10 Popular Cars & SUVs To Avoid in 2024 and What To Buy Instead

I understand that some cars exist just to get people around from point A to point B. It’s also true that not everybody is a driving enthusiast, and believe it or not, some individuals couldn’t care less about build quality and available on-board tech.

The thing is, they don’t care because they don’t really know or understand what they’re missing. Riddle me this: Why would you walk into a Toyota dealership and ask for a Corolla? Is it because it’s a cheap, reliable car? Guess what, so are most of its rivals. What about its popularity, does that factor into your decision? I bet it does – but sometimes even the most popular girl at school gets eclipsed by the hot nerdy chick that just transferred in from another city.

With that in mind, we’ve just put together a list of 10 cars you should avoid purchasing in 2024, simply because you have better alternatives to consider. We’re not going to rank these, so the following list is in no particular order. We will, however, present the vehicle you should avoid and our recommendation of what to buy instead at the same time, just so we don’t waste anybody’s time.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Since its debut back in 2019, the fully-electric Mustang Mach-E has steadily risen towards the very top of the compact BEV crossover segment, trailing only the Tesla Model Y in terms of sales and overall popularity.

Even when looking at EVs period, regardless of segment, the Mach-E trails only the Model Y and Model 3 as far as the U.S. is concerned. This is clearly a very strong offering from Ford, although you’ve got Hyundai, Kia, VW and loads of other carmakers now gunning for the Mach-E with their own environmentally friendly crossovers.

If you’re interested in purchasing this Mustang-shaped compact SUV today, it’ll cost you upwards of $42,995 for the entry-level Select specification, while the flagship GT spec costs upwards of $59,995.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the Mustang Mach-E is a sold car. It’s not too expensive, it drives well, and it’s more than quick enough regardless of spec. But the Model Y still feels like the more complete vehicle. It offers greater individualization across the board, it has slightly more room for passengers and cargo, a more intuitive infotainment system, better overall tech, and let’s not forget all the advantages stemming from Tesla’s very own charging network.

As for the final nail in the Mach-E's coffin, Tesla is about to come out with an updated version of the Model Y, which should drive home this point for us with even greater emphasis.

If you want the very best pseudo-premium electric compact crossover that money can buy, my advice would be to wait a few more months and buy an updated 2025MY Tesla Model Y. The next best thing would be to get the current 2024 Model Y. Meanwhile, the Mach-E wouldn’t even be my third choice.

Buy instead: Tesla Model Y

Nissan Altima

Are you aware that over 128,000 people bought a Nissan Altima in 2023? That’s a lot, all things considered. Round them all up in one place and it would be like if nearly a quarter of everyone living in Wyoming drove an Altima.

Why is that an issue? There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the Altima. It’s a decent-looking mid-size sedan, and it’s priced from just $26,000, which is quite reasonable. The thing is, you know what else is priced from $26,000? The 2024 Toyota Camry (updated 2025 model has yet to arrive). It’s a better car than the Altima, with a little more power on average, better safety features and better fuel efficiency.

Feel free to wait for the 2025 Camry if you must, but even if you don’t, you should be thrilled with the current 2024MY car. I also think it’s better looking compared to the Altima, but that’s just a subjective opinion, obviously.

Look, oftentimes numbers do not lie, and the Toyota Camry is popular for a reason – over 290,000 people living in the U.S. bought one last year.

Buy instead: Toyota Camry

Toyota Corolla

Before you get confused in any way, let me just clarify by saying that not all popular cars are best-in-class all the time. Some models can get exposed by certain rivals’ newer iterations. It really depends on the timing.

As far as 2024 is concerned, I would have a tough time recommending the otherwise excellent 2024 Corolla over its main rival, the latest-generation Civic.

The 2024 Corolla is priced from $23,505 and is now currently in its twelfth generation. It’s been in production since 2018, which means it’s getting a little long in the tooth. The all-new Honda Civic on the other hand, now in its tenth generation, is only a couple of years old, which immediately means it’s got better tech.

It also looks better, drives better, is arguably more comfortable, and serves up better resale value. As for its starting MSRP, it’s $23,950 for the sedan and $24,950 for the hatchback. No-brainer.

