Maintaining the aesthetics of a vehicle is important to make the car appealing and obtain the optimal resale value. One thing that causes significant damage to the aesthetics of a vehicle is rust. To the dismay of car owners, they have little to no control over how rust affects a vehicle. Although parking your car in an enclosed space may prolong the start of corrosion, some vehicles are prone to rust regardless of the precautionary measures the owner takes.
Updated January 2022: If you're in the market for a used car and want to make sure you won't end up with a potential rust bucket, keep reading. We've updated this article to help you make a better and more well-informed decision when handing over your hard-earned money for that dream car or everyday workhorse.
To help consumers avoid unnecessary headaches, we scoured the market for cars that are known to be rust buckets. Regardless of how much care the owner shows to these vehicles, the corrosion is inevitable. Apart from knowing which vehicles to avoid, consumers must also know which vehicles are rustproof. Our inquiry into the market led us to discover 5 cars that rust regardless of the care they receive, and 5 cars that won't rust as the manufacturers built them with proper rust protection.
10 Rust Bucket: Toyota Rav4
Toyota has made reliable vehicles for many years. Its cars regularly feature on the Consumer Reports Reliable list and are some of the best selling vehicles in North America.
Drivers who purchase the Rav4 can take pleasure knowing that they not only drive a reliable vehicle, but the safety features in the Rav4 are some of the best on the market.
The interior styling and materials are uninspiring, but drivers will get around 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The feature that owners of the vehicle will dislike the most is the corrosion that the vehicle often experiences.
9 Never Rusts: Hyundai Accent
It seems that the Asian manufacturers dominate the list. Although the Mazda 3 and Rav4 are prone to rust, the South Korean manufacturer has ensured that the Accent does not corrode. Drivers of the Accent will be exposed to the 1.6-liter engine that has been in production since 1994. Besides the strong body of the Accent, J.D. Power and Associates named the vehicle the most dependable car of 2008. Owners of the vehicle will be glad to know that they are driving a car that will be around for a long time, as the parts and exterior are durable.
8 Rust Bucket: Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Consumers who have deep pockets and enjoy a versatile sports SUV might pop into a Land Rover dealership to find out why everybody is making a fuss about the vehicle. The car has a 3-liter V6 supercharged engine, which pumps out 340 horsepower and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7 seconds.
The car delivers performance, a comfortable ride and contains many features in the cabin.
Those qualities may be enough to lure in buyers, but what most buyers do not know is that the Land Rover Range Rover Sport is prone to rust. The car also has poor fuel economy.
7 Never Rusts: Kia Forte
The South Korean market knows the Forte as the K3 and has seen it on its roads since 2008. Kia stated that it designed the Forte specifically to attract younger buyers who want a vehicle that has a sharp auto design.
To ensure that young buyers are impressed by the vehicle, Kia designed the exterior to last a long time and made the car with the highest quality materials to prevent corrosion.
The car may not provide great performance as the engine is capable of pumping out only 173 horsepower, but the exterior will not suffer from rust.
6 Rust Bucket: Ford Ka
When the American manufacturer produced the Ford Ka, it intended to provide a reliable vehicle that owners could use to commute around the city. The product it ended up with is a vehicle that has a 1.3-liter engine and needs 13 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph. The design of the car is unappealing, and the interior is cramped. Apart from being a slow vehicle that does not offer much cabin room, Ford Ka buyers will also have to deal with the rust. Once the vehicle begins to corrode, you will be the proud owner of a small, rusty car.
5 Never Rusts: Lexus LS
The Asian manufacturers are on a roll. It seems that if you want a car that will not provide any hassles with rust, then stick to Asian vehicles. The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury car, which serves as the flagship model for the brand. The first four generations contained a V8 engine and were predominantly rear-wheel drive vehicles. Lexus installed a V6 engine into the fifth generation and did not offer a V8 option. The LS stands for Luxury Sedan, and owners will experience a comfortable vehicle that is not prone to corrosion.
4 Rust Bucket: Ford Focus
Although Ford has done a sublime job with the manufacturing of pickup trucks, its production skills lack with sedans. Consumer Reports has regularly featured the Focus on its Least Reliable Vehicles list for several years, and it seems that mechanical problems are not the only troubles that Focus owners face. The car is also known to have its exterior peel away. If you buy a Focus, do not be surprised to see rust on the vehicle. Consumers who want to avoid mechanical and corrosion problems should stay clear of the Focus. After all, the market is saturated with quality vehicles.
3 Never Rusts: Volvo S60
Sweden may not be known for many things, but the European country knows how to make reliable vehicles. Volvo introduced the S60 to the market in 2000 and marketed the vehicle as a compact luxury sedan to replace the S70. Volvo released the second generation in 2010 as a 2011 model. The third generation is scheduled for a 2018, latest 2019, release and built in America's first Volvo factory in Ridgeville, South Carolina. The United States will be the sole global source of the S60 when production in China phases out in 2019.
2 Rust Bucket: Saturn Relay
General Motors manufactured the Saturn Relay from 2005 to 2007. One of the reasons that the car lasted only two years on the market is that it was prone to corrosion. Owners of the vehicle discovered after purchasing it that the exterior suffered irreparable damage due to corrosion. The car is also prone to breakdowns and was available for around $22,000 new. That might sound like a reasonable price, but the vehicle is unreliable and aesthetically unappealing due to the high possibility of corrosion. Owners of the Saturn Relay turned their backs on the brand after experiencing innumerable problems.
1 Never Rusts: Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen released the MK1, known as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States, in 1974, and the car became an overnight success. The car was easy and economical to drive and had good handling.
Since then, the German manufacturer has won the World Car of the Year award in 2009 and is one of three cars voted European Car of the Year twice.
The latest Golf GTI models allow drivers to obtain blistering speeds while cruising in style. Owners of the vehicle will experience sophistication inside and outside the vehicle, as the interior is lavish while the exterior will not rust.
Sources: thesun.so.uk, caranddriver.com