Cars Americans Don't Want to Buy

The Fiat 124 Spider sports convertible receives higher scores in reviews than other models from the Italian carmaker. Though the Spider’s history goes back more than a half century, the current iteration was brand-new in 2017 and is cited for its handling, peppy performance, and handsome design. There’s also a nostalgia factor, as its styling evokes the sporty roadsters of a bygone era. So far, the 124 Spider shows no sign of building a following in the U.S. market.

Are we over the Mini Cooper? The cute third-generation 2018 subcompact Mini Cooper is charming, relatively inexpensive in the basic model, and now comes with a rearview camera, parking sensors, and other updates. Here’s the thing — the bottom line gets hefty as you add options, taking potential buyers into price ranges occupied by more spacious and higher rated vehicles.

The 2018 luxury Audi A8 sedan was the last model of the third generation. With sales down almost 50% from the previous year, perhaps buyers were holding onto their wallets in anticipation of the debut of the fourth generation in 2019. Completely redesigned with a sleek new look, this year’s model includes a new V6 engine, tech upgrades, and comfort boosts such as heated armrests and rear seats and two-zone climate control.

With the luxury Volvo 90 Series, consumers have a choice of sedan or SUV, but so far buyers seem to be opting for neither, as evidenced by its occupying the unlucky No. 13 slot on this list, as well as its declining sales. The automaker introduced a V90 wagon for 2019, joining a burgeoning growth category, according to Kelley and Bloomberg.

The Alfa Romeo brand has been around more than 100 years, but its presence in the U.S. market ranged from zero to limited between 1995 and 2017, the year the first 2018 model Stelvios were offered. Sales of the Stelvio climbed strikingly in 2018, though it took buyers a while to make up their minds. Though the car is handsome and well reviewed, it’s likely to take people some time to get their heads around spending their money on such an unfamiliar brand.