10 SUVs That Didn’t Last Long in Canada
SUVs are all over the place these days and new models keep hitting the market often as replacements for traditional cars. It’s hard to believe that some proved to be utter failures and didn’t last long.
Here are 10 SUVs from the past 20 years that enjoyed a short career in Canada.
Acura ZDX (2010-2013)
Inspired by the BMW X6 and Infiniti FX, Acura imagined this coupe-style SUV called ZDX. The polarizing design, high price and lack of versatility didn’t sit well with customers. It’s the rarest Acura product you can find.
Chevrolet Orlando (2012-2014)
Similar to the Kia Rondo and Dodge Journey, the affordable Orlando was a relatively small, family-oriented crossover with seating for up to seven. Based on the Cruze platform, it featured the same 174-horsepower engine as the Equinox. While never sold in the U.S., it lasted three years in Canada.
Chrysler Aspen (2007-2009)
The Chrysler Aspen was like a classy Dodge Durango at the time. First offered with a 335-horsepower V8 engine, it added a hybrid variant as gas prices exploded, but not many people bought one. The automaker dropped the Aspen after just three years.
Dodge Nitro (2009-2012)
A cousin of the Jeep Liberty (which didn’t last very long, either), the Nitro impressed with boxy styling and little else. Braking performance, fuel economy, quality and more were all very disappointing. Dodge turned to the cheaper Journey instead, which Canadian families seemed to like a lot more.
Ford Freestyle (2005-2007) / Taurus X (2008-2009)
In the late 2000s, the Taurus X replaced the Ford Freestyle as an expansion of the Taurus lineup. Power was ample enough (263 hp), but when Ford redesigned the Taurus for 2010, the crossover was let go and a new model called Flex took its place. A wise move.
Honda Crosstour (2012-2014)
Honda dared to be different with the Element in the early 2000s, and that model lasted nine full years, but the Crosstour (initially called Accord Crosstour) in the following decade had much less success. As a five-door crossover based on the Accord, it was largely overshadowed by the Toyota Venza. The ugly design is a big reason why.
Infiniti QX30 (2017-2018)
Infiniti wanted to offer a small luxury SUV, so it turned to Mercedes-Benz for help. The QX30 shared many components with the GLA 250. A Sport model was also offered. When Infiniti redesigned the larger QX50 for 2019, it revised its crossover strategy and killed the diminutive QX30.
Jeep Commander (2006-2010)
The Commander offered seating for five or seven, yet it was barely longer than the Grand Cherokee at the time. Jeep abandoned the model and the segment after 2010, but it’s now back in full force with a trio of three-row SUVs including the Grand Cherokee L, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.
Kia Borrego (2009-2011)
Kia’s first attempt at selling a large, three-row SUV with impressive towing capacity (up to 7,500 pounds) did not pan out. The Borrego was such a marginal seller that it was axed in the U.S. after just one year. Canada followed suit two years later. The Telluride introduced for 2020 has proven to be a much more serious and compelling product.
Nissan X-Trail (2005-2007)
The Nissan X-Trail landed in Canada in 2005 (but not in the U.S.) after several years of success in Europe. Sporting a boxy exterior, it disappeared when the first-generation Rogue debuted for 2008. By the way, we didn’t include the weird-looking JUKE crossover, which was sold here from 2011-2017.