Shopping for a new car entails so much for buyers, both physically and psychologically, as they do their research, make a few calls, check with friends and authoritative sites on the vehicles on their hit list, as well as actually go to check out cars at the yards and do test drives. This is especially so for the budget shopper who seeks the best deals, and perhaps, one of the best places most consumers know to start from is Consumer Reports, though this a huge site that has almost every car brand and model, so narrowing it down may be a daunting task.
Consumer Reports has, over the years, listed both the best and worst cars based on different variables while giving a score out of a possible 100 points plus a reliability rating based on information from consumers themselves. For the cars on this list, the ratings given from CR are based on road-test scores as well as projected reliability, owner satisfaction, and overall safety of the car, including car crash-test results sourced from the federal government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Some cars listed here might come as a surprise to some consumers, especially those who haven't quite had an experience driving and/or owning them for some time, but there are valid reasons why they should be. If you're shopping for a car, it's best to read this list of 20 cars released after 2010 to avoid and to take them off your shortlist.
20 Cadillac ATS
This beautifully designed sporty Cadillac ATS no doubt has a good exterior, but as they say, all that glitters isn't gold, right? The car has a turbocharged engine but lacks the power to keep it moving, as Wide Open Roads reported. In fact, Consumer Reports gave it a 57 percent score overall, with a -120 rating on reliability. Some other setbacks that the Cadillac has include cramped seating, overall lack of support, and a smaller trunk space. If you're planning to buy a car to serve for a long time, then the Cadillac ATS may not be top on your list. The car has a character of holding just 43% of its original value just for a few years after being put on the road.
19 Chevrolet Suburban
The Chevrolet Suburban is a great family SUV, providing more passenger seating and advanced features that allow for comfortable, easy, and excellent performance. Before you decide to buy it, though, just know that this car doesn’t joke with fuel—it's a serious guzzler with a consumption rate of 10 mpg.
Apart from fuel efficiency, the SUV also has some other flaws such as poor greenhouse-gas awareness and the overall cost-effectiveness.
If you're a family person and a lover of SUVs, you can opt for a mid-sized or crossover SUV. Consumer Reports, according to Wide Open Roads, gave this vehicle a poor reliability rating of -154.
18 Dodge Journey
Crossovers are much better than bigger SUVs like the Chevrolet Suburban, but the Dodge Journey has a problem proving that it's one of the better crossovers. Its flaws begin from the transmission problem, which has been noted to be unresponsive—a quality that nobody wishes to have on his ride. Apart from the transmission problem, Wide Open Road says the vehicle also has a terrible rear visibility together with a smaller third-row seat that doesn't provide much comfort to the occupants unless left for the kids. The 2018 model is expected to retain up to 38 percent of its original value for about three years, and its fuel economy could be better. The silver-lined crossover offers a smooth and quiet ride, though.
17 Jeep Cherokee
Cherokee will always be Cherokee—a confident SUV that doesn’t really care about change and is fine wherever it goes. The car, according to Wide Open Roads, seems to be in a buffer zone despite some improvements that were made on it, including the towing capacity and the infotainment. Among the complaints brought forward by consumers include the vehicle’s design being unattractive. Additionally, the car has a four-cylinder engine under the hood, mated to a transmission that doesn’t offer some of the best performance we'd expect from an SUV. Consumer Reports advises those planning to buy this car to avoid the 2011-2015 model years.
16 Infiniti Q50
The Infiniti Q50 is a cool sedan with great acceleration and quite a spacious interior. If these are the only qualities you seek from a car, then the Q50 would be the right option; otherwise, it may be quite the disappointment. The Q50 fails when it comes to its powertrain, handling, and fuel economy. Who would've thought such a good-looking car could have such flaws?
As difficult as it is to believe, Wide Open Roads says the car is "super uncomfortable and rough to ride," based on Consumer Reports.
CR cited issues with the car's navigation system, touchscreens, and Bluetooth connectivity as some of the more prevalent gripes from owners, Business Insider reported. Avoid it like the plague.
15 Acura ILX
Acura is a compact sedan that, Forbes says, "gets lost in a fading market segment" since most people in the United States are leaving passenger cars for crossover SUVs. It's nice but just not good enough for those looking for more than just a ride in a car. Forbes adds, "It's not a whole lot more posh than [the] top version of many non-luxury branded small cars." Consumer Reports gave the Acura ILX a below-average rating plus a poor reliability rating, according to CR and JD Power, terming it as a "swing and a miss, in both CR testing and when judged by owners." Across all car types, this car also has the lowest satisfaction and was deemed as a pricey, dressed-up Honda Civic.
