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Consumer Reports came up with the list of the ten least reliable cars in America, and it's a good idea to stop wishing for any of those to appear under the Christmas tree because of the inherent greater risk of problems.
Every time we are near the end of another year, it's time to check out the balance sheet, right? The kids will strive to find out if they're on Santa's good or naughty lists, and adults will probably wish for big presents to arrive under the tree, too. Well, since I can't give up thinking about cars even during these festive times, I decided to warn myself and everyone about the perils of choosing some of America's most dreaded car models.
We all know that the automotive industry has gone wild over the past few years – the economic recessions that keep coming back without giving anyone a break, the pandemics, the global semi-conductor shortage, as well as various other supply chain problems and shortages have all taken a toll on this sector of the economy. Oh, and not to mention the wars raging on in different parts of the world, plus the inflation that has allegedly eaten into the profits, causing hefty MSRP increases everywhere.
However, according to Consumer Reports – and I tend to trust them on many occasions – some automobiles are worse than others in terms of reliability. By the way, the latter is entirely subjective sometimes – you could see endless threads of issues for a car make and model, but your vehicle could work fine for 250k miles as if it's the sturdiest thing ever. You could also see unexpected brands way up high at the top of reliable automakers even though the recalls are now hitting everyone without discrimination.
Frankly, it's harder and harder to see reliable cars that don't have glitches – they're full-blown mega computers on wheels, making them susceptible to many quirks and issues. If you want to extrapolate, think about your smartphone, which has way fewer processors and stuff that could break, and it still glitches and stutters occasionally. Alas, there are some models that we really need to avoid, and we shouldn't be caught driving them even if the car arrived under the Christmas tree as a completely free gift.
According to Consumer Reports, among them we are going to find the Volkswagen Jetta (25 of 100 points), Nissan Frontier (23/100), Jeep Grand Cherokee L (23/100), Rivian R1T (22/100), Volvo XC60 (21/100), Ford F-150 Hybrid (19/100), Volkswagen Taos (18/100), and on top of the shameful chart, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan (14/100). It's interesting to note that Volkswagen has two models on this list, which doesn't bode well for its electric vehicle ambitions, especially knowing that they had massive issues with the software for the ID. series that caused ample delays and is one of the key reasons the former CEO was ousted.
Also, surprisingly, there's a Volvo in there – the XC60, the company's best-selling model. It seems that safety isn't strictly related to reliability, after all. Unsurprisingly, there's an electric model on the list, another weak spot on the list that also includes stuff like range, charging, weight, and more. Last but not least, I am a little surprised that Ford didn't have more vehicles on the list, considering it's by far the most recalled brand in America. Anyway, hold your horses and don't think that it's not good everywhere. The renowned outlet also has a list of the most reliable brands in America.
So, let's end this on a positive note and start thinking that maybe our next purchase should come from one of these brands: Kia (61/100), BMW (64/100), Porsche (66/100), Mazda (67/100), Subaru (69/100), Honda (70/100), Acura (70/100), MINI (71/100), Toyota (76/100), and Lexus (79/100). Note that not everything will be all roses across the board, so it's best to research both the make and model you intend to buy. Also, as always, there are no American brands in the top ten list, but surprisingly, there's MINI ahead of BMW – they're expensive but also fun and reliable, it seems. As for Toyota and Lexus, we already knew they were heading the pack, as always, right?
With that being said, I also have my favorites. If I had to select a sports car for a Christmas gift, it would be the quirky yet fun BMW M2. It's produced in Mexico, so you won't have to wait long for your unit; it has the marvelous 3.0-liter S58 twin-turbo inline-six under the hood, 453 horsepower, and countless ways of upgrading the pony count, plus a handy appearance and great track dimensions. If I had to come up with a crossover SUV purchase, the Grand Highlander from Toyota is probably almost perfect, no matter the size of your family, and it can also come as a hybrid.
Toyota also wins the truck game because they are just sending the N400 Tacoma into dealerships, and the all-new model seems like a significant upgrade over the massively popular predecessor. Of course, I would wait a little longer to get my hands on the 326-hp i-Force Max hybrid powertrain and the Trailhunter configuration. If you want an off-road SUV instead of a truck, you probably won't make a mistake when choosing the 2024 Land Cruiser, instead. Oh, you want an American suggestion, too? No worries, the 2025 Cadillac CT5, which was recently upgraded, would be a fine choice if you're into classic four-door sedans. Hopefully, Cadillac will keep the CT5-V Blackwing alive with the refresh, seeing that the EV hype is currently on a cooldown.
