The Models We Don’t Want

One of the most romantic thoughts in the automotive world is the thought of being able to bring a model to the US that hasn’t been approved for sale in this country. While the likes of the Nissan Skyline and other eluded us in the past, that doesn’t mean that every single vehicle built and sold in other markets is actually one we would want to drive on the roads in this country. While the grass may look greener in some cases, often you have to see what the fertilizer is before you decide to move forward with envious thoughts. Here are a few models that we don’t want to have brought to the US:

Lancia Ypsilon – This car isn’t much more than a Fiat 500 with different badges and a lot less power. This little city car is the only vehicle that remains of the Lancia brand, even though this brand has attempted to use other FCA models in the past. Models that have been tried and killed off were rebadged versions of the Chrysler 300 and Chrysler Town & Country, but it seems Lancia needs to be deleted from the market entirely.

Ssangyong Rodius – As an SUV the Rodius is a vehicle that makes the old Pontiac Aztek and Buick Rendezvous like nearly glamorous and luxury vehicles. The Rodius is a misshapen and unflattering vehicle of strange proportions and angles that need to be put back and tried again. Other than the looks this is a vehicle that has a drive that could be admirable with its Mercedes-Benz roots in the mechanics, but that odd look is going to be difficult for you to get past.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer – While we probably would admire these two small hatchbacks from BMW at first, they can both stay where they belong, far from our shores. These are both FWD hatchbacks that are small and active on the road, but much more expensive than the FWD hatchbacks we already have on the market. With these two we would likely see them taken away in a hurry because they wouldn’t sell well at the prices required to allow BMW to be successful.

Fiat 500L MPW – We already don’t appreciate the fact that the Fiat 500L was brought to our shores because it doesn’t do a good job of being a quality vehicle for us to use for the purpose it was built. In other markets, the 500L MPW is sold as a seven-passenger model that’s supposed to be large enough for a sizable family. The MPW stands for Magic Purpose Wagon and the only magic we want to see is that it stays in the markets that are far away from the US.

Tato Nano – If you saw this car on the market in the US you’d immediately laugh. In a country where we like our cars and truck big and bold, this wouldn’t even be a car that would attract the most frugal of buyers. Originally this little car was built to be the inexpensive cost-cutting machine for India, but the fact that it has no trunk, one windshield wiper, three-lug wheels, no power steering, no air conditioning and a two-cylinder engine certainly make us want this car to keep its distance from the US.