The Least Reliable Car Companies in America

When shopping for a brand-new vehicle, it's important to get something reliable. That's why this list of unreliable car companies from Consumer Reports is so helpful.

Each year, the team from Consumer Reports conducts the largest survey of people who have recently purchased new vehicles, and the results from the latest edition have just been released.

Click on the image above to see which vehicles earned the lowest scores.

With an overall reliability score of 42, Mercedes-Benz kicks off this list of the least reliable vehicle brands according to Consumer Reports. The brand's least reliable model is the range-topping S-Class, while the entry-level GLA crossover is its most reliable nameplate.

Coming in ninth place on the unreliable list is GMC. GM's premium truck brand earns an overall reliability score of 40 from Consumer Reports. According to the magazine, owners rank the mid-size Canyon pickup truck as its least reliable model. The fullsize Yukon SUV is its most reliable.

Electric car maker Tesla is the eighth-least-reliable automaker in America, according to Consumer Reports. The company currently offers three models, with its Model X SUV standing out as its least reliable. The Model X has unique upward-opening rear doors that have been problematic since the vehicle's inception. Its newest model, the Model 3, is its most reliable nameplate.

Volvo, a brand that car shoppers have long associated with safety, comes in seventh place on Consumer Reports' least reliable vehicle list with an overall score of 38. The Swedish brand's least reliable model is its largest, the three-row XC90 sport utility vehicle. The entry-level XC40 crossover is its most reliable model.

Chevrolet falls three spots on the latest ranking of unreliable car brands. With a score of 37, Chevy drops into the sixth spot, according to Consumer Reports. Its least- and most-reliable nameplates mirror those of its GMC sibling. The mid-size Colorado pickup truck ranks as Chevy's least-reliable model while the fulllsize Tahoe SUV is its most reliable.

Jeep mirrors Chevy's three-spot drop for 2019, falling all the way to fifth from the bottom on the reliability ranking scale. Consumer Reports says its iconic Wrangler is Jeep's least-reliable model while the range-topping Grand Cherokee earns the title as its most-reliable nameplate.

In fourth-from-last place in the least-reliable automaker list is Volkswagen. With an overall score of 33, VW fell nine spots in 2019 compared to the previous year's rankings. According to Consumer Reports, the brand's Atlas crossover is its most unreliable model while its GTI hot hatch is its most reliable.

Somewhat surprisingly, Acura takes bronze position in the least-reliable automaker list for 2019. Honda's luxury division fell an alarming nine spots to end up third from the bottom, and it's the only Japanese car company in the bottom 10. According to Consumer Reports, the popular MDX three-row crossover is Acura's least reliable model. Its most reliable is the TLX sedan.

Alfa Romeo is known for building soul-stirring vehicles, but it's definitely not known for reliability. So it's not surprising to see the Italian automaker in second-from-last place on the unreliable automaker rankings. Consumer Reports says the Giulia is Alfa Romeo's most reliable model while the Stelvio crossover is its most reliable. In reality, though, both of those models share a lot of parts in common and neither is known for its dependability.

Falling into last place as the least reliable automaker of 2019 is Cadillac. With a score of 23, GM's luxury brand is far and away the least reliable automaker in America, according to Consumer Reports. The small XT4 crossover earns the distinction of being the least-reliable nameplate from the least-reliable automaker. The XT5 CUV is Cadillac's most reliable model.