Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Auto

Buyer beware: The least reliable cars you can buy in 2024

Know the car reliability ratings of these bad buys

Joel Patel
By
Front end angle of 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in front of snow-capped mountains on a rocky trail.
Jeep

According to statistics, car sales grew by about 75.3 million globally in 2023, up from the estimated 67.3 million units sold in 2022. Evidently, buying a car is a big purchase, like buying a home, that many people want to achieve during their lifetime. 

Unfortunately, much like houses, cars have become increasingly more expensive in recent years. This is why people want to ensure they are buying a reliable car that isn’t going to break down on them a few months to years down the line. The bottom line is drivers want reliability now more than ever. 

Recommended Videos

Yes, innovative tech features, appealing designs, and incredible engine performance play a part in the selection process. Still, more people are looking for reliable designs that will take them the extra mile. Fortunately, each year, Consumer Reports publishes an extensive list of the least reliable vehicles drivers can purchase, and this year’s list has a few brands you might not expect. The information provided on this list helps drivers learn about car reliability ratings and what to avoid.

2024 Ford F-150 Platinum pickup truck front left three-quarter view parked on grass in front of trees with a pond in the background.
Ford Motor Co. / Ford Motor Co.

How Consumer Reports determines reliability

However, before we get into the rankings, it’s an excellent idea to learn how Consumer Reports determines a car’s reliability. Ultimately, Consumer Reports uses detailed survey data collected from members on over 300,000 vehicles, showcasing the many problems a car can have. 

Related

Specifically, Consumer Reports examines 20 issues cars can have, like broken interior trims, squeaky brakes, out-of-warranty engine issues, EV battery concerns, and transmission issues. Once the surveys are in, Consumer Reports weighs the severity of each vehicular issue to give every car a predicted reliability score from 1 to 100, with a lower score denoting more problems. 

An image of a Chrysler Pacifica minivan
Chrysler / Chrysler

What are the least reliable cars and brands, according to Consumer Reports? 

Have a look below to learn about the least reliable vehicles based on lower score ratings: 

  • Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 14
  • Volkswagen Taos: 18
  • Ford F-150 Hybrid: 19
  • Volvo XC60 PHEV: 21
  • Rivian R1T: 22
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee L: 23
  • Nissan Frontier: 23
  • Volkswagen Jetta: 25
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee: 26
  • Jeep Wrangler: 27 

There are a few surprising additions to the 2024 least reliable list for auto manufacturers. Have a look below at the least reliable car brands: 

  • Chrysler: 18 
  • Mercedes-Benz: 23
  • Rivian: 24
  • Volkswagen: 26
  • Jeep: 26
  • Volvo: 28
  • GMC: 36
  • Lincoln: 38
  • Ford: 40
  • Dodge: 42

Unfortunately, this list had some surprising findings, with the Ford F-150 taking third place in terms of being the least reliable. This is surprising, considering it has been one of the best-selling vehicles for decades. One of the reasons it could have cinched that spot is its deviation from its usual powertrain. In 2024, the Ford F-150 models possess hybrid powertrains. 

Then there’s the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid topping the list and the Rivian R1T securing fifth place. Both of these vehicles are EVs and are touted as significantly more reliable and affordable than gas-powered cars, but this is not turning out to be true, considering both models have many issues. 

Front end angle of 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV parked in front of a house during a sunset.
Chevrolet

Consumer Report 2024 vehicle findings discussion

Many of the vehicles listed on the Consumer Reports reliability list were not expected, and it’s true that many could be present because of how consumers drive them. After all, vehicles like the Ford F-150 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee L are made for towing, hauling, and off-road adventures, and even the most well-built cars cannot take years of abuse without displaying their fair share of auto issues. 

However, overall, Ford wasn’t a brand that did too poorly in the Consumer Reports reliability ratings for 2024, but it’s clear to see that you might want to reconsider your choice of a new car and do more research before making a sale. This is especially true if you’ve been interested in Chryslers or Mercedes models (the horror). 

It might be in your best interests to avoid the brands on the list mentioned and go with a model found to be reliable, as per Consumer Reports’ findings. Some of the most reliable cars with higher scores included the Toyota 4Runner, which scored 87, the Toyota Camry, which scored 86, the BMW X5, which scored 82, and the Acura RDX, which scored 80. 

Many other Toyotas were ranked as the most reliable, so it might be a safe bet to add a new Toyota to the top of your list of vehicle considerations. 

Editors' Recommendations

Joel Patel
Joel Patel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joel Patel is a former contributor for The Manual. His work has also been featured on Autoweek, Digital Trends, Autoblog…
The U.S. government may delay EV requirements — what that means for car buyers
Automakers are concerned about their ability to meet aggressive emissions targets. 
F-150 Lightning backup power charging

Political winds of change are buffeting the transition of automobile power trains from fossil fuels to electricity despite studies showing the benefits of switching to EVs, including saving tens of thousands of lives and billions of dollars. Improving the quality of the Earth's atmosphere would seem to be a cause everyone would support. According to a recent report in The New York Times, however, the Biden Administration may soften the early impact of proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tailpipe emissions standards for model years 2027 to 2032 and hasten the transition to EVs.

Why slowing tailpipe emissions level limits matter
The current administration sent a clear message in April 2023 with two EPA proposals that would significantly hasten the adoption of all-electric cars and heavy trucks. The effect of the EPA proposals would be that by 2032, 67% of new passenger cars and light-duty trucks and 25% of new heavy trucks sold in the U.S. would be zero-emissions vehicles. The standards proposal includes specific emissions levels from 2027 to 2032 but does not stipulate EV sales percentages.

Read more
These are the most affordable luxury cars you can get
Looking for luxury on a budget?
2024 A3 Sedan

After a few years of rampant inflation, it’s easy to believe that affordable cars are a thing of the past and luxury vehicles are well beyond the reach of the average person. But that simply isn’t the case. If you’re into nice cars with some luxury touches, you can still find a new higher-end model for under $40,000. Okay, you’re not going to get a brand-new Rolls Royce at that price, but there are plenty of vehicles from major luxury manufacturers available to you.

If you want cheap luxury, you can look towards the used car market. Luxury cars tend to depreciate quite heavily after a few years. However, a new car is also a possibility. There are some caveats. Cheap new luxury cars tend to either be smaller than more expensive models, or lack certain features that you’re likely to see on vehicles that cost a little more. However, you can still get the luxury car experience from something in a lower price bracket. That includes things like leather interiors, quality suspension, and cutting-edge driver’s aids. Here are four of the cheapest new luxury cars on the market in 2024.

Read more
GM slashes EV production in half for 2024, still plans to have 1,000,000 electric cars by 2025
GM won't make quite as many EVs as it said (yet)
Cadillac Escalade IQ

Back in October 2023, GM announced plans to produce 400,000 electric vehicles by the middle of 2024 and reach an annual production capacity of a million EVs by the end of 2025. While the Detroit-based manufacturer believes it is still firmly on track to achieve its long-term goal, its plans for this year appear to have been scaled down somewhat.

Instead of having 400,000 more electric cars ready to go by summer, GM will instead aim to have 300,000 of the zero-emission vehicles ready to roll at best. That number could also be as low as 200,000 if production hits the low end of GM’s estimates. The decision to scale back the company’s EV goals was revealed by CEO Mary Barra during GM’s Q4 2023 earnings call.

Read more