Forbes.com can’t stay away from car lists. Best compacts to worst gas mileage, the varied online publication is more well known for its business trends than its automotive expertise.
But with its automotive coverage, Forbes.com doesn’t shy away from controversy. It praises manufacturers for innovation and craftsmanship and criticizes carmakers for lousy visibility and underpowered engines. In its latest automotive list, Forbes.com selects the 10 new cars to avoid.
In its assessment, Forbes.com used the facts and figures of several automotive expert organizations, including Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and Associates, the Highway Loss Data Institute, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Here’s the list of 10 cars Forbes.com suggests consumers avoid as well reasons for each vehicle:
- Dodge Journey — Base powertrain lacking, low marks for reliability and satisfaction.
- Jeep Compass/Jeep Patriot — Below-par performance, marginal side-impact, performance.
- Jeep Wrangler — Clumsy handling, uncomfortable interior, hard to get in and out of, marginal crash performances.
- Nissan Versa Hatchback — Below average quality, design/performance and reliability.
- Nissan Xterra — Uncomfortable ride, low marks for quality and design/performance.
- Smart ForTwo — Impractical, underpowered, requires premium-grade fuel.
- Suzuki Grand Vitara –Below-par performance and handling, low marks for quality and reliability.
- Suzuki Kizashi — Low marks for quality and reliability.
- Suzuki SX4 — Slow acceleration, noisy cabin, uncomfortable ride, cramped interior, unimpressive fuel economy.
- Volvo XC90 — Below-par handling, higher than average ownership costs, below average reliability.
Article Last Updated: March 16, 2015.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
