Awards season is quickly approaching and the finalists for the 2019 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year will be announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.
Regardless of which models make the cut, they’ll all be better than the cars that made Consumer Reports’ list of Automotive Turkeys. Designed to shame the worst of the worst, the list includes vehicles which had the dubious honor of having the worst overall score, the worst ride quality and the worst reliability ratings – among other things.
Without further ado, let’s start by taking a look at the worst offender: the Fiat 500L. While the model is relatively affordable and fuel efficient, Consumer Reports says the car has a stiff ride, flat seats and a driving position that is “similar to sitting in an office chair.” These issues helped to give the 500L the worst overall score.
Speaking of low scores, the Mitsubishi Mirage flunked the road test as its handling was described as weak and clumsy. That wasn’t the only major issue as the Mirage’s 78 hp (58 kW / 79 PS) three-three cylinder produces more noise than acceleration.
The Ford Fiesta ST doesn’t suffer from the same issues as the Mirage, but the magazine says the car’s focus on sportiness kills the ride quality. As a result, the model suffers from a “very fidgety” ride even on smooth roads.
While a rough ride can get annoying after awhile, it’s probably not as bad as a new car that needs constant repairs. If you want a worry free ownership experience, you might want to avoid the Ram 3500 as Consumer Reports says the truck has the worst predicted reliability. Among the issues cited by owners are problems with the suspension and steering as well as the fuel and emissions systems. Throw in cooling issues, leaks and noises and you’ve got plenty of reasons to head to your local Ford or Chevy dealer instead.
Mainstream automakers weren’t the only ones to make the list as Consumer Reports noted the Mercedes GLA received the lowest owner satisfaction score in their survey. Just 44 percent of owners said they would purchase another GLA. That’s should be worrying for Mercedes as the automaker is putting the finishing touches on the redesigned model.
