In a stunning twist to America’s auto market, French automaker Citroën burst onto U.S. shores in August 2025, flooding dealers with quirky models that quickly became the least selling cars of the month. As buyers rushed for EVs before the federal tax credit vanished, these imports gathered dust, reshaping import trends and negotiation plays.
The U.S. auto sales landscape in August 2025 delivered a mixed bag, with overall new vehicle sales climbing 2.3% year-over-year to about 1.28 million units, according to preliminary figures from MarkLines Automotive. But beneath the surface, a surge in electric vehicle purchases—driven by the looming September 30 expiration of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit—left room for unexpected laggards. Trending searches like “slowest selling cars 2025,” “worst car sales August,” “flop vehicles US,” “import car fails,” and “EV tax rush impacts” spiked as consumers scoured for deals on oversupplied models.
Enter Citroën, the once-dormant French brand absent from U.S. showrooms since 1973. Partnering with a boutique importer in California, the company tested waters with a limited rollout of 1,000 units across five models: the compact C3, efficient C4 hatchback, spacious C5 Aircross SUV, electric ë-C4, and premium C5 X crossover. Priced aggressively from $22,000 to $38,000, these vehicles promised European flair—soft suspension rides, bold designs, and hybrid options—but sold just 42 units total. That’s a mere 4.2% take rate, landing all five in the bottom 20 least selling cars.
Why the flop? Experts point to brand unfamiliarity and mismatched expectations. “American buyers crave familiarity and fuel efficiency in a tariff-heavy climate,” said Jessica Caldwell, head analyst at Edmunds. “Citroën’s quirky charm doesn’t translate when Ford F-150s and Tesla Model Ys dominate highways.” Public reactions echoed this on forums like Reddit’s r/cars, where users quipped, “Citroën in the U.S.? It’s like serving escargot at a BBQ—intriguing, but nobody’s biting.”
This isn’t Citroën’s first rodeo stateside; historical sales peaked at 20,000 units annually in the 1960s with the iconic 2CV. But today’s market, squeezed by 25% tariffs on Chinese and Korean imports under the Trump administration’s trade policies, favors domestics. August data from CarEdge showed luxury Europeans like the Jaguar F-Pace (512 days of inventory) and Maserati Grecale (428 days) also tanking, but Citroën’s newcomers stole the “least selling” spotlight with averages over 600 days unsold.
Rounding out the 20 least selling cars in August 2025, domestic and import niches struggled amid the EV frenzy. Nissan’s Versa subcompact, America’s cheapest new car at $15,979, moved sluggishly with 1,200 units—down 15% from July—burdened by outdated tech and a 472-day supply. Dodge’s Hornet compact SUV, a Stellantis bet on urban crossovers, fared worse at 850 sales, plagued by reliability gripes and a 428-day backlog. Alfa Romeo’s Giulia sedan, once a driver’s darling, limped to 620 units, hit by Italian engineering costs in a sedan-shy SUV era.
Further down, Volkswagen’s Jetta sedan plummeted 42% to 11,287 quarterly units in Q3, per Car and Driver, as buyers ditched compacts for crossovers. The Porsche Taycan EV, despite a 2025 refresh, sold just 378 units amid charging infrastructure woes, boasting 229 days of inventory. Ram’s 2500 heavy-duty truck, refreshed with a 6.7L Cummins diesel, saw 2024 leftovers drag sales to 1,100 units, down 70% from 2019 peaks.
Luxury laggards filled the rest: Audi S6 (61 units, 482 days), Infiniti QX60 (720 sales), Buick Envista (down due to Korean tariffs), Jeep Grand Wagoneer (high-end SUV oversupply), Kia EV6 (pre-makeover slump), Nissan Ariya (discontinued model), Maserati Levante, Volvo S90, and Lincoln Nautilus. These models averaged $64,844 in price, per CarEdge, highlighting how premium tags amplify slow sales in a value-conscious market.
For U.S. readers, this shake-up hits wallets and lifestyles hard. With auto sales fueling 3% of GDP, Citroën’s U.S. entry signals bolder import pushes, potentially easing prices through competition but risking job losses at domestic plants like those in Michigan. Economically, the EV tax credit rush—boosting September sales 5.8%—juiced short-term growth but forecasts a Q4 dip, per S&P Global Mobility, as buyers hesitate without subsidies. Lifestyle-wise, slow sellers mean prime bargaining: experts like Caldwell advise targeting 400+ day inventories for 10-15% discounts, saving families $4,000-$6,000 on a $40,000 vehicle.
Politically, tariffs on 25% of Asian imports stalled deals with Korea and China, inflating sticker prices by $2,000 on average and favoring U.S.-built EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Technologically, Citroën’s hybrid tech—blending 50 mpg efficiency with Android Auto—could appeal to eco-commuters, but only if marketing ramps up. Even sports fans note ties: Dodge’s Hornet flop echoes NASCAR slumps, while Porsche’s Taycan woes test endurance in a gas-guzzler nation.
User intent here leans toward savvy shopping—searches for “slowest selling cars 2025 deals” surged 40% in August, per Google Trends. Dealerships manage this by stacking incentives: Nissan offers $3,000 rebates on Versas, while Stellantis pushes zero-percent financing on Hornets. Savvy buyers should cross-shop via apps like CarEdge for real-time MDS data, ensuring they snag flops without quality risks.
As tariffs bite and EV policies shift, August’s least sellers underscore a market craving reliability over novelty. Citroën’s bold U.S. debut, though dominant in flops, hints at future hybrid booms if branding evolves. With 16.02 million full-year sales projected, per S&P, opportunities abound for deal-hunters eyeing these underperformers. Keep watching as Q4 unfolds—affordability pressures could flip scripts fast.
By Sam Michael
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