Buy instead: Honda Civic

Ford Escape

Look, Ford’s crossover game is mediocre, to say the least. Still, over 140,000 bought an Escape last year, with prices starting from $29,495. The thing is you get a lot more “car” with the Toyota RAV4 – the benchmark for all non-premium compact crossovers.

The RAV4 is more comfortable, offers more cargo room, has better interior quality, better tech, better performance (for the base engine), better fuel economy, and some would argue better driving dynamics too.

I’d also recommend the Mazda CX-5 over the Escape, but for the sake of keeping things simple, here I’m advising you to go for the best-selling vehicle in its class, which is the RAV4. In this case, its popularity is quite justified. Toyota sold $434,943 units last year, with pricing kick off from $28,675.

I think the Ford Escape might just be the most inherently boring crossover that’s ever existed – across all generations. It’s not a bad car, it’s just not great at anything, and the Blue Oval should really consider doing something dramatically different with the design language going forward. Until then, it will keep getting outsold by the RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue and even the Hyundai Tucson.

Buy instead: Toyota RAV4

Lexus NX

Where do I even start with the Lexus NX? Over 74,000 units sold in 2023 – more than rivals from Audi, BMW, or Volvo. I understand the appeal of the Lexus brand, even though their cars can be severely overrated (not all, but most). The NX is a decent premium crossover, but when you look at the complete package, it falls short of the competition. Way short.

Yes, it’s a little cheaper to purchase than your run-of-the-mill compact premium SUV (like the X3, GLC, Q5 etc), but not by much. It’s also smaller, and some might argue that it’s more of a BMW X1 rival than an X3 rival, but I don’t buy that at all. The NX falls somewhere in the middle, and the price gap is manageable.

Anyway, you can buy a 2024 NX for $40,605, while something like a 2024 BMW X3 will set you back upwards of $46,900. But we don’t need an X3 to take down the NX, because a Volvo XC40 will get the job done just fine, from a nearly identical starting MSRP.

Compared to the NX, the Volvo XC40 is more spacious, is much better in terms of towing capacity, has better fuel economy, and it’s more maneuverable. It’s just a better, easier product to live with than the Lexus, and I fear not many sub-compact premium SUV buyers are aware of this.

Buy instead: Volvo XC40

Acura RDX

The Acura RDX is a surprisingly popular crossover, with nearly 40,000 units sold last year. The current/third-gen RDX has been around since 2019, and while it’s by no means old, it just cannot match its German rivals in terms of on-board tech and overall quality (build/ride).

This is pure comedy to me: “Offering more cargo space, horsepower and customizable drive modes, the Acura RDX is the more capable premium sport crossover compared to the BMW X3. The RDX sets the bar for performance and personalization.”

That’s straight from Acura’s official website, where you can compare the RDX with rivals such as the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Cadillac XT5, Infiniti QX50 and even the Lexus NX 350.

Here’s the thing. The latest-generation BMW X3 is easily the best overall compact SUV in the world right now. Maybe you can find one or two alternatives that look better, but in terms of comfort, tech, performance and ride, the X3 holds all the cards. Yes, the RDX may have more cargo capacity, but that 'customizable drive modes' argument is juvenile, and there’s no way the Acura can challenge the BMW in terms of performance – nor build quality, on-board tech, safety, connectivity, you name it.

Buy instead: BMW X3

Chevrolet Malibu

“Wait, what? The Chevy Malibu is still in production?” Yes, it is, and this current iteration has been for sale since 2016. They even gave it a mid-cycle refresh back in 2019, resulting in a larger front grille, some updated headlight tech, a new RS trim, better infotainment system, and better active safety tech.

Do you have any clue how many Malibu sedans Chevrolet sold last year? A staggering 130,341 units. They sold more Malibus than Trailblazers, which is ridiculous considering where the industry is right now.

You can buy one from $25,000 today, which is fair I guess, but that’s Toyota Camry and Honda Accord territory, and since we’ve already used the former as a tool to cancel out the Nissan Altima, the Accord will be our weapon of choice against the Chevy sedan.

This is an extremely easy argument to make. The eleventh-generation Accord (in production since last year) is clearly the superior product, offering better tech, better safety features, better comfort, performance, and better resale value (if that matters to you). There’s literally no excuse for buying a Malibu over an Accord in 2024, unless someone has a gun to your head. Thankfully, John Wick isn’t a Chevy salesman.