We all know that the automotive industry has gone wild over the past few years – the economic recessions that keep coming back without giving anyone a break, the pandemics, the global semi-conductor shortage, as well as various other supply chain problems and shortages have all taken a toll on this sector of the economy. Oh, and not to mention the wars raging on in different parts of the world, plus the inflation that has allegedly eaten into the profits, causing hefty MSRP increases everywhere.
However, according to Consumer Reports – and I tend to trust them on many occasions – some automobiles are worse than others in terms of reliability. By the way, the latter is entirely subjective sometimes – you could see endless threads of issues for a car make and model, but your vehicle could work fine for 250k miles as if it's the sturdiest thing ever. You could also see unexpected brands way up high at the top of reliable automakers even though the recalls are now hitting everyone without discrimination.
Frankly, it's harder and harder to see reliable cars that don't have glitches – they're full-blown mega computers on wheels, making them susceptible to many quirks and issues. If you want to extrapolate, think about your smartphone, which has way fewer processors and stuff that could break, and it still glitches and stutters occasionally. Alas, there are some models that we really need to avoid, and we shouldn't be caught driving them even if the car arrived under the Christmas tree as a completely free gift.
According to Consumer Reports, among them we are going to find the Volkswagen Jetta (25 of 100 points), Nissan Frontier (23/100), Jeep Grand Cherokee L (23/100), Rivian R1T (22/100), Volvo XC60 (21/100), Ford F-150 Hybrid (19/100), Volkswagen Taos (18/100), and on top of the shameful chart, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan (14/100). It's interesting to note that Volkswagen has two models on this list, which doesn't bode well for its electric vehicle ambitions, especially knowing that they had massive issues with the software for the ID. series that caused ample delays and is one of the key reasons the former CEO was ousted.
Also, surprisingly, there's a Volvo in there – the XC60, the company's best-selling model. It seems that safety isn't strictly related to reliability, after all. Unsurprisingly, there's an electric model on the list, another weak spot on the list that also includes stuff like range, charging, weight, and more. Last but not least, I am a little surprised that Ford didn't have more vehicles on the list, considering it's by far the most recalled brand in America. Anyway, hold your horses and don't think that it's not good everywhere. The renowned outlet also has a list of the most reliable brands in America.
So, let's end this on a positive note and start thinking that maybe our next purchase should come from one of these brands: Kia (61/100), BMW (64/100), Porsche (66/100), Mazda (67/100), Subaru (69/100), Honda (70/100), Acura (70/100), MINI (71/100), Toyota (76/100), and Lexus (79/100). Note that not everything will be all roses across the board, so it's best to research both the make and model you intend to buy. Also, as always, there are no American brands in the top ten list, but surprisingly, there's MINI ahead of BMW – they're expensive but also fun and reliable, it seems. As for Toyota and Lexus, we already knew they were heading the pack, as always, right?
With that being said, I also have my favorites. If I had to select a sports car for a Christmas gift, it would be the quirky yet fun BMW M2. It's produced in Mexico, so you won't have to wait long for your unit; it has the marvelous 3.0-liter S58 twin-turbo inline-six under the hood, 453 horsepower, and countless ways of upgrading the pony count, plus a handy appearance and great track dimensions. If I had to come up with a crossover SUV purchase, the Grand Highlander from Toyota is probably almost perfect, no matter the size of your family, and it can also come as a hybrid.
Toyota also wins the truck game because they are just sending the N400 Tacoma into dealerships, and the all-new model seems like a significant upgrade over the massively popular predecessor. Of course, I would wait a little longer to get my hands on the 326-hp i-Force Max hybrid powertrain and the Trailhunter configuration. If you want an off-road SUV instead of a truck, you probably won't make a mistake when choosing the 2024 Land Cruiser, instead. Oh, you want an American suggestion, too? No worries, the 2025 Cadillac CT5, which was recently upgraded, would be a fine choice if you're into classic four-door sedans. Hopefully, Cadillac will keep the CT5-V Blackwing alive with the refresh, seeing that the EV hype is currently on a cooldown.
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