These 5 Cars Sat On Dealership Lots The Longest In Q1 Of 2025

Generally speaking, the longer cars sit at dealerships, the less you'll have to pay for them. It's simply a matter of economics. Keeping vehicles in stock literally costs dealers money every day they remain unsold, and a great way to move the metal is by reducing its price. The result can be a terrific deal for customers, especially when you keep in mind that many of these vehicles aren't waiting for shoppers for any fault of their own.

Sometimes it's a matter of a fantastic car facing a public with terrible taste. It's also common for cars that are about to be redesigned to start seeing less interest as folks wait for the new models to arrive. Also, given the nature of the auto industry, a discount that's here today can be gone tomorrow. Yet with all that in mind, we've got five Jalopnik-approved rides, culled from results from Car and Driver, that were piling up in the first quarter of the year for potential bargains in the second half.

Don't look for anything from America's top EV brand, though. Although Tesla is sitting on thousands of unsold Cybertrucks, the automaker technically doesn't have any dealerships — selling directly to the public instead — so it misses out on our qualification guidelines.

The Land Rover Range Rover Velar got a mild makeover the previous model year, but that hasn't helped this luxury crossover leave dealer lots in any hurry. Perhaps not helping matters is its niche design: While we said it was "good-looking" and "attractive," it also has a very distinctive look and a planted wide-and-low stance that may not appeal to the rugged set.

The Velar does keep up the Land Rover tradition of luxury, albeit with some modern touches. For example, the updated interior welcomes a curved 11.4-inch infotainment system as standard equipment and is available with seats clad in a leather-free textile. And while it may not be the most trail-friendly Range Rover, the Velar's 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 can keep on-road enthusiasts happy. It can race to 60 in 5.2 seconds, courtesy of 395 horsepower. The 2025 Velar stickers from $62,975, including a $1,375 destination charge — at least, that's the price when it first arrives at dealerships.

Audi's sales have been flagging recently, as the brand's lineup is having a bit of an identity crisis. But we can give you 500 good reasons to drive off with an Audi SQ7. That's how much horsepower you get in this luxurious three-row SUV, which relies on those ponies to gallop from 0 to 60 in a mere 4 seconds. Nor is the SQ7 limited to straight-line thrills. True, you're not going to confuse it with an Audi R8 supercar, but the sporty SUV does handle the curves with all-wheel steering and a sport suspension as standard equipment.

And there's no shortage of German luxury, with available details ranging from ventilated massaging seats to Bang & Olufsen audio to its hallmark virtual cockpit plus digital instrument panel. All those goodies help explain why the SQ7 and its twin-turbo V8 carry a suggested price of $92,095, including a $1,295 destination charge — but that's before any potential discount from waiting on dealership lots.

It's last call for the Chevrolet Malibu. First reaching U.S. roads in 1964, and making it to a shortcut in Death Valley several decades later, the Malibu is being retired after the 2025 model year as increased demand for SUVs and trucks has left the current version waiting patiently for customers.

In addition, even if Chevy dealers didn't feel like putting any cash on the hood to help sell the final Malibus, the car stands out as an impressive value at its full MSRP of only $26,995 (including destination charge). So for about $20,000 less than the average transaction price of today's new vehicles, you can enjoy a midsize sedan with standard content such as an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Wi-Fi compatibility, and a bundle of safety tech led by automatic emergency braking. 

The most expensive Malibu ups the ante with heated leather front seats, a heated steering wheel, 19-inch alloy wheels, and LED headlamps for $32,695 (including destination charge, but before dealer discounts).

If the 2025 Audi A5 is the New Audi A4, where does that leave the 2025 edition of the latter? Sitting on dealership lots, apparently. Nor is this the A4's first go-round on the list of longest-waiting new cars. It was also on the list for 2023.

It's an odd position for what the brand still touts as its top-selling sedan, but it puts shoppers in a good position to save money. A4 pricing opens at $45,395, including $1,295 destination charge, and that compares to its natural rivals, the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, at $47,125 including $1,175 in destination charges and $49,600 (with $1,150 in destination charges. For that, minus any extra savings for sitting around, the A4 is a dynamic daily driver that can hit 60 in 5.2 seconds thanks to its 261-horsepower turbo engine and quattro all-wheel drive. Further benefits extend to a spacious, modern cabin that protects passengers with plenty of high-tech safety measures.

At this stage, the Sino-Swedish brand may be better known for its SUVs, since the best-selling XC60 crossover is now the most popular Volvo ever. Before then, Volvo's sedans and station wagons were cultural touchstones in the U.S., highlighted semi-recently by the Volvo S60 appearing in the "Twilight" series. But while the movies' vampires were hard to kill, Volvo is finally putting a stake through that sedan after the 2025 model year. 

The S60 takes its final bow with an MSRP of $43,795, $1,195 destination charge included, and a sport-sedan spirit matched with premium technologies. Check out its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that transforms 247 horsepower into 0-60 sprint times of 6.2 seconds with available all-wheel drive. On the tech front, the S60 follows the brand's famously focused approach to safety with blind-spot monitoring, collision mitigation, and other advanced driver-assistance systems, and the standard infotainment setup combines a 12.3-inch driver display and 9-inch touchscreen.