When people look for new cars, compact SUVs are a popular option. They offer increased storage space, ample seating, and efficiency. However, there is a problem with compact SUVs in the auto market. Competition is thick!

There are so many available options for compact SUVs that it is difficult to maintain high sales figures. A few compact SUVs have sold less than 10,000 units this year, which puts their future in question. Three cars experiencing struggling sales figures are: the Buick Encore, Cadillac Lyriq, and Lincoln Corsair.

The Buick Encore is a struggling Compact SUV

According to GM Authority, sales for the Buick Encore had only reached 5,064 by the end of the 2023 second quarter. That’s down almost 35% year-over-year.  It is a compact SUV that has been called affordable and underrated. The 2023 Buick Encore GX starts at $27,095. As a luxury compact SUV, that’s a small price tag, but that’s probably part of what makes the sales so low. 

Software issues have prevented or slowed Buick from getting Encores out to their buyers following purchase. This too has had a detrimental effect on the model’s reputation. Once this is fixed, sales may increase. 

Cadillac Lyriq takes its time getting to the buyer

Cadillac’s Lyriq had dismal sales numbers of 2,316 by the end of the second quarter. That’s not likely to increase any time soon if GM can’t get its quality control under control. In 2022, Cadillac produced over 8,000 Lyriq models, but it only shipped 122.

Because of the long waits, some people have canceled their orders. In Cadillac forums, drivers claim many high-quality aspects of the vehicle, such as its soft open/close system. They say the transition to this EV has been hard, and they compare the company’s rollout to that of Tesla. 

The deal with the Lincoln Corsair

 The Lincoln Corsair’s year-to-date sales were 9,631 by the end of the second quarter. The compact SUV is built from the Ford Escape body adorned with luxury materials. It comes in three trim levels with a starting price of $40,085 for the 2023 standard model. The fully loaded Lincoln Corsair is called the Grand Touring and starts at $55,280. 

Again, Ford Authority states production shortages were to blame for low sales numbers for the Lincoln Corsair. They just aren’t making it off the assembly line due to quality control issues. 

Quality control issues stifling sales of compact SUVs

Sales for compact SUVs already struggle in an in-between environment of cost, size, and performance. However, the quality control issues from all automobile producers is the biggest problem facing struggling compact SUV models. 

Compact SUVs are popular because they deliver the best of two worlds: the world of cars and the world of SUVs. But car buyers want to receive their car in a timely fashion, and they don’t want bugs in their electronic components.

This may be a bump in the road, as new electronic components create new systems that have to have the bugs worked out. However, sales of less than 10,000 could spell doom for some of these compact SUV models.