Buying a car ought to be an exciting experience. However, while purchasing used cars, it may take a while before realizing that your ride is more lemon than road-trip bliss and luxury.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to evaluate a car’s ratings before diving deep into your pockets. Used cars for sale can be rated by assessing their reliability, road-test performance, safety, and owner satisfaction rating. In pursuance of that, Consumer Reports has carried out a survey to see which model caused buyers the most remorse. The following are the most prominent stinkers from the survey:
Acura ILX
Of all the cars out there, consumers hated driving Acura ILX on a daily basis. The car has been criticized from the start as a pricey model. It has made numerous updates for the 2016 and yet the ratings on these new sedans are no different from older ones. The low satisfaction comes from paint quality, sluggish acceleration, and high levels of road noises, which is hard to believe, considering who Acura’s parent company is – Honda. Hondas are nearly always on the top of lists for high quality cars and trucks.
Jeep Compass
While owners cite the new model as a significantly better car, the old Compass has complaints related to its dated chassis and engine. The air conditioning indicator is very difficult to see and the driver’s seat cannot be raised, and hence has been rated poorly in overall comfort. Other issues cropping up with this automobile are feeble accelerating, lack of horsepower, too much road noise, and poor fuel economy.
Nissan Pathfinder
The name pathfinder conjures nostalgia of truck-based, rugged forebears, but the latest gentler and softer iteration is more like a minivan. It lacks the off-road ruggedness and drivers cite it as a boring drive. The seats are very uncomfortable and you cannot adjust them properly. Moreover, reliability and poor fuel economy remain ongoing concerns.
Kia Rio
Although the vehicle might be affordable, you might end up regretting since it does not live up to the standards you have for such a model. Only 40% of Kia Rio owners (according to the Consumer Report survey) said they would buy the model again. Some of the issues that made the consumers disappointed include its lack of features as well as limited cargo room and backseat.
Dodge Dart
Approximately 58% Dart purchasers argue that they were not satisfied with it. Their complaints covered virtually every aspect of the car. These include annoyances from the sluggish acceleration and difficulties in finding a comfortable seating position, as the tilt steering is not quite adjustable. Moreover, the car has poor air conditioning system and has several mechanical issues that may result in extra trips to the dealer.
Nissan Frontier
Regardless of its size, the Frontier has been rated the lowest pickup truck. It is an old drive since the truck’s basics date back to 2005. The clumsy steering and difficulties while maneuvering the parking lot are some issues from the owners. The king cab doors design does not seal well, and so they allow lots of road noise to come in. More so, it has a lousy turning radius and has unsupportive seats, which makes long distance trips stiff rides.
Dodge Grand Caravan
Despite the Dodge offering a lower price point, the model falls short as a family road-trip hauler. The owners said that the transmission shifts the gears at the wrong time and many times roughly. Also, it has a bad sound system, the second-row seats are uncomfortable, and the interior, including upholstery and carpet are cheap and can start wearing off after a year.
Chrysler 200
It would be overrating to say that Chrysler 200 is mediocre. The unsettled ride, clumsy handling, underwhelming base four-cylinder engine sorely make it feel outdated. Many consumers agree saying that the cabin gets too much road noise and the ride is rougher than you expect. The rear seat is overly cramped and tight on the headroom making entry and exit of the car very challenging. Furthermore, the cruise control on downgrade is lousy and the ride feels smaller than it is.
Nissan Versa Note
Starting at a price of approximately $15,000, Nissan Versa Note is one of the most affordable automobiles available. But, like in most cases, you get what you pay for. This is evident because according to the Consumer Reports survey, about 51% of buyers report that they regret buying the Versa Note. It feels too small, has uncomfortable seats, and is too noisy.
Mercedes-Benz CLA
The CLA is an entry luxury car for people looking to own a Mercedes. But, the car is not the right way to attain the “Mercedes owner” status since you could end up being remorseful. In fact, it has a 55% owner satisfaction rating. Consumers have complained of it being uncomfortable, has stiff suspension, and its size is too compact.
Nissan Sentra
You can expect to smell faint aroma of regret while buying a used Nissan Sentra. The unremarkable car has not made any improvements over the recent years. And while it ranks high in the top 20 US sales charts, it still appears at the bottom when it comes to satisfaction ratings. About 49% of Sentra owners are happy with the model, leaving a whopping 51% of buyers disappointed and with remorse.
Hyundai Veloster
As sporty as this car model is, in the Consumer Reports, only half of its owners would buy it again. Many cited issues such as giving them a hard time getting in and out of the vehicle as well as slow performance. Besides, they were dissatisfied with its cabin arguing that it felt sluggish.
Nissan Altima
According to Consumer Reports, Altima is the least reliable sedan. Some of the issues that owners raise include sensor malfunctions, non-responsive push-button ignitions, and the CTV (constantly variable transmission). Moreover, it has a poor air conditioning system and underneath the trunk carpet, it is known for a melting sealant that causes rubber mats to melt.
Bottom Line
Making a decision to buy used cars can be challenging and can be made worse if you end up regretting it. Therefore, it is essential to note the most disappointing cars according to the Consumer Reports and avoid them at all costs.
It’s really surprising that Nissan has so many poorly performing cars on this list (5 total), since Nissan, like other Japanese car manufacturers, have a long history of quality and reliability. It’s normal for some cars to have problems and recalls (as shown by the Acura ILX), but this is not a good sign for Nissan (or for consumers for that matter). It’s not so surprising for Chrysler though, unfortunately. Chrysler vehicles, in contrast with the Japanese manufacturers, particularly Toyota and Honda, have struggled with quality and reliability for many years.
References
http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/12/23/consumer-reports-ranks-most-least-satisfying-cars.html
