You've Been Warned: Consumer Reports Says These 5 Pickup Trucks Aren't Very Reliable

Whether they're hauling cargo, towing, or just going to the grocery store, nobody wants a truck that will break down on them unexpectedly. In December 2025, Kelley Blue Book found that pick-up trucks sold for over $16,000 more on average compared to new vehicles in general. One of the major reasons trucks, as a category, command this higher premium is because drivers expect them to be more robust than more affordable cars.

Sadly, trucks don't always come with the reliability their price tags may reflect. That's why nonprofit consumer protection agency Consumer Reports (CR) has taken up the task of finding out how reliable these vehicles are. Every year, CR surveys thousands of drivers to get data on the issues they've experienced with various makes and models from all over the auto industry. Real people on the ground weigh in on the problems they've had with their cars, ranging from minor inconveniences to major failures. In its reports, CR factors in elements like the vehicle's safety features, engine, transmission, and electrical systems into each of its judgements, giving particular consideration to areas that can lead to expensive repairs.

As of 2026, five American-made trucks have become the object of CR's ire. Whether you prefer combustion engines or electric vehicles (EVs), these are some of the most unreliable pickups on the market.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is among the best-selling trucks – and vehicles — in the USA. This model is a heavyweight in the full-size, light-duty pickup truck category, competing directly with the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500. But just because it's popular, doesn't mean it's pocket friendly. The experts at Consumer Reports have collected reliability data on this truck since model year 2000, and the verdict isn't great. Consumer Reports' reliability history shows that the Silverado 1500 has struggled with powertrain and electronics issues across multiple generations, making it a potentially expensive long-term ownership gamble once warranty coverage expires. From 2007 to 2024, the Silverado 1500 built a consistently poor reputation thanks to those factors and its general build quality.

Since the powertrain includes the engine, transmission, driveline, and other major components, any issues in this segment usually mean expensive repair costs. For context, according to RepairPal, some powertrain and driveline replacements will cost over $1,000, with engine part replacements potentially running into the range of between $2,500 to $5,000.

That said, it's not all bad news for this truck; CR's data also suggests that the suspension, steering, brakes, and climate system haven't done too badly in more recent generations. The 2025 model year in particular is generally well rated, though its reputation could change the more time it spends on the market.

Tesla's polarizing truck might look futuristic, but its reputation is less than favorable. According to CR, the Cybertruck is decent overall, but it's sorely lacking in build quality and electric motor reliability. The 2024 year model was recalled 10 times for issues ranging from sticking accelerator pedals to electric motor failures. At times, components have even fallen off the vehicle and onto the street as people drove it.

Those searching for a reliable vehicle to tow heavy loads may also want to look elsewhere, as the Cybertruck's frame has been known to completely snap when its trailer hitch is overloaded. If you're in the market for a workhorse truck, the roughly $80,000 to $115,000 you'd spend on a Cybertruck would probably go to better use on a more dependable brand's alternative.

Apart from recalls and durability tests, Consumer Reports has also reported major problems with the Cybertruck's electrical accessories, body hardware, paint, and trim. Some users reported the car's keyless entry system has failed to unlock the door, while others complained that the wireless charging pad gets dangerously hot. Even seemingly simpler features like the paint and exterior paneling have proven problematic, coming loose from the surface of the car or falling off completely. All of these issues, combined with rumors that Tesla won't take trade-ins for the Cybertruck, give this truck a very questionable value proposition.

Consumer Reports has been collecting data on the GMC Canyon since 2015, and while it's had a few respectable model years, its overall reliability history is uneven. After the model's 2023 redesign, drivers reported serious dips in the car's build quality and electronic systems. Meanwhile, CR also found that earlier models had major hiccups involving the powertrain, which remains a severe pain point on the 2025 Canyon as well.

Interestingly, RepairPal and iSeeCars both have a more positive analysis of the Canyon's reliability. The GMC Canyon has an above-average reliability rating on RepairPal, and the website ranks it No. 2 on its list of seven popular vehicles in the midsize truck category. iSeeCars also gives it similarly high reliability ratings, but doesn't factor in data from model years past 2022. Seeing as even CR ranks Canyons from 2023 and later as some of the worst on the market, those older year models could be skewing these higher rankings across the board. CarEdge's cost projections for the model are more balanced, suggesting owners could spend roughly $9,500 on maintenance and repairs over the first 10 years, with more than a 27% chance of at least one major repair running an owner $500 or more during that time.

Among the many EVs that made their way to Consumer Reports' ranking of the least reliable 2026 vehicles, the Rivian R1T remains one of the worst performers. Since CR started collecting data from the first model in 2022, the Rivian R1T has had pretty much the same problems. In both 2022 and 2023, the R1T built a reputation for below-average reliability, with recurring trouble spots concentrated in build quality and electrical systems. Consumer Reports' data shows repeated owner complaints involving exterior features like the paint, windows, and doors, as well as further issues involving factors like seat controls and locking mechanisms. Each R1T model year has seen at least six NHTSA recalls, with safety equipment issues, unpredictable driving systems, and suspension failures making recurring appearances from 2022 to 2025. This lacking improvement is likely why Consumer Reports declared Rivian the least reliable car manufacturer of 2025. 

In fairness, things may be looking up for the brand as a whole. Rivian owners tend to report they're happy with their purchases, even in the face of all these reliability issues. R1T drivers have always complained that the truck's software was heavily plagued by bugs that made driving the truck and using its electronic features frustrating, but regular updates to those operating systems have improved the company's reputation over the years. Of course, software updates can only go so far: If you experience motor failure or a piece of hardware comes loose on the highway, there's not much downloading an update will do to fix it.

As of February 2026, the 2026 Ram 1500 may be the least dependable truck American drivers can buy based on Consumer Reports' findings. Looking at CR's reliability table, the 2025 model had issues in several heavily weighted categories. Drivers have experienced problems with electronic features in particular, and even components as central as the battery and display screen are known to glitch out — if not fail completely — on a regular basis.

That said, prior model years show that the Ram 1500's reliability record hasn't been uniformly poor. In fact, CR's reliability history tables indicate that both the 2022 and 2024 year models performed closer to average in multiple categories, with the transmission system and engine cooling proving especially dependable. That stretch of relative stability suggests the truck can perform well once a design cycle matures.

The volatility tends to appear around major updates. The 2019 redesign, for example, was followed by a dip in predicted reliability before improving in subsequent years. The 2025 1500 also received what seemed to be intended as a serious facelift to both its engine and in-car electronics. However, those updates clearly fell flat in CR's eyes, and have evidently shaken the nonprofit's faith in the Ram 1500 as a whole.