Cars, in general, are becoming more reliable. Most measures of dependability are on the upswing this year. The average car improved in J.D. Power’s 2023 Vehicle Dependability Study and Consumer Reports’ 2023 Auto Reliability Survey.
But, in every average, there are outliers.
CR’s latest survey is out this week, and the magazine breaks out the ten vehicles that performed worst.
It’s always worth taking Consumer Reports’ data with a grain of salt or perhaps a sprinkle of spice. The magazine gets its numbers from surveying its subscribers.
That means its results don’t measure how many problems the average owner has with their new car. Instead, it measures how many issues the sort of person who pays for a magazine measuring the quality of many consumer goods has with their new car.
CR subscribers tend to buy some cars more than others and may not represent the general population.
However, the CR approach has advantages, too. Some states let automakers opt out of providing data to organizations like JD Power. But CR doesn’t get data from automakers. So companies like Tesla, which traditionally declines to participate in quality tests, can’t refuse.
Adding a wrinkle, CR changed its methodology in 2023. The magazine explains, “We added three new trouble areas: electric motor, EV [electric vehicle]/hybrid battery, and EV charging.” With researchers breaking out some data specific to EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), those vehicles performed uniquely poorly for the first time.
CR tracks “20 potential trouble areas, from nuisances—such as squeaky brakes and broken interior trim—to major bummers, such as potential expensive out-of-warranty engine, transmission, EV battery, and EV charging problems.”
Based on that data, CR says, “these models are the least reliable. They’re presented in rank order, counting down to the least reliable model. Each is shown with its reliability score on a scale of 1 to 100.” Larger numbers are better on this list.
The Dishonorable List:
Cox Automotive, the parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, is a minority investor in Rivian.
