Here’s a year-end list you don’t want to see your car on.
Consumer Reports issued their 2026 Automotive Report Card Dec. 4, and included among its findings was a list of the least reliable cars for the year ahead.
Kia and Mazda tied for the makers with the most entries on the list, with two models each.
Consumer Reports said in a news release that it bases its reliability predictions on data gathered from car owners each year about problems they had with their vehicles in the past 12 months. The consumer watchdog said in its analysis that trouble areas with issues that lead to expensive repairs are more heavily weighted.
The reliability predictions are based on overall reliability for the past three model years, Consumer Reports said. However, models redesigned in 2025 or 2024 are rated based on one or two years of data. Consumer Reports said it analyzed data from around 380,000 vehicles to rank the reliability of 26 different brands to reach the final tally.
Here are the least reliable cars on the market, according to Consumer Reports’ 2026 Automotive Report Card.
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Consumer Reports also issued recommendations for the makers of the most reliable cars on the market in its annual report.  
It said that the most reliable new cars come from Japanese and German brands including Toyota, Subaru and BMW.
Most reliable new cars: Toyota, Subaru, Honda top Consumer Reports list
 USA TODAY Cars offers buying tips and vehicle reviews for consumers so they can make informed decisions when shopping for a used or new car.
Contributing: Charles Singh, USA TODAY

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