-to-drive, and crisp handling. Unfortunately, the Rogue Sport lacks sportiness.
The Rogue Comfort would be a more accurate name, and that's where Nissan's SUV excels. The Rogue is spacious, comfortable and extremely composed on the road, but with only 141 horsepower and a CVT transmission, it is very slow. Despite the naming error, the Rogue Sport is a solid pick for an everyday SUV. However, 8.1% of buyers said "Sayonara" to the Nissan in under twelve months of ownership.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The G-Class or G-Wagon is Mercedes-Benz's top-of-the-line SUV that rivals anything made by Land Rover for outright off-road ability. The big and brutish G63 AMG typically gets most of the headlines with its enormous horsepower, but it's the G550 that is the off-road star, and one of the best off-road orientated luxury trucks ever built.
With 416 horsepower from a twin-turbo V8 and a starting price of $124,000, it's capable of draining fuel tanks and wallets at the same time. Power and prestige come at a price, and that may have been too much for the 8.1% of buyers who got rid of the big Benz within the first year.
Nissan Titan XD
The Nissan Titan XD is the heavy-duty version of the Titan pickup truck and you can spec it with a Cummins diesel engine and the Pro 4X off-road package. Despite the diesel power and the off-roading capabilities, the Titan XD lags behind its competitors in towing capacity and payload rating.
Owners have noted that the ride is less refined than trucks offered by Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram, but does offer ridiculously comfortable "Zero Gravity" front seats. In the ultra-competitive truck market, the Titan, unfortunately, is behind the game and 7.9% of buyers of rid themselves of Nissan's big truck within a year.
Nissan 370Z
The 370Z has largely gone unchanged for over a decade, and in that time its competitors have caught, passed and leveled-up on Nissan's rear-wheel-drive sports car. A lack of attention from Nissan can, and usually does, mean declining sales and disinterest. That's not to say that the 370Z is a bad car, it's just starting to show it's age; especially when compared against much more modern sports cars.
There's still a lot to like from the 332-horsepower V6 and rear-wheel-drive chassis, but it's just not as sharp and toss-able as others, leading 7.8% of new buyers to get rid of it within a year.
Nissan Titan
Like the heavy-duty XD, the standard Nissan Titan is a valiant effort to take on the established pickup truck kings but falls short with lower than average payload and towing ratings. The V8 makes 390-horsepower but isn't enough to make the Titan impress against the F150, Silverado or Ram.
The ride quality tends to be harsh, as the Titan is biased towards off-road duty and that leads to a less refined feel compared to its competitors. With pickup trucks, towing, payload and power are king, and 7.6% of new buyers felt the Titan couldn't wear the crown, trading them in after a year.
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is America's sports car king. In its current C7-generation, it's a V8 powerhouse that can go toe-to-toe with much more expensive supercars from Europe and Japan. The base Stingray is a great car and the GrandSport version ratchets up the performance. Taking it a step further, the Z06 and ZR1 Corvettes are track-day monsters that have performance powers capable of warping space and time.
Regardless of the model, fun, speed and that great V8 rumble are at the core of what a Corvette is all about, 6.4% of new buyers didn't see their ownership experience that way and gave them back within a year.
Dodge Challenger
The Dodge Challenger doesn't pretend to be anything more than a fast and fun muscle car. Currently, there are nine-models of the Challenger beginning with the V6 powered SXT and ending with the insane Hellcat Redeye Widebody. Each one has presence for days and is a portable burn-out machine.
Despite the pavement warping power and aggressive stare, the Challenger is an aging beast that's been drag racing between stoplights since 2008. At the end of the road, 6.4% of Challenger owners thought the car couldn't live up to its billing and got rid of them within a year of purchase.
Nissan Frontier
Next up we have the Nissan Frontier. It's surprising that so many people give up on Nissan's so quickly. The top three light duty pickup tucks people give up on the first year are all Nissans; the Titan XD, Titan, and Frontier.
For all three, the inability to be a working vehicle is cited by owners the most. The Frontier isn't ideal for fuel economy, hauling, or towing.
Ford Mustang
Another surprising entry on this list in the Ford Mustang, a staple in the company's lineup. Since it was introduced, the Mustang has helped define American muscle culture. The question is, why is culture now shifting away from it.
The Mustang still maintains a modern retro look and has all the power consumers have to expect. If there is any downfall, it must be the miles per gallon, although if you own a sports car, we doubt that would be your first concern.
Chevrolet Camaro
There's just something about sports cars. In total, 6.1 percent of sports cars are given up by owns every year. The reason vary, but the end result is the same; the cars finds a new home on the used lot.
If you're shopping for a sports car, the used market is actually the best place to look. Few cars depreciate in value as much as sports cars in the first year, which might be another reason why they tend to be returned so often.
Porsche Macan
Despite stellar reviews, the Porshce Macan is returned by first year buyers at a clip of 6.3 percent. While that number is better than the Porsche Cayenne, it still cant make the German auto maker very happy.
Just like with sports cars, luxury cars tend to depreciate heavily in the first year. Perhaps buyers are learning that looking for the dream car on the secondary market is a better way to buy. Then again, maybe the Macan just isn't the car they thought it was.
Mazda CX-3
The Mazda CX-3 is returned at the same percentage as the Porsche Macan. Overall, the CX-3 is more affordable and family-friendly SUV but still misses the mark for man consumers.
