The Absolute Worst Cars That You Should Avoid - The Delite

The Absolute Worst Cars That You Should Avoid



New or old, sometimes you’re just in need of a new car. And when it comes to getting a new car, there are some you should avoid at all cost. If, for no other reason, simply because they’re really bad.

Acura RLX


Despite being a luxury brand, the RLX has received rather poor ratings over the years. That’s even more concerning, considering the fact that even a used model will go for more than $20,000. However, across seven model years this vehicle has received more than 20 complaints and is firmly at the bottom of Acura’s lineup. An FWD setup and poor handling also limit the V6 quality under the hood.

Cadillac ATS


Nobody pays attention to the Cadillac ATS, and that’s a bit telling. The car itself is most commonly used as a rental vehicle, a far cry from the luxury associated with most Cadillac vehicles. It’s a bland car and boasts an even worse driving experience. It hasn’t even gotten any updates since it was initially released, so all yearly models are practically identical. And none of them serve to fix the problems that exist with the car.

Hyundai Tiburon GT


The only thing the Tiburon really has going for it is that it looks cool. You can get a used one for less than $3,000. And the fact that you can get it for so cheap should be a massive red flag. The V6 powering of the Tiburon can only go up to 176 horsepower which is severely underpowered. In the car’s 12 model years it’s had 68 different complaints about its functionality. And a lot of those are in relation to its clutch and body components.

Chevrolet Suburban


The Suburban was once an incredibly well-liked car. It’s large interior and spaciousness made it a popular vehicle for decades. However, the Ford Expedition has since outclassed it. Relative to its benefits, the car has just proven to be far more expensive than its worth. Nowadays it costs $100,000 to get a fully-loaded Suburban.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross


A lot of SUV manufacturers have given new life to old sports cars. However, Mitsubishi’s attempts with the Eclipse Cross have been less than stellar. The car still costs around $25,000, but you can get a far better SUV with that amount of cash. People often complain about the car’s ride comfort, handling, and cargo space. The estimated repair costs in the first few years are even expected to exceed $7,000.

Infiniti Q50


It’s not just the Q50 that’s dropped in viability, but the entire brand of Infiniti. However, the Q50 in particular is a shadow of its former self. The car’s sales have dwindled down to almost zero. Some consider it nothing more than a rebadged Nissan Maxima. It’s still sold as an alternate for German sedans, but people just don’t want it.

Fiat 500


Over the years, the Fiat 500 has really just been consistently unreliable. Car and Driver gave it a 2.5 star rating. Even as the price dropped in 2017, AutoExpress still criticized the basic specs available on entry models. It’s just an unreliable vehicle most people wouldn’t want to risk driving themselves.

Jeep Cherokee


The Cherokee was once an excellent car with off-road capability and reliability. It was basically the reason Chrysler bought AMC Motors. However, the car’s since had a massive fall from grace. Currently a crossover vehicle, compared with the other reliability issues Chrysler vehicles have had, you’ll probably find yourself not wanting a Cherokee yourself either. Not to mention, it and all other Jeep models have just been getting more expensive.

Mini Cooper


In a study conducted by J.D. Power in 2016, there were 127 problems reported for every 100 new Mini Coopers sold. That makes purchasing one even more worrying if you’re planning on getting one used. The most common problems have had to deal with body integrity, cooling systems, engine cooling, and other minor and major engine issues. There are more than 17 significant issues with Mini Coopers. The car’s inexpensive, but at least avoid the first and second-year models if you must get this car.

Jeep Compass


The Jeep Compass was originally based on the Dodge Caliber compact car. It’s come a long way since then, but the model hasn’t exactly improved much more in more recent years. Its competition simply does the same job a lot better. The Compass has a lot of reliability issues, which is especially disappointing for a Jeep product.

