6 Car Brands Predicted To Fail, According to Car Expert Doug DeMuro

The benefits of competition in industry are numerous. Increases in innovation, growth and worker productivity are direct results of strong competition.

However, profitability can dip and businesses fail when more money is spent on getting ahead of one’s rivals. And yet, you can’t get left behind either.

We’ve seen many automakers fail over the years. With so many companies fighting for a slice of the market in the U.S., it’s only natural that some fall by the wayside, be they upstarts or well-established brands.

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According to entrepreneur and automotive expert Doug DeMuro, there are some long-standing car companies currently at risk of failing.

In a recent YouTube video posted on his channel, DeMuro talked about several European imprints who’ve seen their U.S. market share dwindle over the years, and a couple of American brands whose fortunes have dipped, along with their reputation and reliability.

Here are six car brands (plus a possible seventh) that DeMuro believes will be in hot water if they don’t make some serious changes.

Fiat

Fiat is known in America for its cute, subcompact 500, which now comes in an electric model (the 500e). However, as DeMuro stated, “it’s not a particularly compelling car,” and many manufacturers are removing unprofitable compacts from their lineups.

By halting production of the Fiat 500e in September, it looked like Stellantis saw the writing on the wall. But the company is committed to investing in the brand, and will produce a gas-powered hybrid version in 2025, per Motor1.

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Chrysler

Ranking dead last by Consumer Reports (CR) in car brand reliability hasn’t helped Chrysler. But DeMuro suggested that the company may be in trouble due to the fact that it only produces the Pacifica now.

On top of that, the hybrid version of Pacifica is the least reliable car on the market, according to CR customer satisfaction, scoring 14 out of 100.

DeMuro concluded Chrysler is dead weight for parent company Stellantis.

Buick

With General Motors (GM) driving toward a zero-emissions, all-electric production line, all future Buick EVs are going to head with electric vehicle production under the “Elektra” name, according to a GM news release.

Buick has been scuffling for years in the U.S., but is still a strong seller in China — and this is part of what may be keeping Buick afloat.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi has had infrequent waves of success in the United States since it was introduced by Chrysler in the early 1970s.

Now, DeMuro saw its best model, the Outlander, as the “perpetual second-choice” plug-in SUV, behind better (and pricier) options like the Toyota Rav4 Prime.

Despite its rather poor reputation, the Mirage was one of the cheapest vehicles you could buy and was a decent seller for the brand, but it was discontinued after the 2024 model year.

Alfa Romeo

Although the company dates back to 1910s in Milan, Alfa Romeo has had trouble maintaining a foothold in the competitive American market throughout the years.

Absent from U.S. shores for a couple of decades, Alfa Romeo tentatively returned stateside in 2008 and currently offers the 4C coupe, the Stelvio midsized SUV and the brand’s best-selling Giulia mid-sized sedan, per GoodCarBadCar.

For DeMuro, owner Stellantis doesn’t seem to want to prioritize the brand. Without a parent company push, it will fail going up against the mighty BMW.

Infiniti

DeMuro isn’t the first to forecast the possible demise of Infiniti. Back in 2021, Corey Lewis wrote about the company on The Truth About Cars site, detailing the brand’s history of model missteps.

Nissan’s luxury line simply can’t compete with rivals like Lexus, Genesis and BMW, and it seems like the company doesn’t really care, per DeMuro.

According to the popular vlogger, Nissan needs to invest heavily to turn around the declining brand, but will most likely let Infiniti limp along nonchalantly instead.

Could Mini Fail, Too?

Say it ain’t so! DeMuro is on the fence about the future of the beloved Mini brand.

“You’re a retro brand… where do you go next?” he asked.

Although it’s tried a number of things, Mini doesn’t have a definitive answer. Expanding beyond hot hatches, its bigger and more expensive vehicles aren’t attracting the buyers it once did.

“There’s only so many variations you can make of the Mini,” DeMuro explained.

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