Customers' Least Favorite Car Brands, According To Consumer Reports

Like every year, Consumer Reports has published its renowned "Most and Least Loved Car Brands" list, this year revealing how more than 300,000 owners rate their cars. This satisfaction score is based on drivers saying "definitely yes" to buying the same vehicle again once it is time to change their ride. The results aren't "necessarily" linked to excellence since an SUV might have the best quality and technology, but the driving sensation is awful due to inside noises or squeaky brakes. In-cabin experience, comfort, maintenance costs, and road tests are some of the decisive factors.

For the second consecutive year, Rivian has topped the list with its R1S and R1T models, with 86% of owners willing to buy from the brand again. Numbers 2 and 3 are taken by BMW and Tesla, which many consider valuable luxury cars even if they're used. And Toyota, an automaker that boasts cars with the best resale value, sits in 13th place. But today, rather than focusing on the top names, we'll look at the very bottom of CR's list –– the brands scoring preference percentages between 61% and a bleak 51%. That group includes, believe it or not, Mercedes-Benz and Jeep. Agree with the rankings or not, these carmakers find themselves in the basement of Consumer Reports' least-favorite car brands.

Mazdas have a certain beauty and a tough reputation. They're affordable in general, and stylish inside and out; many SUVs and sedans, like the 2025 Mazda 3, have earned Consumer Reports' seal of approval in the past because of reliability. This year, however, the Japanese brand received #18 on CR's list largely due to poor fuel economy and an eighth place in maintenance and repair costs, which total around $6,020 in 10 years of use. But on the whole, Mazda is reliable. Bad luck is at the bottom. This carmaker is obsessed with safety. It led the industry in Top Safety Pick+ count for 2025 with eight models, such as the CX-30 and CX-70, taking the highest trophy.

Also, its depreciation is reasonable. iSeeCars, for example, shows the CX-5 giving up 42% at five years, and the MX-5 Miata is north of 60% retention. Not bad if you consider changing your car often. One of the best cars for retirees is the CX-5, a crossover SUV which, under $30,000, features plenty of interior space, decent infotainment, and a just-right size — not too big, not too small, a breeze to park. The only thing is that it has changed little since 2017, keeping most of its design untouched. As a warning, Mazda's prices may increase in the short run; nobody knows when, because it was the first car manufacturer to stop production in the U.S. after tariffs, and the company isn't sure how it will affect the market.

Acura is the sensible choice if you want a near-opulent vehicle without high-tax headaches. Acura represents the posh division of Honda, its parent company, just like Lexus is for Toyota. To illustrate, the Integra is a lavish version of the Honda Civic, and it's among the most affordable luxury cars you can buy despite its placement on this list. Consumer Reports has praised Acura before for reliability and has given it a sound #5 for both new and used vehicles, with a second-hand MDX deemed a good investment for retirees. But CR has also ranked it #20 of 32 in road tests and #20 of 28 in maintenance and repair costs, thus leading to an overall #19 position out of 27 on its "Most and Least Loved Car Brands" list.

On RepairPal's side, Acura sits near the top of the tree with around $500 a year in garage bills — a friendly upkeep. With a mid-to-solid resale factor, iSeeCars shows the RDX at 48% down after five years. Regarding security, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that the 2025 Integra and MDX both earned Top Safety Pick awards, plus the car's ADAS calibration (the realignment of the vehicle's cameras and sensors) tends to be effective. Something that affected Acura and Honda's reputation happened in August 2025. Reuters reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation affecting over 1.4 million cars with a 3.5-liter V6 that could have led to a full engine failure.

Audi is one of those brands teeming with stunning technology and luxurious interiors throughout its entire lineup, from the bank-breaking to the cheapest models. And it's somehow budget-friendly overall. Its Q3 and A3 are labeled as some of the most affordable luxury cars you can buy. Consumer Reports has applauded several of its SUVs and sedans for in-cabin comfort and elegance. In this class, Audi claims a spot among the go-to options for Americans. Safety remains strong. As reported by IIHS, its Q6 e-tron posts "Good" across the board with top-tier crash-avoidance performance, exactly where you'd expect a cutting-edge EV SUV to be. In 2025, the German manufacturer got #4 in the deluxe brand category, fair enough; #2 in road tests, of course; and #7 in new car trustworthiness, as anticipated. But in the used car reliability field, it landed #14 out of 26, which made it fall to #20 out of 27 in owner satisfaction.

How come? Well, because of higher maintenance and repair/running costs (#25 of 28), one of five reasons buying a used luxury car is not worth it. Owners have reported problems with 5- to 10-year-old vehicles because of their complex engineering and parts that are pricey to replace. RepairPal agrees, noting average annual repair costs hovering near $1,000. This is tolerable under warranty, ulcer-inducing without. Depreciation-wise, iSeeCars pegs the Q7 at 61% down after five years, and CarEdge lands around 53%. Either way, you'll see a chunk of MSRP evaporate in the short run. On recalls, the Wall Street Journal informed that in 2025 Audi recalled 44,000 vehicles after a software glitch was responsible for blacking out the instrument panel, prompting a dealer-installed update.