Mercedes-Benz GL


First launched in 2006, the GL was designed to compete in the luxury SUV segment. However, it was pretty late to the competition. Despite being the first German 3-row 7-passenger vehicle available in the United States, it doesn’t have much going for it anymore. One of the most common problems with the car is that the shifting starts to get rough after only a few years of use. And the softer materials such as brake pads and rotors need to be replaced every 10,000 miles. Oil leakage from the vent housing has also proven to be an issue. And this car isn’t even inexpensive.

Nissan Pathfinder


The Pathfinder used to be considered one of the most rugged SUV models there was. It has since had a major fall from grace. It was one of the few SUV models that actually could compete with Jeep. However, they’ve severely dropped in quality. The CVT transmission has issues and that gets compounded with a lack of build quality.

Dodge Nitro


The Dodge Nitro shared the same platform withe the Dodge Liberty. The Nitro was noted by Jalopnik to share some of the crippling issues that Chrysler vehicles suffer from. It has an underwhelming interior and below-par powertrain. It had a strong first year, but the Dodge’s sales dropped by 20,000 units every year until 2012 when they stopped producing it.

Jeep Wrangler


The Jeep Wrangler certainly looks good. It’s the perfect machine for off-road maneuvers and even has a detachable roof and doors. The price is pretty good, so what’s wrong with this car? Well, there are over 1,655 different issues that have been raised in relation to this vehicle on Car Complaints. The 2008 model is particularly loathed. The most common issue is a TIPM failure that happens around the 47,000 mile mark. And the cost of the repair is $1,300.

Subaru WRX


The WRX has been getting low reliability ratings from Consumer Ratings for years at this point. The Impreza, which the WRX is based off of, is considered one of the least-updated compact cars on the market. It’s just an overall letdown, and the high price doesn’t make it any better.

Jaguar S-Type


The S-Type was produced between 1999 to 2007. While, some might find it to be a perfect opportunity to buy a used one and finally own a Jaguar, it’s probably not worth it. The exterior of the car is already dated, but the rear is quite cramped as well. Per every 100 units of this vehicle, there’s 212 reported problems. Just be ready to take it in to the garage at least a couple time of the year.

Nissan Titan XD


The Nissan Titan XD isn’t really even that bad of a truck to be fair. A lot of other domestic pickup truck brands just have a lot more loyalty regarding them. And with the electric trucks coming to the market, the Titan XD will become even more outdated. Reliability is poor and Nissan doesn’t even sell that many at a time. So even if you did get one, getting it fixed would be not easy task if it were to be damaged.

Chrysler Town & Country


This Chrysler vehicle has had several memes made about it. The Town & Country was introduced to the mass market in 1990 and was produced all the way up to 2016. 12 million units were sold during that time. You can get these cars for a low price, but don’t be fooled. The Town & Country receive a 1.5 star Consumer Affairs rating and had a myriad of other problems. And the main problem was with the transmission line. One reviewer of the car even claimed it caught fire and began shooting flames from under the passenger door.

Mitsubishi Mirage


The styling and quality of the Mirage is already sub-par, but it doesn’t get any better from there. It’s so outdated it would need to be 2010 for this vehicle to justify its price. It’s performance is poor and Consumer Reports have this vehicle as the lowest-rated in its class. Subcompact vehicles have already dropped in popularity, but this car’s at the bottom of that barrel. It’s only saving grace is that it’s pretty cheap.

Range Rover


Despite its iconic nature, people really don’t buy this car for its reliability. The first one, launched in 1970, wasn’t even designed to be a luxury vehicle. In more recent years, manufacturers seem to put interior comfort over reliability. Many people have complained about the car over the years. Some problems include issues with the suspension, electrical failures, and oil leaks.

Dodge Journey


The Journey has the longest-running, unchanged automotive nameplate. However, despite how long it’s been around, it’s not the best in its class anymore. It’s consistently outclassed in everything by other vehicles such as the Fiat 500L. You can get one for a good deal, but more often than not it’s not going to be worth owning. Other SUVs just do their job better.

