Dont Buy These Worst Cars
What are some of the worst brand-new cars that you can buy? That’s what we’re going to find out. I Saw some excellent new cars in 2023, but there were also some very serious duds that I would never recommend to anyone.
Toyota BG4X
Let’s start off with the first vehicle on the list, which is the Toyota BG4X. Now, I want to start by saying that this is not actually a terrible car.
The BG4X or the BZ4X is Toyota’s first all-electric vehicle, and in many ways, it is pretty decent.
It drives perfectly fine and works fine as an everyday SUV, and it has the longest battery warranty and the best battery life guarantee of any EV, which does make it somewhat attractive.
The issue is that it’s just not good enough. The driving range is a disappointment, only around 220 miles or 360 km with all-wheel drive, and it quickly drops from there in extreme weather.
The charging speed is also not the fastest, and it’s also pretty expensive when you compare it against other EVs that do perform a lot better.
Overall, you just get the impression that Toyota was not really trying very hard with this one.
The BC4X and its platform cousin, the subarue Solterra, just feel like half-baked efforts to buy time until Toyota releases a proper EV in the next few years, and that’s why I just have a hard time recommending it.
Dodge Hornet
The next vehicle on the list that was extremely disappointing to review this past year was the Dodge Hornet.
The Hornet is Dodge’s first all-new SUV in around a decade, and I wanted to give this one a chance.
But it’s just really shocking how Dodge could have gotten so much just so wrong.
For some reason, Dodge prioritized advertising making this a performance SUV with a lot of power and sharp handling, as if that’s what really matters most to most SUV buyers.
The Hornet basically fails at every important quality that an SUV should have. It is terribly cramped inside with a small cargo area. The ride quality is stiff, and the engine and transmission are not that smooth.
The technology is a bit of a mess, the pricing is ridiculously high, and the build quality is questionable at best.
The Hornet is the Dodge version of the Alfa Romeo Tenali. Both companies are part of the Stellantis Group.
If you’re thinking that both Dodge and Alfa Romeo sound like a combination of terrible reliability, I really can’t blame you.
Volkswagen Taos
The next vehicle that was a major disappointment to review this past year was the Volkswagen Taos.
This one is just not worth wasting your money on. The Taos is a relatively new model, and yet the reliability has already proven to be a problem.
It was just ranked as one of the least reliable in the Consumer Reports reliability study. It is also not very comfortable or smooth.
It has a jerky dual-clutch and automated manual transmission, and it’s also rather overpriced. So basically just stay away.
BMW X1
My criticisms for the next vehicle that I reviewed this past year are pretty similar, and that vehicle is the BMW X1.
The X1 had been completely redesigned for 2023, and yet in many ways, BMW seemed to have taken a few steps backward.
They added a new dual-clutch automated manual transmission, which, like the Taos, I found to be surprisingly jerky and lurchy as these transmissions tend to be.
It just wasn’t as comfortable as I was expecting from a BMW. The interior was also a bit of a disappointment.
The tech was frustrating to use with no physical controls, and everything had to be controlled using a very small touchscreen.
So in just about every way, the X1 felt like a disappointment, and it is a noticeable step down from the far better BMW X3 or better yet the X5, which I would strongly recommend stepping up to if you really want to buy a BMW.
Maserati Ghibli
Another vehicle that I was really disappointed with when I tested this past year was another luxury SUV, and that vehicle is the Maserati Ghibli.
This is another brand new model that Maserati introduced in the past year, and frankly, I just could not find any reason why anybody would buy one over something else.
It is just not as luxurious as I was expecting a Maserati to be, nor is it as stylish or as great to drive.
I test-drove the Trofeo version, which comes with the bespoke high-performance Maserati V6 engine that makes over 500 horsepower.
It was certainly really fast and fun to drive, but I quickly came way back down to reality when I saw the eye-popping price tag, which was over $150,000.
That’s an insane amount of money to spend on such a small and underwhelming SUV, especially when you can buy a far better Porsche Cayenne or Macan for very similar money or even a lot less.
Knowing how terrible Maserati resale value is pretty much worse than any other car brand. Well, this one is just an absolute no way.
Jeep Compass
Now moving on to the next vehicle on the list, we have the Jeep Compass. I tested the updated Compass earlier in the year, hoping that the updates Jeep made to the engine, transmission, and interior would change my opinion of it.
But sadly, that didn’t happen. Jeep has tried to improve the Compass, but all the updates have just made it horribly expensive and just overpriced.
The one that I tested was over $45,000. 45 grand for a low-quality, unreliable vehicle that depreciates rapidly is just not a wise purchase. This is another one that’s just a big no.
Mercedes EQB
The next vehicle just might be the second worst one that I test-drove this past year, and that vehicle is the Mercedes EQB.
The EQB is an electric version of the Mercedes GLB, a compact crossover SUV. The issue with the EQB is that it’s just totally underwhelming and really overpriced.
The driving range is really disappointing, barely able to go around 220 miles or 360 kilometers on a charge for the all-wheel drive version.
It’s not really that comfortable to drive or that luxurious. The controls are a frustrating mess, and it’s just hideously expensive.
I believe the one that I test-drove was just over $80,000, and that’s just insane. I think even Mercedes acknowledges this, which is why they’ve introduced a more basic two-wheel drive version that has a lot less power, a little bit more range, and a lower price.
But it’s still a lot more expensive than far better EVs that you can buy. It’s just a little too little too late for the EQB.
VINFAST VF8
The next worst vehicle that I test-drove this past year without question, that vehicle is the VINFAST VF8.
Now, I know some of you are saying VIN what exactly? Vinfast is a new automaker to North America from Vietnam. They make electric SUVs and have just started entering North America.
I briefly tested their mid-sized SUV, the VF8, at an event earlier in the year. While the vehicle itself seemed actually okay, it did feel a bit rough around the edges and like a first attempt from a new company that just doesn’t have a whole lot of experience.
Now, that might be fine if it was ridiculously cheap. I mean, hey, if you could buy a very spacious, powerful, and fairly advanced SUV for, say, around 25 to 30 grand, it might be worth taking a shot, especially given that it does come with a comprehensive 10-year warranty, which is pretty impressive. But the thing is, it’s not cheap.
In fact, at around $60,000, it’s a bit of a joke. I mean, who is going to gamble on an unknown brand with no reputation for that money? Yes, it does come with an amazing warranty, but who knows if VINFAST is even going to be around that long to honor the warranty? Sorry, I’m just not sold, and I doubt very many consumers will be either. There you have it, the worst vehicles that I tested this past year.