There are a lot of new cars on the market, and it can be difficult for car shoppers to pick and choose between them. This is especially true for the SUV segment, as it’s been growing quickly, leading to many new SUV models entering the market every year. That said, it can be helpful to know about the SUVs that car shoppers should avoid, so here’s a look at three SUVs that flunked their recent reviews at U.S. News.
1. The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
U.S. News looked at over 80 different crossover SUVs in the American auto market, and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport received one of the lowest overall scores. The car critic gave the Mitsubishi SUV an overall score of 6.3 out of 10, and there were several reasons for that failing grade. The Outlander Sport is a subcompact crossover that starts at around $23,000, and that price tag doesn’t afford drivers a great driving experience.
The Japanese automaker gave the SUV two engine options. Standard is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that gets 148 hp, and there’s an optional 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 168 hp. Both engines are slow and lackluster, and the SUV’s handling isn’t great either. On top of that, the ride quality is “jittery.” Instead of buying an Outlander Sport, drivers should look to the Mazda CX-30. It’s a subcompact SUV that also costs $23,000 but received an overall score of 8.6 out of 10.
2. The 2022 Ford EcoSport
2022 Ford EcoSport | The Ford Motor Company
The 2022 model year of the EcoSport is the subcompact SUV’s last model year, and for good reason. It has an overall score of just 5.8 out of 10 from U.S. News, and that reflects its few pros and many cons. It’s another bargain SUV, as it starts at about $22,000. Ford only gave the EcoSport one engine option for this model year, and it’s a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that gets 166 hp.
That engine delivers a weak acceleration, as it takes the SUV 10.7 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. Its ride quality was described as “stiff,” and its cabin wasn’t great either. Ford used many cheap materials to build the cabin, and the automaker also gave it few standard features. A much better subcompact SUV is the Hyundai Kona. It costs $22,000 as well, but it has an overall score of 8.4 out of 10.
3. The 2023 Fiat 500X
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Finally, there’s the Fiat 500X, the worst SUV available on the American car market, according to U.S. News. Like the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and the Ford EcoSport, the 500X is a subcompact SUV. However, since it’s a Fiat, it’s on the expensive side and costs around $29,000. Despite that high price tag, the car critic only gave it an overall score of 5.4 out of 10.
The Fiat SUV has a failing grade because it has more problems than positives. The automaker gave it one engine option: a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that gets 177 hp. That’s decent power for a small city car, but the engine feels weak when the car’s going at highway speeds. Additionally, that engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission described as “slow-shifting.”
Despite the SUV’s small size and relatively small engine, the Fiat also has a bad fuel economy for the segment. It gets 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on highways, for 27 mpg combined. The 500X also has a small cargo area compared to other subcompact SUVs. To top it all off, its ride quality is also below average.
Keyword: 3 SUVs That Got a Failing Grade From U.S. News