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The Street

Laura Rodini

The 10 least satisfying cars of 2024, according to Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports Wikimedia Commons Nissan Infiniti Kia Volkswagen CR TheStreet

Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases you make in your life — it shouldn’t be one of your biggest regrets.

According to data from TheStreet, 14% of your lifetime spending gets funneled into buying and maintaining your vehicle. That amounts to roughly $470,000 spent over your lifetime, if you buy an average of 10 cars before you die.

Luckily, telling your loved ones you bought a lemon isn’t the most common deathbed regret. According to a survey conducted by Psychology Today, Americans’ biggest regrets range from failed romances (19.3%) to family issues (16.9%), and not studying harder or going to college (14.0%) — and have nothing to do with the vehicle you drove off the lot.

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However, every year, enough car buyers report dissatisfaction with vehicle makes and models to cause the consumer watchdog group Consumer Reports to take notice.

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‘Least satisfying’ cars defined

In business since 1936, Consumer Reports’ (CR) mission is to educate consumers about products so they can make informed buying decisions. It does this through product testing, unbiased ratings, and surveys of its over six million members. It is considered considered by many to be the best website for car reviews.

More on Consumer Reports:

Every year, CR surveys its members to measure their satisfaction with the vehicles they own, asking owners whether or not they would “definitely buy” the same car again. It uses this data to create its owner satisfaction score, which is different from a reliability or safety score.

CR’s list of most-loved cars highlights vehicles that owners say they are highly satisfied with. These cars might not always have the best fuel economy, but they could offer intangible benefits that make their owners happy; for example, they could be exceptionally reliable, or create the most pleasant experience for drivers and riders alike.

The consumer watchdog also publishes its list of cars, trucks, and SUVs that people found least satisfying. These vehicles may suffer from issues with technology, or loud cabins, uncomfortable seats, or other interior design flows that make driving them unpleasant. And when owners say they are unhappy—they mean it: Only one out of 4 who bought an Infiniti QX50 this year would buy another.

Here’s the list for 2024:

10 least satisfying cars of 2024

These are the 10 least satisfying cars according to Consumer Reports members. In other words, most of these cars' owners would not buy them again if given the chance to go back in time and make the decision over again