1. Cadillac ATS
The Cadillac ATS is a BMW 3-Series competitor, and while it has its merits – especially in its high-powered and high-priced ATS-V variant – it falls considerably short. It gets equally low scores for powertrain dependability and for overall dependability and for feature/accessory issues. While Consumer Reports gives it good marks in the magazine’s road tests, it receives a rock-bottom one-out-of-five score for projected reliability.
2. Chrysler 200
Now out of production, the midsize Chrysler 200 sedan gets low marks nearly across the board from JD Power for reliability, except in the feature/accessory department where it gets a four out of five. The 200 was redesigned for 2015 as a much more stylish model, but seems to not fare any better, as Consumer Reports gives it a rock bottom rating for projected reliability and cites it as among the 10 worst cars for 2017.
Dodge Avenger: 1
The Dodge Avenger debuted in 2007 and disappeared seven years later in 2014, replaced by the Dodge Dart. Somehow, someone found the lonely Avenger last year and then bought it.
4. Dodge Challenger
Enthusiasts might drool over the full-size Dodge Challenger coupe’s rip-roaring SRT versions, especially the hellacious Hellcat and the new-for-2018 Demon, but it gets JD Power’s lowest scores across the board for dependability. Consumer Reports likewise gives it a one out of five rating for predicted reliability.
5. Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is essentially the four-door version of the above Challenger is also among the most fun to drive cars in its 700-plus horsepower SRT Hellcat edition, but doesn’t otherwise fare much better than its two-door relation, getting both JD Power’s lowest dependability scores in all categories, and a one-out-of-five reliability rating from Consumer Reports.
6. Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart was heralded as being Dodge’s long-overdue return to the compact car segment when it debuted for the 2013 model year, but it was dropped from the lineup last year because of poor sales and the need for FCA to expand its profitable truck and SUV production. The 2014 edition upon which JD Power’s survey is based receives low scores across the board for dependability, and in the only model year for which Consumer Reports weighs in (2013) the Dart receives the magazine’s lowest rating for reliability.
7. Fiat 500L
The longer four-door wagon-like alternative to the 500 coupe, the Fiat 500L stumbled out of the gate with a problematic automatic transmission and overall poor marks. It gets JD Power’s lowest scores for dependability in all categories. Consumer Reports not only gives the Fiat 500L a one out of five score for predicted reliability, it gets the lowest overall score among all current vehicles it’s tested and places it on its list of the 10 worst cars for 2017.
8. Ford Fiesta
Car fans might be enamored with the sporty ST version of the Ford Fiesta for its rally-car like performance, but the rest of the line gets JD Power’s lowest scores for most areas of dependability (save for body/interior, where it’s ranked highly), and gets a one-out-of-five rating for predicted reliability from Consumer Reports, which also gives it low overall marks.
9. Ford Focus
The compact Ford Focus actually ranks a bit worse in terms of dependability from JD Power, getting its lowest scores in every category except body/dependability, where it gets a just-average rating of three. Consumer Reports gives the Focus a one out of five for predicted reliability, ranking it near the bottom of the compact car segment, overall.
10. Mercedes-Benz CLA
The smallest car on the lot, the Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan proves that sometimes one can pay too little for things. The 2014 edition of this subcompact luxury sedan gets the lowest marks in most areas of JD Power’s dependability study, with the exception of features/accessories, where it’s just average. Consumer Reports gives the CLA a below-average rating for predicted reliability, ranking it dead last, overall, among entry-level luxury cars and placing on the magazine’s “10 worst” list for 2017.
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