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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.
Vehicle | Overall Road-Test Score | Lows |
---|---|---|
Scion IQ | 29 | Ride, noise, acceleration, steering, driving position, fit and finish, radio controls, blind spots, tiny rear seat. |
Mitusbishi i-MiEV SE | 31 | Short range, long charge time, weak heat, acceleration, ride, agility, driving postion, spartan interior, radio. |
Toyota FJ Cruiser | 36 | Visibility, ride, handling, noise, fit and finish, access. |
Toyota Yaris LE | 41 | Noise, ride, agility, driving position, front seat comfort, fit and finish, radio controls, rear visibility. |
Toyota Tacoma (V6) | 50 | Ride, handling, driving position, high step-in, low rear seat. |
Toyota Prius C Two | 53 | Acceleration, ride, noise, driving position, rear visibility, fit and finish. |
Nissan Versa SV | 53 | Handling, engine noise, front-seat comfort, fit and finish, reliability. |
Honda Insight EX | 54 | Acceleration, handling, ride, noise, rear seat. |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 (V6) | 55 | Handling, ride, driving position, fit and finish, access, turning circle. |
Honda CR-Z EX | 57 | Only two seats, noise, ride, visibility, access, AC shut-off at stop. |
Mitsubishi Outlander SE (4-cyl.) | 57 | Noise, ride, agility, acceleration, front-seat comfort, fit and finish |
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Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing
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TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
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