2025 was supposed to be the year the auto industry finally caught up with its own promises. Instead, we got a handful of new cars that felt like leftovers. While some brands pushed boundaries, others spent their budgets on fancy LED headlights and larger LCD displays while leaving the same underpowered engines under the hood.
From electric MPVs that cost as much as a house to “refreshes” that forgot to refresh the driving experience, here are the cars that let us down this year.
1. Renault Triber (2025 Facelift)
Renault’s 2025 update for the Triber is a masterclass in distraction. On the outside, it looks like a winner, sporting a new Eagle facelift with a chrome-finished grille and 15-inch landscape dual-tone wheels. Inside, it’s even better: a new 7-inch TFT digital cluster and a wireless charging pad. But once you turn the key, the illusion of newness evaporates.
The 2025 Triber is still dragging around the same 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine. With 71 bhp and 96 Nm of torque, the math is simple and brutal: divide that power by seven adult passengers plus luggage, and you aren’t left with a car; you’re left with a struggle.
Overtaking at speeds above 80 km/h requires meticulous planning and a heavy right foot. User reviews from late 2025 highlight that with a full load and the AC blasting, the Triber gasps for air on steep flyovers or mountain passes.
The 5-speed Easy-R AMT remains relaxed to a fault, with noticeable shift shocks that feel out of place in what is supposed to be a modern 2025 cabin. Overall, it’s great for school runs; painful for highway road trips.
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2. Renault Kiger (2025 Refresh)
The Kiger has always been the lifestyle choice in the budget SUV space, but the 2025 update feels like Renault is coasting on 2021 energy. While rivals like the Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV 3XO have moved toward Level 2 ADAS and panoramic views, the Kiger is stuck in the past.
Renault swapped the variant names (now Authentic, Evolution, Techno, and Emotion) and added ventilated seats, but they left the scratchy interior plastics exactly where they were. Owners in late 2025 are reporting that the cabin still rattles on rough roads, an unforgivable sin for a new car.
In a world where the Skoda Kylaq and Maruti Fronx offer sophisticated driving dynamics, the Kiger’s 1.0L Turbo CVT is being called out for dismal city mileage with some long-term tests recording as low as 7.4 kmpl in heavy traffic.
It’s a stylish shell with a budget soul. If you’re paying ₹11 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-end Emotion trim, you deserve better than a 4-year-old infotainment screen with chunky bezels.
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3. MG M9
MG’s ambitious entry into the luxury EV space was supposed to be the “Vellfire Killer.” Instead, the M9 (known globally as the Maxus Mifa 9) has become a cautionary tale about why specs on a spreadsheet don’t always equal luxury on the road.
At ₹69.90 lakh, the M9 costs more than a Kia Carnival and sits near BMW X3 territory. While the “Presidential Seats” in the second row look like they belong in a private jet, the ride quality doesn’t match the view.
On anything but glass-smooth highways, the M9’s heavy 90kWh battery pack makes the rear feel bouncy and unsettled. If you’re a CEO trying to work on a laptop in the back, you’re going to feel every expansion joint on the flyover.
MG followed the trend of putting everything in the 12.3-inch screen. Even the second-row ottoman controls are tucked into armrest-mounted touchscreens that can be laggy and frustrating to use when you just want to recline. Overall, it has a massive road presence can’t hide the lack of chassis refinement. It’s a tech showcase that needs a better suspension tuner.
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4. Volvo EX30
The EX30 was the most anticipated EV of 2025. It’s fast, it looks incredible, and it’s surprisingly affordable for a Volvo. But to hit that price point, Volvo cut corners that will drive you crazy.
There is no instrument cluster. Like a Tesla Model 3, you have to look sideways at the center screen to see your speed. Even worse, the window switches for the rear seats were moved to the center console to save on wiring, a move that feels cheap rather than minimalist.
The floor is so high due to the battery that rear passengers sit in a knees-up position that becomes uncomfortable after just 20 minutes. Overall, it’s a brilliant second car for the city, but a flawed primary car for a family.
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5. Citroën Aircross X
Citroën’s Aircross X was supposed to be the premium evolution of their SUV. It has the best ride quality in the business, but in 2025, that’s no longer enough.
The X variant added features, but the execution feels like a dealer-fit job. The 360-degree camera is lower resolution than the screens on its rivals, and the lack of a panoramic sunroof or sophisticated ADAS makes it feel dated from day one. It secured a 5-star BNCAP rating, which is excellent, but it still uses flap-style door handles and basic interior lighting that feels like a throwback to 2018. Overall, it’s the most comfortable way to feel like you bought a car from the last decade.
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