For all the meticulous research and planning that usually goes into making a car purchase, there’s nothing more upsetting or disappointing than buying a lemon. An unreliable car that regularly needs repairs can end up being an endless money pit – and it can also be downright dangerous to drive. (These are the car brands with the worst recalls in 2022.)
The minimum expectation when buying or leasing a car is that it is going to work. When it doesn’t function exactly as advertised – that is, it has regular engine trouble, the body hardware has issues, the steering and suspension is out of whack, the air conditioning or heat is faulty, the dashboard display is buggy, screens go blank – that car is referred to as unreliable. And some cars are consistently a lot more unreliable than others.
According to the Consumer Reports 2023 study on car reliability, hybrid cars, along with midsize and large sedans, were rated the most reliable cars of the year. On the other side of the coin, electric vehicles and full-size pickups had the lowest average reliability scores. (If that doesn’t put you off, these are the cheapest electric vehicles you can buy.)
Click here to see the least reliable cars in America.
To identify the least reliable cars in the US in 2022, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the Consumer Reports study, ranking vehicles according to their reliability score, which is out of 100 points. We included supplemental data on each vehicle referring to its type, parent company, and the price range.
Source: Courtesy of Jeep
11. 2023 Jeep Wrangler
> Reliability score: 24/100
> Vehicle Type: Off-road SUV
> Parent Company: Stellantis
> Price range: $31,195 – $82,495
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Source: shaunl / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
10. 2022 Mercedes Benz GLE
> Reliability score: 23/100
> Vehicle Type: Luxury SUV
> Parent Company: Daimler AG
> Price range: $57,700 – $120,700
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9. 2022 Jeep Gladiator
> Reliability score: 21/100
> Vehicle Type: Open-air pickup truck
> Parent Company: Stellantis
> Price range: $38,775 – $50,995
Source: jetcityimage / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
8. 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
> Reliability score: 19/100 (tied)
> Vehicle Type: Full-size light-duty pickup truck
> Parent Company: General Motors
> Price range: $36,300 – $71,500
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Source: Courtesy of GMC
7. 2023 GMC Sierra 1500
> Reliability score: 19/100 (tied)
> Vehicle Type: Full-size light-duty pickup truck
> Parent Company: General Motors
> Price range: $37,100 – $82,100
Source: Courtesy of Chevrolet
6. 2022 Chevrolet Bolt
> Reliability score: 17/100
> Vehicle Type: Crossover SUV
> Parent Company: General Motors
> Price range: $25,600 – $28,800
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Source: Artistic Operations / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
5. 2022 Ford Explorer
> Reliability score: 16/100
> Vehicle Type: SUV
> Parent Company: Ford Motor Co.
> Price range: $36,760 – $56,075
Source: Courtesy of Nissan USA
4. 2022 Nissan Sentra
> Reliability score: 9/100
> Vehicle Type: Compact car
> Parent Company: Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance
> Price range: $19,950 – $22,700
Source: Althom / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
3. 2022 Lincoln Aviator
> Reliability score: 8/100
> Vehicle Type: Luxury SUV
> Parent Company: Ford Motor Co.
> Price range: $51,370 – $89,280
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Source: shaunl / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
2. 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric
> Reliability score: 5/100
> Vehicle Type: Subcompact SUV
> Parent Company: Hyundai Motor Group
> Price range: $33,550 – $41,550
Source: jetcityimage / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
1. 2022 Ford F-150 Hybrid
> Reliability score: 4/100
> Vehicle Type: Hybrid full-size light-duty pickup truck
> Parent Company: Ford Motor Co.
> Price range: $34,585 – $84,910
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