Not every popular nameplate is riding high this year, and some have all but vanished from showrooms. Sales data through September reveals steep drops across cars, SUVs and trucks, including a few household names. Here are twelve models that American buyers are walking away from in 2026, ranging from small hatchbacks to the nation’s best-selling truck.
Stay ahead on AI: Join 600,000+ professionals who read The Deep View, the daily newsletter that keeps you up to date with artificial intelligence.
We may earn a commission if you sign up.
1. Kia Soul: Near Disappearance
Kia Soul sales through September collapsed 91% to 3,480 from 40,408 a year earlier, according to Kia America’s sales release. It is the steepest decline on the list.
The Soul is a boxy small hatchback that once sold in large numbers. A fall of this size marks a model that has nearly disappeared from the sales charts, and it shows how quickly an entry-level car can lose its place in a lineup.
2. Subaru Legacy: Legacy Fading Fast
Subaru sold 2,208 Legacy sedans through September, down 87.0%, with just 27 sold in the third quarter, according to the passenger car sales table. The sedan has nearly stopped selling.
The Legacy is a midsize sedan, a class where buyers have drifted toward crossovers in recent years. The near-zero quarterly figure shows how little demand remains, and it makes the model a stark example of the sedan decline. For shoppers, the numbers point to a sedan that is effectively winding down.
3. Lexus ES: Luxury Sedan Slump
Lexus ES sales fell 65.3% through September to 10,333, as shown in the passenger car rankings. That is the third-largest decline on this list.
The ES is a comfortable midsize luxury sedan that has long been a staple of the Lexus lineup. A drop of nearly two thirds suggests that buyers are choosing luxury crossovers instead, leaving the sedan with a much smaller audience. For the brand, that is a significant shift in a core model that once drew steady volume.
4. Nissan Versa: Budget Sedan Slide
Nissan Versa sales through September fell 62.7% to 15,356, and just 499 were sold in the third quarter, a decline of 95.2%, according to the passenger car sales table. The quarterly figure is especially small.
The Versa is one of the cheapest new cars sold in America. Its steep fall suggests that low-priced sedans are losing ground as entry-level buyers look elsewhere, and the tiny third-quarter total hints at a model fading from showrooms.
5. Toyota Prius: Hybrid Icon Loses Ground
Toyota sold 29,223 Prius models through September, down 37.5% from 46,777, according to the automaker’s September sales release. The drop is notable for the best-known hybrid.
The Prius pioneered mass-market hybrids, but Toyota now sells hybrid versions of many of its other models. That makes the Prius less distinctive than it once was, which may explain part of the slump in a year of strong hybrid interest. Hybrid shoppers now have many alternatives, including from the same brand, and that competition likely weighs on the original.
6. Toyota RAV4: Top Seller, Big Decline
Toyota sold 253,664 RAV4s through September, down 29.2% from 358,134 despite staying a top-10 seller, based on Toyota’s quarterly report. The decline is steep for a vehicle of that volume.
The RAV4 remains one of the most popular vehicles in the country, so even a large drop leaves it with huge numbers. The sharp decline is a rare setback for a model that has long been a pillar of its segment and of Toyota’s lineup.
7. Hyundai Santa Cruz: Compact Truck Setback
Hyundai Santa Cruz sales through September fell 28.2% to 14,811, as shown in the truck sales rankings. The small pickup is losing ground.
The Santa Cruz is a compact pickup built on a car platform, aimed at urban buyers rather than traditional truck owners. Its decline suggests that this niche is harder to sustain than the larger pickups that dominate the segment. For shoppers, that means fewer sales and a smaller market for the small pickup concept.
8. Nissan Altima: Midsize Sedan Retreat
Nissan sold 56,424 Altimas through September, down about 26%, according to the Reuters top-20 table. That is a notable drop for a long-running family sedan.
The Altima competes with the Camry and Accord in a shrinking class of midsize sedans. Falling sales show that buyers continue to move toward crossovers and trucks, a shift that has pressured sedans from several brands this year. For shoppers, the shrinking volume reflects a clear change in taste across the whole midsize car class.
9. Toyota Land Cruiser: Off-Road Icon Slips
Toyota sold 26,697 Land Cruisers through September, down 24.0% from 35,146, as reported in its quarterly sales results. The decline is deep for a premium off-road SUV.
The Land Cruiser is a premium off-road SUV with a loyal following. A fall of nearly a quarter shows that even a revered nameplate can lose momentum, particularly when its price puts it out of reach of many buyers. For the brand, a slide of that size is a notable setback after a successful run.
10. Jeep Gladiator: Gladiator Loses Buyers
Jeep sold 30,944 Gladiator pickups through September, down 18.8%, according to the pickup sales rankings. The decline continues a softer year for the midsize truck.
The Gladiator is the pickup version of the Wrangler, built for off-road use. It sells in much smaller numbers than the major trucks, which makes its losses easier to see, and the decline continues a softer year for the midsize truck. For shoppers, it shows that even a distinctive vehicle can lose buyers in a slower market.
11. Ford F-Series: Even The Leader Slips
Ford’s F-Series sold 561,508 vehicles through September, down 9.5%, and the best-selling vehicle in America still lost buyers, according to the Reuters sales table. The drop is modest compared with others on the list.
The F-Series has been the top-selling vehicle in the country for a long time. A decline of nearly ten percent from that starting point amounts to a very large loss in absolute terms, even though the truck remains far ahead of every rival.
12. Jeep Grand Cherokee: Late-Year Downturn
Jeep sold 139,764 Grand Cherokees through September, down 9.4%, with the third quarter down 30.3%, as shown in the Reuters top-20 table. The steeper recent fall suggests that momentum is worsening.
The Grand Cherokee is a midsize SUV and one of the best-known vehicles in Jeep’s lineup. A quarterly decline much larger than the yearly figure shows that sales have weakened as the year went on, rather than recovering toward the end.
Stay ahead on AI: Subscribe to The Deep View →
We may earn a commission if you sign up.
More from Morning Overview
- Long use of a common prostate pill is tied to a higher chance of glaucoma
- Ford is recalling 223,472 F-150 pickups because the fuel tank can leak or detach
- Hybrids have 15% fewer problems than gas cars, while EVs and plug-in hybrids have about 80% more, Consumer Reports finds
- Regulators cleared the first U.S. small modular reactor, 4 months early