14 Dodge Grand Caravan
According to Forbes, the Dodge Grand Caravan is the "last of the original minivans" and ought to have been discontinued with the introduction of Chrysler's Pacifica minivan, but it holds a strong position for the company by being the brand's bestselling model. It's stayed for quite a long time in its present form but has also been reported to be unreliable, and lacks in terms of the latest safety features. In fact, Forbes says you're better off buying a used version of the minivan than a brand-new one. Dodge Problems also says that majority of the complaints on this car involve the electrical, the brakes, and the interior, adding that you should avoid the fifth generation (2008-2028) Grand Caravan due to its overall PainRank™ of 30.72.
13 Fiat 500
This cute little car comes as either a convertible or a coupe. The stylish subcompact car is a highly rated Fiat—a quality that doesn’t come easy—but unfortunately, it's still rated as below average by Consumer Reports, which gave it a mere 45 out of 100, Forbes reported. The car is entertaining to drive but has setbacks such as the small interior size, and also, the ride isn’t that comfortable. It's also been considered to be poor in reliability besides having the company’s worst resale values. If the setbacks outweigh your desire for this car, you're better off not buying it at all.
12 Fiat 500L
Not only is this four-door wagon attractive; it also has great features such as the crisp handling, terrific outward visibility, and a spacious interior. Despite all the good stuff, the car also comes with some flaws, like the 2018 model year, which Forbes says appeared to be the worst-rated vehicle based on Consumer Reports, which gave it only 30 out of 100 points. The Fiat 500L was built in the same Serbian factory that the dismal Yugo was assembled in during the late '80s, and according to CR, the car scored poorly in reliability and also had the worst resale value.
11 Fiat 500X
This is a good-looking SUV with a metropolitan spirit, what with its exclusive designs, its sheer driving pleasure, and its unmistakable detailing. To prove that, it comes with satin chrome-effect roof bars, off-roading bumpers with protective shielding, and a new 7-inch touchscreen DAB radio with Bluetooth, among others. With all these good features, Consumer Reports gave the car a very low score of only 35 out of 100, much better than that of the 500L, but Forbes says it falters when it hits the road. However, like the latter, this car was rated far below average for its projected durability. This vehicle is definitely a short-term ride, and if you're looking to keep the car for longer, don't go for this one.
10 Ford Focus
The last few years have seen many small cars enter the market, but the Ford Focus has been there for quite a long time, which gives it an added advantage over its competitors like the Toyota Corolla, the Hyundai, the improved Hyundai Sonata, and the Mazda3, Forbes says. The best Ford Focus model is the sports model, but the RS is quite expensive and was found to be intolerable with the harshness of its ride.
The model was considered to be below average besides being unreliable by Consumer Reports.
Either way, the car has amazing features such as leather-trimmed seats in Titanium, available amenities such as turn-by-turn Navigation System, and dual-zone electronic automatic temperature for individualized front-seat climate comfort.
9 Ford Fiesta
With the fuel pricing in the United States remaining relatively low, there's surely no reason for one to go for smaller cars. Ford Fiesta has been in the market for long without any redesign, making it kind of boring and somewhat unpleasing. According to Consumer Reports, the car has a below-average rating and earned a poor result from both CR and JD Power for reliability, Forbes reported. Strangely, though, the same car made Forbes' list of cars to avoid in 2016, with Consumer Reports giving it a 44 out of 100 overall score and a dismal reliability rating of -267.
8 Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus has created a legacy on its own by being what Forbes calls the "oldest of the bunch" among the full-sized non-luxury cars still present in the market today. The last time this car was redesigned was back in 2010, which is quite a long time ago, now that technological advancements happen almost every year. When it comes to performance, the Ford Taurus is a genius.
Its standard 3.7L engine produces a robust 288 horsepower and an EPA rating of about 27 highway mpg, while its twin independent variable camshaft timing takes control when the valves open and close to improve the Taurus' performance.
Despite the good performance, its back-seat room is excessively big, and it’s much better as a gently used model. Consumer reports and JD Power also consider the car to be unreliable.