A brand new, standard CX-3 will set you back around $20,000 and comes equipped with 148 horsepower. As you upgrade, the Mazda becomes much more expensive. Modest reviews seem to be the reason for the returns on this one. While it's very affordable, it's lacking in other areas.
GMC Canyon
The GMC Canyon is the next car on our list and is returned as a relatively lower 4.8 percent rate. That number, however, is high enough to make it the fourth most returned light-duty pickup truck.
The Canyon starts at around $27,000 and boasts incredible MPG. It will take you 30 miles per gallon the highway, and 20 miles per gallon in the city. It is also extremely customizable and reliable. The reason for most of the first year returns were not listed in the study we used.
Toyota Tundra
Coming in as the tenth most returned light duty pickup truck in the first year is the Toyota Tundra, which is given back at a 3.9 percentage clip. Oddly enough, 3.9 percent is the average return rate for all light duty pickup trucks.
With such a normal number for returns, there is not much bad that can be said about the Tundra. Toyota has a strong reputation for quality, and the Tundra has stellar reviews.
Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is returned at a slightly higher clip than the Tundra. Coming in our list with a 4.7 percent return rate, this light-duty pickup just isn't providing consumers with the experience they want.
To help combat the higher than normal return rate, Toyota is planning to release a brand new, completely redesigned Tacoma model for 2020. They also have a Back to the Future concept that has been in the works since 2015, but is yet to gain real momentum.
Ram Pickup 1500
The Ram Pickup pulls up to our stable next, and it leaves at a rate of 4.1 percent. That number isn't too bad considering the normal average, but it's still a concern for the Dodge owned company.
The year 2019 saw a redesign for the Ram 1500, which turned into mostly good review. The truck was praised for its quiet and spacious cabin, while it was critiqued for a lack of driver assist features on the base model.
GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra 1500 is returned at a rate of 4.8 percent, almost an entire point above the average. Considering the moderate reviews that point several poor areas, it's no surprise drivers are generally disappointed with this truck.
The biggest complaints about the GMC Sierra 1500 is the rough ride it provides. The cabin doesn't look modern either, and there is a general lack of space for the driver and passenger. Knowing this, we're surprised this truck isn't returned more often!
Mercedes-Benz
Are you sensing a trend yet? Not only are luxury brands heavily returned by first year owners, but German manufacturers are especially hard hit. Mercedes comes in third for this, seeing a 7.4 percent rate.
Like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz has a reputation for making high quality cars with even higher maintenance costs. If you fail to take proper care of your care, its health bill will set you back more than a pretty penny. Perhaps this realization is causing buyers remorse so quickly.
Dodge Dart
In a study in 2019 conducted by iSeeCars, the Dodge Dart was listed as one of the cars buyers are most likely to get rid of after one year of ownership. The Dart, which was revived by Dodge in 2012, initially was a hit.
Issues common with other cars on this list hampered consumers' overall satisfaction with the Dart, which not only led to a quick turnaround but also decreased sales. As a result, Dodge discontinued the vehicle in 2016 with a plan to focus on more popular models.
BMW 4-Series
BMW makes the list again with the 4 Series. It's not surprising to see luxury makers have so many cars returned in one year. Maintenance tends to be expensive, and automakers like BMW don't always have the best reputations for quality.
Buyers get fooled by the idea of buying a luxury car when the overall cost winds up not being worth it. Just under four percent of 4-Series are resold in the first year, which is an alarming number for BMW.
Chrysler 200
In 2019, a study revealed that 3.8 percent of Chrysler 200s are resold or returned by owners in the first year. The 200 was first introduced by the automaker in 2010 and was in production for six years before being discontinued in 2016.
At the peak of its popularity, the Chrystler 200 was selling more than 120,000 units per year. As owners decided to return the vehicle, sales predictably declined as well.
Subaru WRX
Subaru generally has a reputation for producing some of the best vehicles on the market. It appears that not as much care was put into the WRX as other models though, considering the high first-year return/resell rate.
A rally car for commuters, Car and Driver writes, "The steering is quick, the ride firm, and the grins it provides are many—as long as you are willing to forgo a quiet ride and refined interior in exchange for performance and thrills."
Buick Regal
Before buying a Buick Regal you should be warned about the resale value of the vehicle. After one year of ownership, the Regal will lose roughly 32 percent of its initial value. That's not a great number for a car you likely won't want to keep after one year.
Of course, Buick has made efforts in recent years to change the reputation of their vehicle lineup. Will the "buyer beware" label be changed as well?
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 saw a massive rise in popularity when it was featured on the TV show Breaking Bad. Driven by the main character Walter White, fans who could afford the luxury vehicle rushed to their local dealers.
After that first year, they learned that it may have been a mistake. Like other Chryslers, the 300 never got a reputation for reliability. Combine that with a depreciation of 32 percent in the first year, and this car was better left on the lot instead of being returned there after a few short months.
Cadillac ATS
When you buy a Cadillac, you probably aren't planning to return it in the first year of ownership. When you buy an ATS, that is more likely to happen than with other models, though.
The ATS depreciates quite a bit during the first year and isn't trustworthy. According to U.S. News, it "ranks poorly among luxury small cars. Its performance chops are strong, but it has a below-average predicted reliability rating and an unimpressive cabin quality, and its seating and trunk space are tight."
