Never one to shy away from controversy, Consumer Reports has released its “Five Popular Cars to Avoid,” for the September 2012 issue. These are vehicles that are frequently at the top of buyers’ lists but ones the magazine says should not be considered. Among the contenders are the current Honda Civic, which the magazine says has a “choppy ride, noisy cabin, vague steering and mediocre interior.”
Toyota’s recently introduced Prius c also came in for criticism, the magazine citing that it “suffers from a stiff ride, noisy cabin, slow acceleration and cheap looking interior trim. The magazine said consumers should buy a non-hybrid Honda Fit instead, but didn’t make any references to the Prius c’s posted fuel economy (6.3 L/100 km/37 mpg city/5.4 L/100 km/43 mpg highway), as part of the criticism.
The other three vehicles on the list were the Jeep Grand Cherokee, criticized for its on highway ride and relatively poor fuel economy (14.7 L/100 km/16 mpg), the Ford Edge, for its “complicated MyFord Touch info/entertainment system and below average reliability ratings, plus the Dodge Grand Caravan which suffered from relatively poor fuel economy (13.8 L/100 km/16 mpg) and “squeaks, rattles, interior trim and sliding-door trouble.”
