Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
New Cars You Should Avoid Buying
April 3, 2014
Consumer Reports recently released their list of what they consider the 12 cars that do not measure up to the other vehicles in the market today, whether it's bad handling, a lot of noise, or just plain lacking in comfort.
On the list are the likes of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, Dodge Avenger SXT, Chevrolet Spark 1LT, and Toyota Tacoma. Below is a look at the full list.
| Vehicle | Test Score | Low Points |
|---|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara | 20 | Ride, handling, braking, wind noise, access, driving position, seat comfort, fit and finish, visibility, fuel economy, reliability. |
| Smart ForTwo Passion | 28 | Transmission, acceleration, ride, agility, noise, seats only two, premium fuel. |
| Scion iQ | 29 | Ride, noise, acceleration, steering, driving position, fit and finish, radio controls, blind spots, tiny rear seat. |
| Mitsubishi i-Miev | 31 | Short range, long charging time, weak cabin heat, Spartan accommodations, acceleration, ride, agility, seats only four, complicated radio, headlights. |
| Chevrolet Spark 1LT | 36 | Acceleration, transmission, ride, noise, front-seat comfort, complicated radio. |
| Toyota FJ Cruiser | 36 | Visibility, ride, handling, noise, fuel economy, fit and finish, access. |
| Toyota Yaris LE | 41 | Noise, ride, agility, driving position, front-seat comfort, fit and finish, radio controls, rear visibility. |
| Dodge Avenger SXT(4-cyl.) | 43 | Engine noise, acceleration, braking, handling, rear visibility, transmission, driving position, fuel economy. |
| Jeep Compass Latitude | 49 | Engine noise, acceleration, driving position, front-seat comfort, rear visibility, cornering limits, braking, reliability. |
| Toyota Tacoma (V6) | 50 | Ride, handling, driving position, high step-in, low rear seat. |
| Jeep Patriot Latitude | 52 | Engine noise, acceleration, driving position, front-seat comfort, complicated optional radio. |
| Chrysler 200 (V6) | 52 | Handling, transmission, driving position, braking, optional radio controls. |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
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
Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
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
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
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.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
January 2023
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Jan 26, 2023
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Jan 26, 2023
- Tesla Drops Prices Up to 30% Jan 26, 2023
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Jan 26, 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Jan 19, 2023
- Best Car Deals by Category Jan 19, 2023
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Jan 19, 2023
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jan 19, 2023
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Jan 12, 2023
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Jan 12, 2023
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Jan 12, 2023
- Real Finance Rates with 750 Credit Score Jan 12, 2023
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Jan 05, 2023
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Jan 05, 2023
- Best 0% Finance Deals January 2023 Jan 05, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Jan 05, 2023
December 2022
- Used Car Prices Declining Dec 29, 2022
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Dec 29, 2022
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Dec 29, 2022
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Dec 15, 2022
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Dec 08, 2022
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Dec 01, 2022
- Lease Deals with Loyalty & Conquest Rebates Dec 01, 2022
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Dec 01, 2022
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
