Australia's Worst Sellers: Mazda, Ford and SsangYong Cars and SUVs That May Be Out of Your Sight but Deserve | Opinion

While some of the cars have been well received by critics, they just don't seem to sell as well as their rave reviews suggest.

Some of the most beloved artists or engineering feats have taken years, if not decades, to gain widespread recognition.

Think of Vincent van Gough dying in poverty, or how many berated the Eiffel Tower when it was opened as a temporary structure for the 1889 World's Fair. Sometimes it just takes time to be appreciated.

The same often applies to cars. Many get great reviews or stand out for their specialty only to end up underperforming in the marketplace.

We've identified seven gorgeous misfits who deserve to be far more popular in Australia than their measly numbers would suggest. 

You never know: like David Bowie's initial flop The Man Who Sold the World (1970), some of them might even become future classics.  

Ford Fiesta ST

It's definitely a puzzle.

The remaining version of Ford's once-popular European supermini series, the Fiesta ST is widely regarded as one of the most manageable subcompacts in its class, putting superb steering and pure driving pleasure above all else.

Combined with a brilliant six-speed manual transmission, stunning three-piston turbo performance, decent standard kit levels and a strong personality, Australia's only German-made Pocket Rocket is an outstanding value.

However, with Ford only having 321 buyers as of today in 2021, Ford must struggle to justify its existence. Neither the button-down double-clutch VW Polo GTI from South Africa nor the sizzling Japanese Suzuki Swift Sport have the boisterous allure of a blue oval belt. ST defines what a small hot hatch should be.

Perhaps the soon-to-be-released MY22 facelift, with plenty of updates, could make things better.

Peugeot 3008

Hailed as the model that turned Peugeot from a perpetual underdog millennial into a powerful player in the global powerhouse Stellantis, the 3008 is a rare thing - a mainstream SUV with great styling, stunning interiors, superb performance, family-friendly practicality, sheer sophistication and tons of features. personality.

But while Peugeot remains the most popular locally produced model, the 861's measly sales in the first nine months of 2021 don't reflect Peugeot's enduring appeal. It has earned the right to be considered alongside much more popular premium SUVs such as the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Lexus NX and Volvo XC40.

The 3008 is a renaissance model with little more than a name and an engine block from its fishface predecessor. Australian SUV buyers notice and enjoy this beauty.

Mini club

Fast! Can you name another six-door station wagon?

The Mini Clubman is a breath of fresh air in the midst of a plethora of boring SUVs, offering something truly out of the ordinary and delightful – wild British nature, BMW brains and crazy packaging.

However, it seats five, rides like it's on rails, has a lot of turbo punch, and feels expensive. This is because of the smarts of the German platform below.

A modern Shooting Brake that somehow gets around the relentless retro silliness of its siblings, the Clubman is the coolest new Mini and best proportioned. But this year there were only 282 registrations, why is it not a success? In a world where BMW shifts gears ten times more than a similarly priced 1 Series, this is one of the great automotive mysteries of today.

SsangYong Korando

Regular readers know how underrated the SsangYong Korando is in our opinion, so here's a reminder.

We lived with the mid-range turbocharged ELX for a few months last year and loved its balanced styling, decent interior space, excellent all-round visibility, comfortable seats, functional dashboard, generous equipment, reasonable economy and grouchy performance.

Combined with a seven-year warranty, it's hard to find a mid-size SUV at a better price. Kia's warranty matches the Yaris Cross's boxed Toyota RAV4, making this suave Korean a conspicuous bargain. Enough, of course, to overlook the overly light and lifeless steering, a weakness that is only apparent when driving hard down a winding road.

But are consumers listening? Obviously not. In total, only 268 Korandos were sold by the end of September against almost 5000 MG HS and almost 30,000 RAV4. The SsangYong is a much better family SUV than these numbers would suggest.

Peugeot 508

Like the closely related 3008 SUV, the 508 is something of an underrated supermodel, offering a flashy and exhilarating alternative to more mundane sedans like the VW Passat and Honda Accord, as well as the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz A-class sedans of the other.

Razor-sharp bodywork on both the liftback and estate features a low-slung stance that makes the Peugeot look, feel and handle like a sports sedan, backed up by frameless front doors, plush seats and a cockpit-like dashboard. .

There's the agility and athleticism to keep up the good looks, but with just 89 sedans sold in Australia this year, it's clear that buyers of midsize sedans simply aren't interested in non-German euros. It's a pity. The 508 deserves a much sunnier fate.

Alfa Romeo Julia

Enzo Ferrari is famous for the fact that when you buy a Ferrari, you buy the engine and he adds the car for free.

Now, given that the early 2017 Giulia suffered from haphazard quality and an abundance of glitches - and Alfa fans are no doubt tired of hearing the same old story - but in 2021 the old junk media has been updated, they're made from the best materials. and a host of improvements were made to the Series II model it should have always been.

Result? If you live for driving, the Giulia is like the wild lover of Idris Elba and Cate Blanchett – an otherworldly ingénue with the streaks of dynamic genius in a class that already has brilliant but somewhat obvious leaders like the latest BMW 3 Series. Which, by the way, has sold 3000 copies this year, while the Italian (admittedly due to stock) barely sells 250 copies.

The charming Giulia is one of the greatest sports sedans of all time. Period.

Mazda6

Mazda6 is a lesson in self-improvement.

Like its other standout Class-of-2012 graduate, the Tesla Model S, the Japanese sedan still looks impossibly sleek and sexy almost 10 years after launch, highlighting the fundamental rightness of great design. However, underneath is a significantly improved vehicle.

And that's great, because back then the midsize Mazda seemed half-finished, suffering from too much noise, a dull interior, and a laconic ride. Constant updates since then have refined "6" to the point where it's a polished, challenging, and rewarding experience. Age has nowhere worn him down as much as you might think.

However, buyers abandoned sedans years ago, leaving the remaining handful to stay by the wayside. They once accounted for almost 30% of all sales; this number is currently at an all-time low of 1.7%, with the Toyota Camry accounting for 74% of the total with 10,213 year-to-date registrations. What about Mazda 6? It is in second place with 1200 units, which is 8.7% of the share of the party pie.

People, you don't know what you are missing.