Buick has reinvented itself as a quiet-lux family brand. Its SUVs feature nicer interiors than Chevrolet or Ford but don't carry the high price tags of Lexus or Lincoln. One of its models, the Encore GX, is among the best cars for retirees under $30,000, according to U.S. News & World Report. If you're into spacious varieties, check out the Envista, which is between a large sedan and a subcompact SUV, and the Enclave, a three-row SUV with intuitive infotainment systems, silent cabin, and a Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS. On the maintenance front, Consumer Reports places the American company at #3, a desirable spot, with around $5,300 in 10 years. But for CarEdge, this figure is more like $8,993 in the same period — $737 higher than the average for similar vehicles.

Buick is rather reliable, landing #11 in new car reliability and #6 in the used car field, but in terms of road tests, it leaves a lot to be desired. Buick only reached an unenviable #27 of 32. Gabe Shenhar, associate director of CR's auto test program, explained that the road-test score considers factors such as power delivery, handling agility, braking performance, seat comfort, controls' ease of use, and fuel economy. Apparently, Buick was not that good on these metrics and didn't reach the heart of consumers in this category. On depreciation, as inevitable as gravity. iSeeCars shows the Enclave shedding 59% after five years, while the Encore/Encore GX is a bit better with 54%. Final mark: #21 out of 27 in satisfaction.

Americans love powerful pickups. And Ram sells the whole steakhouse: quilted leather, coil-spring suspension to cushion rough roads, large cabins, and strength. In fact, the Ram 1500 stands as one of the cheaper alternatives to the popular Ford F-Series cars. It comes with a 305-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and delivers 22 mpg in two-wheel drive and 21 mpg in the 4x4 model. For Consumer Reports, drivers are not quite smitten, ranking Ram #22 of 27 in owner satisfaction. Let's inspect the results. According to NHTSA filings, over 1.2 million Ram 1500s (2017-2024 models) were recalled for ABS software that could disable electronic stability control, a serious issue. Also, the U.S. agency informed of a probe into rollaway risks on older trucks despite prior fixes.

With ownership, CR places this Stellantis son #19 in maintenance and repair costs with $1,550 in the first five years and $6,055 in years six through ten, totaling $7,605 in a decade. RepairPal, not so optimistic, calculates $8,580 in the same period. Safety scores are otherwise decent. Per IIHS, the 2025 Ram 1500 Crew Cab holds a "Good" in the updated side impact test. This is because the brand constantly reinforces its trucks. On resale, Ram is kind of a monster. The Ram 2500 in its base model retains around 66.3% at five years, by MotorTrend, and the 3500 keeps for itself an impressive 77%. So, you won't lose your entire investment.

Chrysler once walked the earth as one of the "Big Three" carmakers in America. Its most famous cars include the 300, New Yorker, Sebring, 1960 300F, Town & Country, and Cordoba. But today, it has been sentenced to produce a single model with a couple of variants: the Pacifica (the premium) and the Voyager (the entry version). Consumer Reports has placed this other Stellantis son on the reverse side of the leaderboard — #23 of 27 — in its "Most and Least Loved Car Brands" list. But the worst rank is #26 out of 26 in used car reliability. To arrive at this conclusion, CR studied trouble areas coming directly from owners, including squeaky brakes, broken interior trim, out-of-warranty engines, transmissions, batteries, and EV charging.

On maintenance and repair costs, RepairPal puts the brand's average at around $608 per year. However, Consumer Reports, a little more lenient, estimates a comfortable $319 annually for the opening five years. CarEdge, meanwhile, says maintaining and repairing a Chrysler Pacifica will cost a crazy $11,521 over its first decade. Definitely a wallet crime. And added, there's a likelihood the Pacifica demands a hefty fix in that same decade. 2025 hasn't been nice to Chrysler at all. Reuters reported more than 250,000 Pacifica and Voyager minivans recalled because the side-curtain airbags might not hold pressure. Another blow for the uni-version car brand. Resale, the extra nibble. iSeeCars shows the Pacifica dropping close to 55% of its worth at five years, well beyond the standard in this segment — a model with poor long-term value.

Despite Nissan having an acceptable score in road tests, Consumer Reports has placed it #24 of 27 in owner satisfaction due to a rollercoaster of opinions coming from its different models. But on average, Nissan is a strong brand. CR has positioned it #12 in new car reliability, #8 out of 26 in the used category, and an excellent #6 of 28 in maintenance and repair costs — $1,340 in the first five years and $5,935 in a decade. With safety, the IIHS has shared that the 2025 Murano, Pathfinder, and the big Armada all earned Top Safety Pick+ under strict criteria. The elephant in the garage, however, is engines and EV batteries. This summer, the Associated Press reported a sweeping recall of around 480,000 vehicles tied to VC-Turbo bearing issues that may lead to engine failure. It might sound terrible, but the company rushed to issue the fix and extended warranties.

