The 60 Worst Cars, Trucks and SUVs to Buy Used

Data doesn’t lie. Avoid these vehicles unless you like costly repairs.

yellow truckPhoto by Will Sabel Courtney for Gear Patrol

There’s reason to be optimistic about the price of used vehicles, which surged during the pandemic and have started to trend downward. But even if you score a great deal on a car, truck or SUV, costly repairs can come crashing into your bottom line.

That’s why it’s always a good idea to research the reliability of not just vehicles themselves but model years, as well.

Used vehicles to avoid

Consumer Reports recently unveiled its list of the “60 Used Cars to Avoid Buying” after scouring data from its members for its Annual Auto Surveys.

The results reveal reliability concerns about cars, SUVs, trucks and EVs from 20 manufacturers, ranging from the luxury segment to mainstream makers.

black chevy suv
Chevrolet had seven vehicles on the list, including the Tahoe.
Chevrolet

Ford and Chevrolet are the most guilty parties, with seven vehicles apiece. BMW, Honda, Lincoln, Subaru and Toyota, among other manufacturers, are notably absent from the list.

According to Consumer Reports, the cars with the absolute worst scores were the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, 2021 Jeep Wrangler, 2023 Nissan Frontier, 2022 Rivian R1T and 2021 Volkswagen Jetta.

EV reliability concerns

As expected, there is a meaningful presence of EVs on the list, which echoes a sentiment that Consumer Reports has previously stated: EVs are less reliable than conventional cars.

See below for the full list, organized alphabetically by manufacturer. More information can be found on Consumer Reports‘s website.

Audi

  • A3: 2018
  • A6: 2019
  • Q3: 2016, 2022
  • E-Tron: 2019

Buick

  • Encore: 2015, 2017
  • Encore GX: 2020

Cadillac

  • XT4: 2019

Chevrolet

  • Blazer: 2023
  • Bolt: 2019-2022
  • Cruze: 2014
  • Malibu: 2014
  • Suburban: 2021, 2023
  • Tahoe: 2016-2017, 2021
  • Traverse: 2018

Chrysler

  • Pacifica Hybrid: 2018, 2021-2022
  • Town & Country: 2016

Dodge

  • Grand Caravan: 2016, 2018

Ford

  • Escape: 2021
  • Escape Hybrid: 2020
  • Expedition: 2017-2019
  • Explorer: 2016, 2020
  • F-150 Hybrid: 2021-2022
  • F-250: 2019, 2021
  • Mustang: 2020

GMC

  • Acadia: 2018
  • Yukon: 2016-2017, 2021
  • Yukon XL: 2021, 2023

Hyundai

  • Ioniq: 2020
  • Ioniq 5: 2022
  • Kona Electric: 2019
  • Santa Fe Sport: 2014
  • Sonata: 2017-2018
  • Tucson: 2016-2017

Jeep

  • Cherokee: 2014
  • Gladiator: 2020
  • Grand Cherokee L: 2021
  • Wrangler: 2018, 2020-2021

Kia

  • Niro: 2019
  • Soul: 2021

Mazda

  • CX-9: 2023

Mercedes-Benz

  • C-Class: 2018

Mini

  • Cooper: 2018

Nissan

  • Frontier: 2023
  • Pathfinder: 2023
  • Rogue: 2022

Ram

  • 2500: 2017, 2022

Rivian

  • R1T: 2022

Tesla

  • Model S: 2019-2021
  • Model X: 2018, 2022

Volkswagen

  • Atlas: 2021
  • ID.4: 2021, 2023
  • Jetta: 2014, 2021
  • Taos: 2022
  • Tiguan: 2018

Volvo

  • S60: 2015, 2022
  • V60: 2015, 2020
  • XC60 Plug-In Hybrid: 2022-2023
  • XC90: 2016, 2019