Report: These Cars Are Dogs

CARS.COM — Consumer Reports is better known for its Top Picks and Recommended vehicles, but it recently posted a bottom-of-the-barrel list — its lowest-rated vehicles for 2017 in 10 popular vehicle categories.

The publication admits that some vehicles on the list have their fans but suggests that taking one home could be a recipe for buyers’ remorse. The list is based on lowest CR Overall Scores, which combine road-test results, predicted reliability, its owner satisfaction survey and safety, including government and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing.

For starters, pick one of these and you may need another car to drive while this one’s in the shop: Several feature “much worse than average” predicted reliability.

Here are CR’s 10 ways to waste your car budget:

Subcompact Car: Mitsubishi Mirage

With average reliability, high fuel economy and very low sticker prices, the Mirage may seem like a buy, but CR says it’s not cheap enough to make up being so, well, cheap, citing a weak and vibrating engine, a cheesy interior and “roly-poly” handling.

Compact Electric or Hybrid: Mitsubishi i-MiEV

While it’s one of cheapest battery cars and has average reliability, “you’d be better off buying any other EV,” says CR, which found it slow and clumsy and cited snail’s-pace charging times for its EPA-rated range of just 59 miles. Not to mention (they didn’t) that it looks suspiciously like a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe.

Compact Car: Fiat 500L

Even being the pope’s ride is no salvation for this one. CR ticked off the worst reliability scores of any new car in its ratings, poor crash test scores and unhappy buyers in its owner satisfaction survey, plus “a stiff ride, flat seats and an odd driving position.”

Mid-Sized Sedan: Chrysler 200

Where to start? How about “much worse than average” reliability and the lowest CR road test scores in the class. Add a “reliability albatross” of a transmission and a “claustrophobic” backseat and you get a hint why Chrysler has axed this model. Not to worry, though: There still are 5,613 new 2017s listed on Cars.com today.

Compact Pickup: Toyota Tacoma

This is a unicorn for a Toyota: CR predicts “much worse than average” reliability, saying first-year scores for the redone pickup truck have been disappointing. While acknowledging its off-road cred, CR also knocks the truck as “primitive,” with a stiff ride, ponderous handling and a loud interior.

Mid-Size SUV: Dodge Journey

The aging Journey, with roots in the DaimlerChrysler era, has worse than average predicted reliability, a tight interior and a V-6 that “delivers the worst fuel economy in its class.” CR notes tempting sales discounts but warns, “This low-rated model is a poor value anywhere — even at the airport rental lot.”

Entry-Level Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

“Pedigree does not ensure a refined car,” says CR, complaining about engine response, a stiff ride, worse-than-average predicted reliability and a loud, cramped interior. It also says the entry-level base price is a bit of a tease: “Buyers need to spend a lot on options to get the luxury features expected on a premium model.”

Luxury Mid-Size Sedan: Maserati Ghibli

CR acknowledges that the Ghibli is good-looking and fun to drive, but it calls fuel economy “dismal,” the ride “stiff,” the rear seat “cramped” and predicts worse-than-average reliability.

Luxury Compact SUV: Land Rover Discovery Sport

CR’s Land Rover expectations were dashed — “the Discovery Sport struggles in comparisons against even mass-market small SUVs” and the cabin is “austere.” It also found the powertrain unsatisfying and the handling “far from sporty.” Plus, reliability is predicted to be much worse than average.

Luxury SUV: Cadillac Escalade

Its predicted reliability is much worse than average — the Escalade ranks the lowest in its class. The ride, brakes and handling also fell short in CR testing. And it found interior space and comfort lacking, despite the ‘Slade “casting a massive shadow.” Says CR: “We consider a well-trimmed Chevrolet Suburban or GMC Yukon XL to be a smarter buy.”

Check these out in the gallery below.