The Worst-Rated Cars On The Market
Yet another ride from Chevrolet that has gotten hammered in recent years by auto reviewers is the Spark. This small car starts at less than $14,000, making it tantalizing for shoppers on a budget, but virtually everyone agrees to spend that money elsewhere. The Car Connection called it one of the three worst models in the 2021 class of small cars — which included 37 different models — grading it a 4/10 and calling it “simple and uninspired.” Consumer Reports agreed with a 45/100 review, while older model years have appeared on U.S. News and World Report’s list of used cars to avoid.
Top automotive outlets were clearly not impressed with the offerings from Alfa Romeo in this past model year. The final model from that high-end Italian automaker to make our list is the Stelvio. The experts at The Car Connection were middling in their review of the 2020 edition but Consumer Reports was less impressed. That outlet gave the 2021 Stelvio a 45/100, including a 1/5 for predicted reliability and a 3/5 for owner satisfaction. That’s not what you’d hope for from a car that costs as much as $80,000 to take off the lot.
Consumer Reports is perhaps the most trusted source in America when it comes to unbiased car reviews. The publication tested out the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia and was not impressed with the experience. This sedan, which ranges in cost from $39,500-$74,800, earned a grade of 43/100 from Consumer Reports, which was at the low end of all 15 of the luxury compact cars it tested last year. The Giulia actually scored high for performance and owner satisfaction but earned a horrible grade for predicted reliability, which tanked its overall mark.
In general, Kia vehicles have earned great marks in recent years despite being offered at very low price points but the Forte is an exception. While the grades for it aren’t as dismal as some others we’ve featured on this list, the 2021 model got a score of 43/100 from Consumer Reports. That was one of the worst scores the publication gave in the small car class for this model year, ranking far below similar rides like the Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla. It was described as uncomfortable, noisy and unreliable, which sounds disappointing even at its starting price of $17,890.
When you’re spending around six figures for a vehicle, you should expect perfection but the Maserati Ghibli apparently doesn’t deliver. Ranging from $72,190 to $109,890 for its suggested retail price, this is the most expensive car featured on our list. Consumer Reports gave it a 42/100, which was easily the lowest score of the 11 it has reviewed in the luxury midsize sedan class for 2021 so far. For comparison’s sake, it was one of only three in the class to score less than 74/100, with the best marks going to the Lexus GS and Lincoln MKZ, both of which are far cheaper.
In its own roundup of used cars to avoid, the Jeep Compass has been singled out by U.S. News and World Report. But if you’re thinking of trying a new one, plenty of other outlets will steer you clear of this compact SUV. Consumer Reports ranked it among the 10 least reliable cars for 2021 and gave that model year an overall grade of 39/100. The researchers at J.D. Power also ranked it as the least dependable in its class in a 2020 study of vehicles from the 2017 model year.
Especially amongst other Tesla models, this one sticks out like a sore thumb. No one likes this car. It’s an SUV that lacks utility. Out of all electric and hybrid cars, the CR review scored this one the lowest at 57. That isn’t exactly a terrible score, but given its price tag, it certainly isn’t worth it.
The Land Rover brand brings luxury to mind but the automaker has a couple lemons in its lineup, according to reviews from top publications. The 2021 Discovery Sport, which starts at $41,900, was given a grade of 41/100 from Consumer Reports, which equates to roughly a point for every $1,000 you’re forking over. It was named the worst compact premium SUV of the year by that publication, who loathed its “stiff” ride and poor predicted reliability.
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