Buy instead: Honda Accord

Chrysler 300

The second-generation Chrysler 300 has been in production for the past 14 years, and while GM said they would halt production for good after the 2023 model year, you can still visit their website and purchase a brand-new Chrysler 300 from $36,145 – although nobody’s going to opt for a base-spec 300. Odds are you’re either getting the Touring L ($39,840) or the 300S ($44,850 for the V6 and $47,850 for the V8)

I admit the pricing is clever. It’s not as expensive as any similarly sized German sedans, and it still does a good enough job as a standalone product. There are way too many downsides though, such as the ancient architecture on which this car is built (I think it was Aliens), or how the vehicle is lacking in on-board tech and overall interior quality.

There is a much better alternative, thankfully, and I can’t believe I’m about to recommend this car, seeing as how I’m not necessarily a fan of premium Japanese sedans, but for the love of God, get a Lexus ES.

These start from $43,190, and while they too can be seen as lackluster compared to anything with a German badge, it is a considerably superior product to the Chrysler 300. The latter is a slightly bigger car, and I wouldn’t go as far as to call them rivals (especially since the Chrysler has more powerful engines), but for an everyday family car, you’ll be so much happier in the Lexus.

It drives nicer, the interior is much better in terms of build quality and materials, and the tech is better too. So even though they never competed against each other in terms of sales or prestige, I think the ES makes for an excellent alternative to the Chrysler 300. For most people anyway.

Buy instead: Lexus ES

Ford Edge

You probably don’t need me to tell you what an obsolete product the Ford Edge really is. This SUV has been in production since 2014, undergoing model year updates in both 2019 and 2021. Originally, Ford intended for the Edge to be a somewhat premium-sporty product, but it was never convincing in any of those departments.

It’s baffling to me how Ford still sold over 100,000 units last year. I guess some people will walk into a showroom only to allow themselves to fall prey to a cunning salesperson. It’s what you get when you don’t understand much about cars.

I could have gone in several directions when searching for alternatives to the Edge. You can throw a rock and find something that makes for a smarter purchase. Here’s what I’ll do though. To drive my point home even harder, I’ll simply direct your attention to another Ford product, namely the Explorer.

Did you know they cost about the same? The Edge is priced from $38,465, while the Explorer costs upwards of $36,760. Not only is the latter cheaper to purchase, but it’s also more modern in every single meaningful way, more spacious, more comfortable, and safer. Also, you have the updated 2025 model year Explorer coming this spring.

Thankfully, they’ll be discontinuing the Edge soon, to make room for new EVs. But the fact that you can still buy a new one today for more money than what you’d spend on an Explorer is a capital no-no.

Buy instead: Ford Explorer

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Jeep’s Wagoneer sub-brand is an intriguing proposition, especially to the “uninitiated”. I actually don’t mind the regular Wagoneer that much, especially since it’s priced from just over $60,000. However, the Grand Wagoneer is a whole different beast. Yes, it’s bigger, but it’s not “$30,000 bigger” if you know what I mean.

The cheapest 2024 Grand Wagoneer will set you back upwards of $92,540, but premium SUV buyers won’t be particularly interested in this base-spec variant. Instead, they’ll look at the $104,440 Obsidian spec, or the $113,290 Series III spec. I like the size, the comfort, and the performance. These SUVs are powered by a 3.0-liter twin turbocharged straight-six engine, good for 510 horsepower and 500 lb-t of torque. It’s a serious machine. I even agree with the $100k price tag, to some extent.

Unfortunately for Jeep, there’s such a thing as the 2024 Range Rover – the real benchmark for this segment.

You can get the standard wheelbase SE model for $107,400, or a long-wheelbase variant for $113,400. In terms of performance, you end up with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbocharged mild-hybrid unit, and at 400 horsepower, it’s no slouch. Yes, it’s a little down on power compared to the Grand Wagoneer, but it won’t feel particularly slower.

I just think this is yet another no-brainer. You’re telling me you’d rather have a Grand Wagoneer over the all-new Range Rover as a luxury SUV? I mean...please don’t.

Buy instead: Range Rover