Popular Cars to Avoid and What to Buy Instead
Skip high-selling models with low scores or reliability ratings and consider these winners
With the average purchase price of a new car hovering around $48,000, choosing which vehicle to buy is a high-stakes financial decision. It’s an emotional decision, too.
Buyers must weigh how much car they can get for the money and how factors like cargo room will work for them, along with more subjective considerations like how the car looks, the image it projects, and the brand’s reputation. The models that allow buyers to check those key boxes attract them in droves.
“Consumers tell us they prioritize factors such as reliability and safety when shopping for a car, but when it comes time to buy, very often a car’s styling or its image tips the decision,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports.
In Focus: Best Cars of the Year and Top Car Brands
See CR’s 10 Top Picks of 2024, find out who makes the best vehicles, and learn more in our annual report on car performance, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety.