Chevrolet S-10 Blazer


From 1982 to 2005, this car was produced under a few different nameplates. While the Blazer had a ton of popularity in its first decade, that was more so related to America’s obsession with big cars. You can get the car used for less than $5,000, but it’s still not worth the price. It has numerous reported issues relating to rust. Not to mention, it’s an underpowered vehicle. Some owners have even reported that it tips pretty easily for being a truck.

Alfa Romeo Giulia


The Giulia is an absolutely gorgeous-looking sedan. But, relative to the Alfa Romeo brand, this car has a lot to be desired. Consumer Reports gave it a rather lackluster reliability rating that’s its held onto since its launch. As far as sports sedans go, there are a lot of better options. And a few of them don’t even have to be imported.

Chrysler Sebring


One of the longest-running vehicles made by Chrysler, they ceased production of it in 2007. You can actually get one for as low a price as $3,000. However, that price seems justified when you find out Top Speed voted it the decade’s worst car. The hard top had weak reinforcement and the engine could only muster 172Hp. It was such a bad car that Top Speed actually had to be coerced into doing their review of it. And that’s how the convertible variant earned its title.

Chevrolet Aveo


The Chevrolet Aveo has been around since 2002 and is being marketed in 120 country across seven brands. It’s just a real shame the car has a 1.5-star reliability rating on Consumers Affairs. There have been documented issues with the coolant, in some cases even bursting. Consumer Affairs even said that the 2007 model can’t take a two-hour trip without something going wrong. Other than the coolant, the car also has an issue with overheated and it just simply loses power over time. That makes buying a used one an even worse idea.

Dodge Charger


The Dodge Charger is a nice, vintage vehicle with a classic design. At least on the surface. It looks a lot better than it actually handles. It has issues with accessories, transmission, and suspension. But the most common issue is premature engine failure. That’s been especially prevalent with the 2006 model.

Dodge Challenger


Dodge released another dud when it put out the Challenger. The vehicle is plagued with issues that aren’t just annoying, but decrease safety while driving. It’s prone to random honking, erratic power windows, and starter not cranking when turned over. Most dangerously, the Challenger sometimes fails to deploy the airbags. These are symptoms of a problem with the TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module).

Chevrolet Bolt EUV


The Chevrolet Bolt is already a vehicle with plenty of issues on its own, but the EUV is $2,000 more than that. It’s not necessarily a terrible car, but as far as electric vehicles go, there are cheaper options. And this one doesn’t offer much in terms self emulation.

BMW i3


The BMW i3 has already left North America and it’ll probably be replaced by a different electrical vehicle in the near future, if it hasn’t been already. It’s clearly more of a prototype than a finished product and had some issues after its initial release. They’ve already shown hesitancy to release the iX3 in the US because of its limited range.

Nissan Leaf


The Nissan Leaf is a pretty cheap electrical car, all things considered. But that’s about all its got going for it. It only has a 40 kilowatt battery pack. If you want the 62 kilowatt pack, you’ll have to pay more. It’s also one of the slowest electrical vehicles on the market. It feels more like you’re driving an appliance than a car.

Mazda MX-30


Mazda has more recently stated that they’re determined to perfect the gas engine before producing an electrical vehicle. While their gas engines are pretty good, it’s pretty easy to see that the research for those engines really siphoned off any money into researching an electric car. As such, the Mazda MX-30 is a pretty bad first for the company. It has solid styling, but it only has a range of 100 miles.

Hyundai Kona Electric


Korean car brands have been on a roll recently, making new profit benchmarks every year. However, not all of their cars are equally reliable. The Hyundai Kona Electric is definitely not one of those reliable vehicles. It has issues with the battery pack and battery management system. And because the platform will be replaced soon, Hyundai aren’t doing a lot in terms of recalls.

Kia Niro


The Kia Niro is like the Kona, and it’s a pretty solid offering by itself. But there’s one, massive issue with it. The electric motors are running through their main bearings at an an alarming rate. Some cars end up with only around 10,000 miles on the clock. It seems as though all of the Niro’s motors came with these inferior bearings.