April Fools’ Day is just around the corner, so be sure to keep your wits about you against pranks from friends and family, and more importantly, bad deals. Don’t get tricked into doing or buying a vehicle that does not work for you. Cars with short production times will leave you kicking yourself and being the brunt of the joke. Don’t become an April Fools’ Day joke and be sure to avoid these cars below.

One of the first flops I will discuss is the Kia Cadenza. It fell short of being special in every regard within the category of spacious sedans with great performance and fuel efficiency. It was thought to be too expensive for what it was and competed directly with the selling of the Kia Stinger. The Stinger accomplished all that the Cadenza could not – like a sore winner older sibling. The visibility of the driver side windows are considered poor and the headlights are described as “a disappointment.” (Motorbiscuit.com) To no one’s surprise it was gone within one year after two recall campaigns – just like the punch line of a bad joke that everyone keeps telling.

Another great tale was the Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv-D. It should’ve remained a joke, but the diesel powered vehicle was brought to life in 2019. And to this day, car dealerships are still trying to clear out the original stock. Like our good friend Kia Cadenza, it fell flat in the sea of competitors. Plenty of other hybrid vehicles soared past it in terms of performance, fuel efficiency and more. People stated they felt the “turbo lag” as compared to other hybrid vehicles such as the RAV4. Generally, to top it all off, diesel is more expensive than gasoline – making it less enticing than other vehicles. So, keep that joke to yourself and find another car to better suit your needs this season.

The last failed vehicle I will discuss is the Fiat 124 Spider. Fiat and Mazda teamed up together to create a vehicle made in Japan with an engine from Italy… I’m sure you can only imagine how COVID-19 supply chain issues went hand in hand with pushing the failure of this vehicle. It was thought to not be very special otherwise and is a little too similar to the Mazda MX-5 Miata. The customer complaints include poor suspension, visibility and electrical problems. It was surprising how many engine problems were reported for this car, since the engines made in Italy typically run smooth.  It even had the honor of receiving the worst rating that J.D. power gives for cars (J.D. Power, 2020). It was discontinued in 2020 and car companies are still trying to sell the leftover stock. Maybe steer clear of the punch line and avoid this vehicle…

Hopefully this trip down memory lane can help you brainstorm up your next joke or tale to tell. But now you know how to keep your eyes peeled for tricks and scams coming up this holiday season. The car you need matters, so don’t get caught up in smart advertising or new models. Follow the facts to the car that best suits your needs with features you can trust. Compare to similar cars in the space, competitors, and fuel efficiency to make sure you are not becoming the punch line of the next joke. If anyone asks you to purchase the Kia Cadenza, Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv-D, or Fiat 124 Spider, you know what to do.