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Questionable Car Models To Avoid For 2020

Cameron Eittreim October 8, 2019

Acura ILX Via Motor Trend
Acura ILX via Motor Trend

6. Acura ILX

The Acura brand was the original Japanese luxury maker to come to the US. But if you look at their lineup today, you’d wonder what’s happened. Acura has been outpaced by Lexus every year since the brand’s inception. The Acura ILX is a prime example of this because the Accord-based sedan doesn’t showcase anything in the way of luxury. When you buy a luxury sedan, you want to feel like you’re being wrapped in luxury. In the ILX, you feel like you are simply in a top-level Accord. That’s probably not what most of us want to spend that much money on.

The ILX also suffers in the way of performance, with a basic engine at best. The car is advertised as being a sport sedan, but it’s hardly that. The infotainment center is the standard Honda fare. The ILX also has a backup camera and side view cameras, but as far as features go, the car is lacking. Most luxury sedan buyers are going to ignore the ILX. For the 2020 model year, there is little that changes to this aged sedan, and thus, you’d be better off looking somewhere else.

Acura ILX Via Motor Trend
Acura ILX via Motor Trend

Acura made its bones by offering luxury performance cars. However, the ILX just doesn’t live up to the company’s reputation. If you are looking for a sport sedan, the IS250 might be a better and more rounded option.

Q50 Via Car And Driver
Q50 via Car And Driver

5. Infiniti Q50

Infiniti is a brand that’s pretty much in the same boat as Acura when it comes to being lost. The Infiniti brand was launched to take on Acura and Lexus. However, the cars have never really stood out. Sure, you have the popular G35. But as far as brand awareness goes, Infiniti’s is low. The Q50 has been out for a while now. While it boasts an extremely classy interior, the technology under the hood hasn’t aged well. The Q50 doesn’t offer much in the way of performance and the sedan has been outclassed by its competitors.

The interior screams Nissan, and the materials are cheap at best. You’d think that the Q50 was the entry-level sedan. The Q50 doesn’t offer much in the way of rear legroom either, and the trunk is much smaller than other sedans in this price range. For the price, you can find better features in the IS250, and more legroom. In addition to that, the Q50 has been tarred with reliability issues. It seems that there’s a lot of issues with the CVT transmission, although the Q50 can be ordered with a manual.

Q50 Via Car And Driver
Q50 via Car And Driver

For the 2020 model year, not much is changing with the Q50. If you’re looking for an entry-level luxury sedan, this one is best to be avoided. You can find a far better deal coming out of a Lexus lot, and you’ll get more for your money.

ATS Via Car And Driver
ATS via Car And Driver

4. Cadillac ATS

If you don’t remember the ATS don’t feel too bad, because the big Cadillac sedan hasn’t been much of a success. The brand, in general, has had trouble selling its sedans in light of competition from the Germans and the Japanese. The ATS is a big sedan, and it looked to take some of the loyal DTS buyers. But the ATS isn’t available with a V8 engine. The sedan also has an oddball style to it that has not settled in with consumers. You might be wondering what does the ATS offer? Well, aside from the size advantage, the ATS is slim on features.

You can get a comparable luxury car for much less. Even the CTS costs less and offers more than its stablemate. The ATS has been relegated to rental-car fleets in recent years, and the 2020 model year is going to be one of its final. There was a good amount of excitement around the ATS when it first hit the market, but that quickly wore off as the sedan lost its luster. The infotainment center is aged, and the sedan just doesn’t offer anything innovative in the way of features.

ATS Via Car And Driver
ATS via Car And Driver

Cadillac is going to be phasing their sedans out in favor of crossovers. The ATS is the first to get the chopping block. The 2020 model year is going to be an uneventful one for the ATS, to say the least.

Suburban Via GM
Suburban via GM

3. Chevrolet Suburban

The good old Suburban has been around for decades. In fact, it’s one of the oldest nameplates on the market. But the Suburban is getting old. With new competition from the Ford Expedition, the Suburban has become aged and overpriced. The big, V8-powered SUV is only suitable for those who need to haul around an entire soccer team every day of the week. Otherwise, the Suburban hasn’t had a substantial upgrade since 2006. Sure, the body styling is new and improved but that’s about it.

The Suburban doesn’t offer anything new in the way of features that you couldn’t get in a used model. The 2020 model year is going to be an uneventful one for the Suburban as GM works to roll out their new lines of crossover vehicles. The Suburban still has the same hungry V8 and the same interior. The infotainment center is on the outdated side of things, and if you’ve seen one Suburban you’ve seen them all. There are going to be a few new pairs of rims added as well as additional exterior color choices, but other than that the 2020 model year is a dud.

Suburban Via GM
Suburban via GM

With all of the innovative features that the Expedition is offering the Suburban has some stiff competition. The Suburban is a vehicle that’s best avoided for the 2020 model year, it just doesn’t offer enough intrinsic value to justify the price.

Prius Via Motor Trend
Prius via Motor Trend

2. Toyota Prius

It’s been a long ride for the Prius, the vehicle that carried Toyota through a recession and became a staple for changing the world. But the world doesn’t love the Prius anymore. The rise of crossovers has pretty much killed the Prius’s sales, not to mention the addition of other hybrids and all-electric vehicles to the market. The Prius has lost its unique ability to sell itself as a vehicle of change. It’s now just another Toyota. The current Prius has been in production for some time now and still features that trademark design.

But for the 2020 model year, the Prius still doesn’t offer anything unique. You’ll see most of the options that have been offered on Priuses of the past. That’s not even mentioning the outdated drivetrain. The Prius is not going to win any races. The exterior is not going to garner praises anymore. With Honda launching its new Insight sedan, the Prius has some stiff competition in the hybrid world. The Prius still only seats five people, and the interior is the same size that it’s been for years.

Prius Via Motor Trend
Prius Via Motor Trend

2020 is going to be another uneventful year for the brand. If you’re in the market for a hybrid vehicle, the Prius is probably one that’s best left avoided. Other options on the market are packed with more features and offer similar gas mileage.

Dodge Caravan Via Edmunds
Dodge Caravan via Edmunds

1. Dodge Grand Caravan

We don’t know what it is with Chrysler and carrying on models, but the current Dodge Grand Caravan has been around since 2007. This is probably the most avoidable car for the 2020 model year, as it’s been outpaced by just about every other van on the market. The Grand Caravan is like riding in a time capsule because you’ll think that you’re back in 2007. Yes, the Grand Caravan does offer a competitive price and a boatload of interior space. But that’s because you are paying for a car from 2007.

The standard V6 engine is outdated and noisy at best, especially at highway speeds. The transmission shifts with a solid Chrysler thunk, and the brakes have a reputation for going out. Sure, Chrysler offers a great warranty with the Caravan, but you are going to be using it often. The Caravan isn’t going to be offering anything new for the 2020 model year, and the brand will continue for a few years.

Dodge Caravan Via Edmunds
Dodge Caravan via Edmunds

If you’re going to be looking for a people mover, the new Pacifica has been a hit with consumers. There are also going to be new minivan offerings from Hyundai and Toyota, so keep an eye out for those as well moving forward.

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