7 Jeep Wrangler
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK that's available in the market is basically the previous generation of Jeep’s iconic Wrangler. According to Forbes, the JK has remained second to none with regard to its off-roading abilities but has negative issues, which include campiness, a noisy ride, being unrefined, and a ruthlessness over bumps. The new version of the JK is more advanced in all perspectives, but it received a slap on the face when it was scored 26 out of 100 by Consumer Reports and was even considered to be unreliable by both CR and JD Power. The car came in more than one trim, which includes the Wrangler Sport, the Wrangler Rubicon, and the Wrangler Unlimited.
6 Maserati Ghibli
Who would've thought that such a stylish Italian midsized car would appear on this list? Sadly, it does, and here's why Forbes would agree. The Ghibli has some of the best features anyone would want in a car and comes in two trim options: GranLusso and GranSport, both of which have high-end features. The GranSport, for example, has a grippy and sporty steering wheel, gearshift paddles that improve the race-bred, convenience, and flexibility of the Skyhook suspension system, as well as parking sensors. Both of its V6 engines, either petrol or diesel, are a letdown to the car, as they don’t offer enough power to deliver an excellent performance. The Italian car was ranked the last out of the 17 midsize cars luxury cars by Consumer Reports who says it offers a firm ride but has sloppy handling and also lacks enough room for the rear seat, besides being unreliable.
5 Mitsubishi Mirage
The Mitsubishi Mirage has been praised for being smart, fun, and social, but even with all the applause, the car still got listed by Consumer Reports as the lowest-rated sub-compact vehicle—an issue that would make one think twice before buying it. The car is significantly cheap with great gas mileage, but the problem is it doesn’t offer a smooth ride.
Under the hood is a small three-cylinder engine that vibrates a lot and, as a result, it makes the car shakey.
The Mitsubishi Mirage was once ranked the third-worst car in 2015, and with all these poor qualities, its low price should ring warning bells for potential buyers.
4 Chrysler 200
The Chrysler 200 has built a reputation for itself to be the next-generation midsize sedan, and it comes in the market with a 5-year 60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, according to Spy Hollywood. From its body design to the chassis and even the interior, the car looks great, but Consumer Reports says it's one of the lowest-rated midsized sedans. It's also considered a mediocre car with inept handling and poor road performance, which could be quite bizarre. For such bad qualities, its competitors such as Camry would be worth the $22,115 base price; in fact, car websites such as Edmunds don't have anything good to say about this car.
3 Mercedes-Benz CLA250
Yes, even the Mercedes-Benz—a German machine worth its reputation—doesn't escape the list. Mercedes is known to produce some of the world's most luxurious cars, and to maintain the narrative, the German automakers always try to give their vehicles superior performance, cutting-edge technology, and style. However, Mercedes still doesn’t have an MPG rating listed for the 2017 model, but some of the goodies this Mercedes-Benz CLA250 come with include a new vehicle warranty that covers the car for two years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. However, the car has been the lowest-rated compact luxury car by Consumer Reports, owing to its cramped and stiff ride, Plus, it's noisy.
2 Lincoln MKS
As much as this car should be avoided at any cost, it comes with niceties, such as a four-year 50,000-mile warranty and a 6-year 70,000-mile powertrain warranty. What's peculiar about this car, according to the information on the site, is that there's very little said about it, which might be an indication that the car is probably being phased out for the next model year, Spy Hollywood notes. The Lincoln MKS, unfortunately, was the lowest-rated midsize luxury car by the Consumer Reports and was said to be outdated and outclassed by its competitors. With this car's base price of about $39,010, you may as well go for its competitors, such as the Nissan Maxima, the Infiniti models, and the Black Lacrosse.
1 Land Rover Discovery Sport
It’s no secret that the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport is a redesigned 2017 model and that its exterior design would really draw many to itself even before a test drive. The car, despite its flaws, showcases engineering integrity, excellent design, and amazing versatility, Spy Hollywood noted. Apart from the new design, the Discovery also comes with a new-vehicle limited warranty that covers the vehicle for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. According to Consumer Reports, the Discovery was rated the lowest among compact luxury SUVs and was found to have an awkward acceleration, which was either too much or too little—something that, in addition to its bulky transmission, was noted as a frequent problem.
Sources: consumerreports.org, forbes.com, spyhollywood.com, wideopenroads.com