It’s that time of year again
Thirteen is this year’s magic number. These are the makes and models, as gathered annually by Forbes contributor Jim Gorzelany with the help of consumer product experts, to determine the worst of the worst. This isn’t an attempt to decry the technological advances and style evolution that has reinvented the auto industry, according to Gorzelany.
“And yet the proverbial cream still rises to the top,” he says. “Some models lead while other lag with regard to their designs, measurable performance attributes, and the degree to which their buyers are ultimately satisfied.”
Gorzelany consulted with analysts from JD Power, ALG and Consumer Reports for a comprehensive overview of the woeful clunkers on the market today. Some of the things that were considered when coming up with the list: Quality and long-term reliability, performance and design, and resale value depreciation.
Safety is sometimes part of the equation, as some models carry questionable design elements that a reasonable person could see as detrimental to the overall protection of its passengers. The Dodge Journey, for example, is criticized for “poor handling, unresponsive transmission, fuel economy, rear visibility, tiny third-row seat, and its poor small-overlap frontal crash test rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS),” while the Jeep Patriot had no “pros” but several “cons,” including “engine noise, acceleration, driving position, seat comfort, a too-complicated optional radio, and a poor small-overlap frontal crash test score.” These details should be cause for concern if you’re in the market looking to buy something.
Below is the complete list of cars to avoid in 2016. You can read more details about how and why each car earned such poor marks over at Forbes.
- Acura RLX
- Cadillac ATS
- Chrysler 200
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Dodge Journey
- Ford Fiesta
- Ford Focus
- Dodge Dart
- Infiniti Q50
- Jeep Cherokee
- Jeep Compass
- Jeep Patriot
- Nissan Pathfinder