What the hot Subaru WRX and the ugly Pontiac Aztek have in common

The Subaru WRX and the Pontiac Aztek are not at all alike. What do they have in common?

The Pontiac Aztec is arguably one of the ugliest cars every to roll off an assembly line and the Subaru WRX is one of the hottest selling cars on the new and used car market. The two cars couldn’t be any more different, but Edmunds has announced the top ten used cars that have a higher rate of millennial buyers than any other cars and both cars make the list. This is where the two cars are a lot alike with millennial buyers, age 18-34.

The Subaru WRX is number three on the top ten list, which isn’t a surprise, as the sports car is in high demand with younger buyers. The Pontiac Aztec is making a resurgence with millennials and is number six on Edmund’s top ten list which is a surprise. Why are young buyers snatching up the Aztek which is no longer in production?

Edmunds has called the Aztec “one of the ugliest cars of all time” but Edmund’s analysis shows in 2010, the Aztek had the highest rate of millennial used car buyers, with exactly one-third of all used Aztek sales falling into the hands of these younger consumers which make up around 75.3 million in the U.S. Edmunds says the ugly Pontiac has since maintained a top-ten millennial share in four of the last five years.

We can see why 18-34 year-olds are snatching up the performance Subaru WRX sedan and hatchbacks because of their performance and utility, but the Aztec was a mistake from the word go when Pontiac designed the car. Edmund’s analysis also shows two other vehicles that are no longer in production, also made the top-ten list for highest sales in the used car market with millennials. The Dodge Magnum and Chrysler Pacifica were number one and two respectively on the list.

Millennials are attracted to the fun-to-drive Subaru WRX sports cars, which is keeping the price of used WRX’s high in the used car market. Edmunds says the rally-bred cars hold a 26.4 percent share of model’s sold to millennials. The opposite is true of the Aztec which has a low price and could be the reason it’s being snatched up by younger buyers at a 25.5 percent rate according to Edmunds.

If you want a good used low mileage Subaru WRX, expect to pay more if you want one in excellent condition. Buyers are finding used Aztecs at a cheap price. Edmunds.com Analyst Jeremy Acevedo says, "Millennials may not go into the shopping process targeting these lesser-known vehicles, but when they see how their price tags stack up against other, better-known vehicles, they suddenly become a lot more attractive.”

Media source: Edmunds.com