The Worst-Rated Cars On The Market
Compared to some of the other vehicles on this list, the grades earned by the Nissan Pathfinder are stronger overall but they are still weak when compared against the vehicles in its class. Consumer Reports handed the 2020 Pathfinder a score of 54/100, with a predicted owner satisfaction score of 1/5. The publication called it “practical but rather boring to drive,” stating that it was more like a minivan than an SUV because of its many seats.
Midsize SUVs are arguably the most popular rides on the road today and the top grade of the class went to the Kia Telluride, which Consumer Reports gave a remarkable 97/100.
The world’s second biggest automaker, Toyota only had one vehicle show up on this list and it was the Tacoma. This pickup has failed to impress reviewers for years, despite several redesigns over its most recent editions. The Car Connection gave it a 5/10 grade for 2021 and nicked it for a cramped interior, stiff ride and sluggish pacing. Consumer Reports agreed, giving it a 51/100 and calling it “outdated.”
Volkswagen — which is the world’s largest automaker — impressively also only had one model show up on this list with the long-running Jetta. Consumer Reports rated this sedan 50/100 for its 2021 edition and put it on the list of popular cars to avoid buying. The publication recommended instead checking out the similarly priced Toyota Corolla. It was praised for having great fuel economy at 54 highway miles per gallon but slammed for being unreliable.
Another black sheep of the current Ford family is the Ranger. This small pickup scored near the low end of its class from Consumer Reports for the 2021 model year, getting an overall mark of 46/100. It got dreadful marks for reliability and performance factors fuel economy and braking. While the Ranger starts at the cheapest price in the small pickup class, it seems like you’d be better off spending a little more.
The Nissan 370Z looks like a sporty little ride but it apparently pales in comparison to the other options in its class. The Car Connection dubbed it the worst coupe of 26 models it tested for 2021, giving it a grade of 4.6/10. The reviewer said the 370Z “feels like the dated design that it is”. At roughly $30,000 to start, this car is much cheaper than many of the others in the coupe class but pricier than the Honda Civic, which got a far better score.
The only pickup truck aside from the Chevy Colorado to make Consumer Reports’ list of the 10 least reliable cars for 2021, the Chevy Silverado 1500 was actually rated as the least reliable of that entire group. The truck got an overall grade of 45/100 from the publication and The Car Connection wasn’t much happier with its own experience in the Silverado 1500, giving it a 5.3/10. Consumer Reports also recommends staying away from used models of this popular pickup, particularly the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 model years.
Just as pickup truck buyers should steer clear of the Chevy Colorado, it appears those in the market for a midsize car should avoid the 2021 Chevy Malibu. Consumer Reports graded it at the bottom of that class of vehicles, settling on a dismal overall grade of 45/100. It got respectable marks in the road test, as the publication praised its fuel economy and transmission performance, but it got a 1/5 for reliability, which should make any potential buyer nervous.
“Your $24,000 would be better spent on the Toyota Camry,” the publication argued.
In regards to full-size pickups, the GMC Sierra 1500 apparently isn’t the one to buy. While Consumer Reports didn’t give any model in that class a grade higher than 63/100 — which was shared by the Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra — the Sierra 1500 earned just a 45/100. The publication has also listed it as a used truck to avoid, noting that the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 model years will likely bring headaches.
Like its arch-rival, Chevy, Ford has a number of current models that auto reviewers recommend you avoid. Chief among them is the Ford EcoSport, a subcompact SUV that starts at $19,995. Consumer Reports included the 2021 EcoSport among its 10 least reliable cars for the year and gave the model a grade of 45/100. The Car Connection gave it an even lower score at 3.5/10 and called it the worst small SUV on the market out of 16 models it tested.
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