Which Cars Are Well Overdue For A Replacement In 2025?

It’s your turn to play automotive executive and schedule one model for a full overhaul in 2025

As 2024 limps toward the finish line and we collectively brace ourselves for another year of car companies making wild promises they’ll probably half-deliver, it’s time to turn our attention to cars caught in a time loop reliving the same design cycle over and over like an automotive Groundhog Day.

Sure, some long-overdue updates are finally here, like the Infiniti QX80, Toyota 4Runner, and Lexus GX. But while some cars are getting reborn, others, like the Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and Infiniti Q50, are are just dead altogether, heading to the great parking lot in the sky. Farewell, old friends.

Which brings us to today’s burning question of the day: what other shambling automotive relics still being sold as “new” desperately need a total overhaul or a mercy killing?

Prime Candidates

The list of truly old cars, trucks, and SUVs still on sale today as “new” cars isn’t all that long anymore. Still, there are a few worthy of note including one from a brand that we’ve already mentioned. Dodge still sells the Durango. In fact, it just recently announced that it will continue Durango production, including the SRT Hellcat, into 2025.

More: See The Dodge Charger Daytona From Every Angle In Over 200 Photos

Of course, an alternative could be the rarely spoken of Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Granted, people probably don’t talk about this car much because the automaker itself doesn’t bring it up much. It was initially introduced in 2011, hasn’t seen a major overhaul since then, and wasn’t even referred to during Mitsubishi’s own 2030 product plan earlier this year. Which may be an indication that, when it will eventually be discontinued, it won’t be replaced – but we’ll have to wait and see.

Godzilla Needs a Nap

One car that’s even older is the venerable Nissan GT-R R35. Originally launched in 2007 in Japan, and a year later in North America, it has received numerous updates over its lifespan, and is still a formidable weapon, but 17 years is an eternity, and then some, in the automotive world. Yet if it was up to Nissan, it would happily keep it in production, but will have to retire it as it can no longer meet regulations.

While the company has confirmed that it’s exploring options for its replacement, if it goes the EV route it’ll wait until it can use solid-state batteries, which won’t happen until 2028 at the earliest. Given that the R35 will officially be discontinued in 2025, and assuming the Japanese company sticks to this plan, there will be a three-year gap.

The problem is that, currently, Nissan is in a very difficult situation, and while a merger with Honda seems very likely, it’s uncertain whether a new GT-R will be a top priority, at least until it can sort out its finances.

The Zombie Electric Sedan

I’ll go out on a limb and say that the Tesla Model S has outlived its stay. In fact, the best move would be replacing it with a brand new car. In lieu of that, a heavily updated Model S should mimic the rest of the lineup better. After all, the Model S actually dates back to 2012 in many ways. That’s absolutely ancient compared to the vast majority of cars on sale today.

Read: These Are The Fastest-Selling New And Used EVs

Tesla says that it’s always updating its models and that’s fine. The reality is though that chassis design and materials have come a long way in the last decade. No matter how Tesla wants to slice it, the Model S could benefit from a ground-up redesign. It would make the car more modern in every sense, and would also attract more buyers.

Your Turn

So, there you have it, a short list of cars that desperately need either a reinvention or a dignified send-off. Of course, these aren’t the only culprits. What cars do you think need to be put out to pasture? Let us know in the comments, and maybe send Mitsubishi a postcard to remind them the Outlander Sport still exists. They might actually appreciate the heads-up.