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11 Japanese Cars to Avoid

September 5, 2013
There's a common misconception that Japanese cars are reliable while domestic cars tend to be plagued with problems. That may have been true in decades past, but that's no longer the case today.


Consumer Reports recently released a list of the 10 Japanese cars they say don't make the grade in terms of their reliability and road-test score. All of the vehicles listed earned a score of less than 60 -- or an "F" -- on Consumer Reports' overall road-test score. Check out the full list below and make sure to reconsider if any of these vehicles are on your consideration list.

VehicleOverall Road-Test ScoreLows
Scion IQ29Ride, noise, acceleration, steering, driving position, fit and finish, radio controls, blind spots, tiny rear seat.
Mitusbishi i-MiEV SE31 Short range, long charge time, weak heat, acceleration, ride, agility, driving postion, spartan interior, radio.
Toyota FJ Cruiser36Visibility, ride, handling, noise, fit and finish, access.
Toyota Yaris LE41Noise, ride, agility, driving position, front seat comfort, fit and finish, radio controls, rear visibility.
Toyota Tacoma (V6)50Ride, handling, driving position, high step-in, low rear seat.
Toyota Prius C Two53Acceleration, ride, noise, driving position, rear visibility, fit and finish.
Nissan Versa SV53Handling, engine noise, front-seat comfort, fit and finish, reliability.
Honda Insight EX54Acceleration, handling, ride, noise, rear seat.
Toyota 4Runner SR5 (V6)55Handling, ride, driving position, fit and finish, access, turning circle.
Honda CR-Z EX57Only two seats, noise, ride, visibility, access, AC shut-off at stop.
Mitsubishi Outlander SE (4-cyl.)57Noise, ride, agility, acceleration, front-seat comfort, fit and finish




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About The Author

Gregg Fidan Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.

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