5 Popular Car Models That Haven't Had A New Generation In A While

Car makers often release a new generation of a particular model every few years to update offerings. This allows them to stay competitive by introducing new engines and technologies while still retaining the brand loyalty they've built on a particular nameplate. Some companies also take advantage of a new vehicle generation to completely redesign a car and make it feel fresh, new, and modern (although these changes sometimes miss the mark).

There is no set rule on how often a car manufacturer should release a new generation in its lineup, but it usually happens around five to eight years after a model's release. There are a few outliers out there, though, that haven't seen a new release in a while, and that's what we're looking at. These are passenger car models that are still in production but haven't seen an entirely new generation for several years, so we won't be adding the Chevrolet Express and the GMC Savanna cargo vans, which has basically remained unchanged over the past 20 years. 

Note that we're not counting refreshes or facelifts, so even if a car may look completely different from the previous model year, it's still the same generation unless the car company said so. We're only relying on official announcements from car makers to determine whether a particular model year is a new generation or not.

Elon Musk revealed the EV company's first SUV, the Tesla Model X, in 2012. It wasn't until 2015 that the company started delivering them. However, it's one of the electric cars being discontinued in 2026, although you can still get it new on Tesla website while there's still available inventory. In its 11-year run, Tesla never released a new generation of this luxury SUV. Despite all the upgrades that Tesla added to the Model X every year, its basic profile remained the same, including its iconic Falcon Wing rear doors.

Tesla is different from other companies regarding new model generations. Instead of releasing an all-new generation every few years for its complete lineup, the company instead iterates repeatedly, as seen in the Model S. The company made this car for 14 years, but it never released a new generation. What it did was upgrade different parts of the car, replacing complete components, including the body, suspension, and powertrain, as new technologies are developed. Jason Cammisa of Hagerty even said on YouTube that the 2012 Model S only had 3% of its components similar to the 2026 Model S, despite being the same generation.

But even though the last Model X is miles away from the first, we'd still consider it the same generation. Tesla never announced an all-new generation for the Model X.

This small two-seat convertible has already had four generations since it first debuted in 1989, with the latest iteration unveiled in 2014 and starting production a year later. This means that the fourth generation of this sports car is 11 years old at the time of this writing, but even then, the 2025 Mazda Miata is still one of the more affordable "fun" cars you can buy new today. You also don't have to worry about the ND Miata going away soon, as the company said that the fifth generation of this vehicle is still a few years away from replacing the current one. In fact, the Japanese car company revealed a new color on the 2027 year model. Although this is a fresh coat of paint on the roadster, it still looks the same as the models that we have now.

What made the Miata unique from the cars we have listed below is that the exterior of this car barely saw any change over the years. The biggest change that the car company made was when it released the MX-5 Miata RF in 2017, giving Miata buyers the option to get one with a retractable roof. Aside from that, it looks every bit like the soft-top roadster that was announced in 2014. So, if you buy a used 2015 Miata and place it side by side with one that just rolled off the showroom today, you likely wouldn't notice much difference.

The 2026 Lexus IS looks sharp and follows the design language of newer models like the 2026 Lexus LC 500 or the 2026 Lexus GX. But under its skin, it's still the 3rd-generation XE30 that the carmaker revealed in 2013. Even though this car model is a teenager, the Japanese luxury car brand kept it new through a series of refreshes. It received its first facelift in 2016, which only featured minor exterior updates — the bigger changes were under hood with new engine options plus a revamped instrument cluster and infotainment screen.

The year 2020 saw another update for the IS. Although this is still the same generation, it was now wider and more muscular due to its larger fenders and redesigned doors. The infotainment was once again upgraded, this time featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Six years after the second facelift, the Lexus IS received another makeover. The compact executive sedan saw another front fascia — an even wider grille gave it a mean aggressive look matched by new headlights — and redesigned rear end with a rear LED light that stretches across the trunk.

Even though the Lexus IS is already more than a decade old, it manages to stay competitive against other models like the BMW 3-series, Acura TLX, or Genesis G70. This shows the versatility of the platform it sits on: even though it has been years since Lexus released a new generation of the IS, it still looks and feels like modern sedan.

If you have the need for speed but also want something practical for the family, one of the recommended options is the Dodge Durango, and it has been so for about a decade and a half. The current generation of this American SUV was released in 2011 after a three-year hiatus. Despite being a rather "old" model, it's the only option if you want to get a Hellcat straight out of the factory since the carmaker discontinued the Charger and Challenger that featured these engines.

The third-generation Durango had its first facelift for the 2014 model year to give it a more aggressive look. In 2018, this style was matched with the release of the Dodge Durango SRT with its 6.4-liter Hemi engine that produced 475 hp and paired with AWD, large Brembo brakes, and a sportier suspension. This mid-size SUV saw another refresh in 2020 — nine years after it went into production — and it also received the optional SRT Hellcat package, equipping the "family SUV" with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat V8 that outputs 710 hp and 645 lb.-ft. of torque, giving it a zero-to-60 time of just 3.5 seconds.

The third-generation Durango is expected to hang around a while, with Stellantis confirming the fourth-generation version of this SUV will not launch until 2029. This would mean that the current-gen Durango would be 18 years old by the time of its retirement. But even if we have to wait a few more years for the next-gen model to arrive, we have to give kudos to Stellantis for keeping this performance SUV alive for muscle fans, despite it being bad for Dodge.

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, known as ASX in the other parts of the world, arrived on the market in 2011, making it around the same age as the Durango. Despite being 16 in 2026, it remains a single generation and one of the just three SUVs that Mitsubishi sells in the U.S. Even though the Japanese car maker has launched a new subcompact crossover in 2023 called the XFORCE for Southeast Asia, it still retains this old model for North America. It updates through refreshes and facelifts to keep up with changing technologies and the company's updated design language.

This subcompact SUV has received three facelifts through the years, with the first one in 2013. Which added a two-tone treatment, a 4WD trim, and standard 18-inch wheels across all options. It had another update in 2016, where it received a new Dynamic Shield grille to help it keep up with Mitsubishi's other offerings. The biggest change for this model happened in 2020, when it was the first model to receive an all-new look dreamed up by Mitsubishi Design Chief Tsunehiro Kunimoto.

Some enthusiasts have bemoaned the watering down of Mitsubishi's sporty legacy, especially after it discontinued legends like the Lancer Evolution and 3000GT. However, the brand's focus on value-laden models like the Outlander Sport, which is an affordable alternative to heavyweights like the Jeep Wrangler, alongside its partnership with Nissan has helped it survive economic downturns.