The 10 Vehicles That Most Disappoint Their New Owners, According to Consumer Reports

•    As the owner of a new vehicle, would you buy the same vehicle if given a second chance?

•    Here are the 10 models that would most often be thrown overboard by owners, as per Consumer Reports.

•    Two Mercedes-Benz subcompact SUVs make the list.

•    In a sign of the times, the Top 10 includes only two cars - which is the proportion of car sales in North America.

When it comes to measuring customer satisfaction, Consumer Reports is considered a solid reference. The organization surveys its members on all sorts of topics related to how they buy and use their vehicles. The organization looks at other consumer items, of course, but its automotive division is important. 

One annual study, the new edition of which has just been published, measures which models prove least satisfying to their owners. When new vehicle owners are asked if they would make the same purchase the next go-around, their answer says a lot about their experience with their ride. 

Here is the list of the 10 models that received the lowest percentages when their owners were asked if they would make the same purchase today. Not that the list includes mainly high-volume models for which the statistical sample collected allows for more accurate figures. 

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Kia Forte | Photo: KIA

The bad
In 9th and 10th place, we find two models in a tie, the Kia Forte and the Nissan Altima. Only 51 percent of their buyers would repeat the experience. Next is the Nissan Kicks in 8th place with a satisfaction rate of 49 percent. 

Then come two small SUVs tied with only 48-percent approval for a second purchase, the Volkswagen Taos and the Kia Seltos. In fifth place, a vehicle the presence of which should cause no great surprise, the Jeep Compass. 

Jeep Compass | Photo: Jeep

The model sitting in fourth place is a bit more of a surprise: the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Only 45 percent of its buyers would make the same purchase. 

This brings us to our top three, or bottom three if you will. We start with the Infiniti QX50, of which only 40 percent of current owners felt satisfied enough to want to continue on with it. The Mercedes-Benz GLB does even worse, with 39 percent of owners feeling satisfied. That’s starting to get dire. 

But it’s not the worse performer. Our grand champion is the Volkswagen Atlas Cross, the coupe variant of the Atlas. We’re guessing that many buyers regretted not opting for the regular model. It has also been subject of several recalls, which tends to undermine the bond of trust with owners.

Volkswagen Atlas Cross | Photo: D.Boshouwers

The good
Conversely, on the list of vehicles that most satisfy their owners, we find the Chevrolet Corvette at the top, ahead of the Porsche 911, Rivian R1T, Ford Maverick hybrid and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

As for the precise reasons why owners would make a different choice next time around, well there you always have to be careful. A Nissan Altima owner, for example, may simply need to switch to an SUV because of the arrival of a child, not out of dissatisfaction with their car. 

Still, it gives you an idea of what's popular and what's not.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray | Photo: V.Aubé

Here's the list of shame, as per Consumer Reports: