When you buy a car — whether new or used — you want to be sure you’re going to love it, right?
Consumer Reports has identified some of the worst vehicles to own from the crop of new 2017 models.
10 worst vehicles of 2017
Steer clear of these rides and you’re more likely to pick a car you love!
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Subcompact
Mitsubishi Mirage (Subcompact) – $12,995-$16,995
Consumer Reports says it has sluggish acceleration and a drab, cheap interior.
Compact
Fiat 500L – $19,495-$24,795
A stiff ride and flat seats with an odd driving position are just the beginning. The real clincher here is that Consumer Reports says the Fiat 500L had the worst reliability of any car in their survey!
Midsize sedan
Chrysler 200 – $21,995-$31,785
Clumsy handling, a rough ride and an unreliable transmission are a few of the drawbacks here.
Compact Pickup
Toyota Tacoma – $24,825-$37,820
Beware of a loud cabin, stiff handling, awkward seating and disappointing reliability says Consumer Reports.
Entry-level luxury car
Mercedes-Benz CLA – $31,500-$48,500
A stiff ride, loud cabin and an unresponsive engine are among the complaints Consumer Reports had.
Midsize luxury
Maserati Ghibli – $70,600-$78,550
Consumer Reports says to watch out for horrible fuel economy (only 19 miles per gallon!), cramped rear seating and a stiff ride.
Midsize SUV
Dodge Journey – $20,995-$33,695
Talk about a hat trick of bad news: The V-6 engine has the worst fuel economy in its class, you’ll encounter subpar reliability and the interior is confining!
Luxury Compact SUV
Land Rover Discovery Sport – $37,455-$45,995
Consumer Reports decried the austere, plain interior, along with the turbocharged engine has either too little or too much acceleration. And let’s not forget about the unresponsive transmission.
Large SUV
Cadillac Escalade – $73,395-$97,795
Consumer Reports says it’s the worst in class for reliability, offers a stiff ride and a small interior with a cramped third row.
Green car
Mitsubishi i-MiEV – $22,995
Long charging times, slow acceleration and stiff handling were among the complaints about this ride.
Financing can be another pitfall for buyers
The No. 1 mistake that car buyers make — no matter whether they’re buying new or used — is so simple to avoid.
You might have spent hours researching a potential car purchase thoroughly, but did you do the same when it came to getting your loan? One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying a car is to not arrange financing before they walk into a car dealership.
Experian reports that 84% of car purchases are financed at the dealership. Dealers are entitled to make money on a loan if you don’t do your homework and get prequalified elsewhere.
Credit unions offer interest rates on car loans that can be 2.5% lower on average than other lenders. You may also want to check online lenders. Even your auto insurer may be able to give you a competitive interest rate. As a last resort, you should even consider going to a traditional bank for an auto loan.
By prequalifying elsewhere, it will change the whole equation at the dealership. You can then go in and tell them the interest rate you’ve prequalified for. If the dealer’s finance department can beat the deal you have, by all means give them a chance to make some money when they originate the loan. But don’t let them make money by gouging you on the markup of a loan.
If you’re buying a new car, be sure to see Clark’s new car buying guide. If you’re buying used, then you’ll want to read his used car buying guide.
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