Meanwhile, Car and Driver noted a Leaf recall (about 20,000 units) over fire risk while DC fast-charging. Another Nissan with "problems" is the Frontier. In December 2024, Consumer Reports scored it 27/100 because of transmission failures, drive system faults, and brake leaks. Regarding resale value, iSeeCars informs that the Rogue gives up roughly 49% after five years, a tick more than the compact-SUV norm. Not everything with CR is terrible. If you're after a sedan that's affordable without looking two-a-penny, CR hails the Nissan Sentra as one of the best cheap cars money can buy, awarding it an overall score of 78 out of 100.

Volkswagen builds vehicles that feel more refined than its rivals mostly because of their design. For instance, its SUVs feature cozy cabins, a high driving response, and more space. Notwithstanding, Consumer Reports ranks the German brand a poor #25 out of 27 in owner satisfaction. Why? Basically influenced by unintuitive controls and infotainment systems plus second-rate reliability for new cars (#18 out of 22). In this category, CR evaluates from simple brake issues to expensive problems like engine failures or EV batteries. In terms of safety, it's improving yet uneven. Based on IIHS data, the 2025 Atlas scores "Good" in small overlap and side, but only "Marginal" in the tougher updated moderate-overlap test. Owning a VW means decent upkeep. RepairPal sets the average maintenance at $676; not dire, not stellar, just fine. Depreciation varies. iSeeCars says the Tiguan and Jetta give up 40-48% of their value after the first five years.

So, choose carefully and budget for this financial loss that's more bratwurst than caviar. Media headlines haven't been kind to VW recalls. Reuters reported a 177,000-unit recall for Atlas/Atlas Cross Sport over engine covers that could come loose and contact hot components — unglamorous and serious as it sounds. Another NHTSA posting flagged 60,000 vehicles for shifter/gear-position display faults that could lead to rollaway risk. And let's not forget the September 2015 Volkswagen Dieselgate, among the largest recalls in recent history. Back then, car manufacturers had developed greener engines to follow U.S. environmental regulations, but Volkswagen, in a not-so-smart move, installed software to fool emission tests. Once off the test bench and out on real roads, VW diesel cars emitted nitrogen oxide at levels up to 40 times higher than the "healthy" limits. In 2017, Volkswagen confessed wrongdoing and paid $4.3 billion in fines.

One might assume Mercedes-Benzes would sit at the top of every category. They offer industry-leading comfort, no doubt; hi-tech, definitely. Despite that, Consumer Reports ranks the three-point star brand #12 of 32 in road tests, only two points above Mazda and a couple less than Honda, and #11 out of 26 in used car reliability (below Nissan and Volvo). CR also gives it an expected #26 of 28 in maintenance and repair costs and #26 of 27 in owner satisfaction. Having a Mercedes in your garage means paying an average of $3,500 in upkeep in the first five years and a whopping $13,100 over a decade. Not including out-of-warranty workshop visits. RepairPal's estimation is a bit more, landing around the $900 mark per year. If you're loaded and have a passion for status, it doesn't matter, but Toyota, Mazda, and Honda score better and don't carry the high price tag.

With recalls, in September 2024, Reuters reported over 27,000 S-Class variants and Maybach S580s with ECU software linked to engine stalls. The NHTSA stated that an engine stop increases the risk of an accident, and an overheated one can cause a fire. The problem was solved, but this is not the kind of thing you wish for when you pay a premium. Safety is strong in Mercedes. The IIHS noted that the 2025 GLC and GLE earned Top Safety Pick+ with "Good" crash scores across the toughened tests, and the C-Class sedan sits in that same echelon. Mercedes-Benz's new vehicles have a long way to go before they match legends like the R107 SL Series, now worth a small fortune. Perhaps in the future, one of the current models could become a classic, but it's hard to imagine today with this Consumer Reports score.

The last spot belongs to Jeep, another brand from Stellantis. Jeep sells a lifestyle: dust, trail badges, and the sense that every school run is a foretaste of the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. But for Consumer Reports, this brand is sitting at #27 out of 27 in owner satisfaction (only 51% of owners would buy again), #25 of 26 in used car reliability — sharing with its Stellantis brother, Chrysler — and #32 of 32 in road tests. This is the bottom of the barrel. CR says the Jeep Wrangler is fuel-inefficient, noisy, and has a rough ride inside. For some reason, it's popular. Maybe because of its tough looks. But the honeymoon's over once the novelty wears off and reality hits. Maintenance costs are average, with $1,220 in upkeep in the first five years and an estimated $6,470 in 10.

The Cherokee and Wagoneer, usually scoring low on Consumer Reports' surveys, are still a good option for those who don't mind fuel economy and want a three-row SUV. On value retention, only the Gladiator and the Wrangler, like vintage denim, retain over 64% of their worth after five years, as per iSeeCars, but the Wagoneer (50.9%) has terrible resale value. Recalls, recalls, keep coming. Reuters reported a software defect on the Grand Cherokee, one of the least reliable cars according to Consumer Reports, that may lead to sudden power loss. Car and Driver detailed a Wrangler 4xe recall tied to an over-the-air update that bricked propulsion. The NHTSA informed about a non-compliance notice for Wrangler's safety issues and trim pieces flying off Wagoneers (yes, really) as published by KBB.