A silver 2023 Kia Forte parked outdoors.

SUVs

These are 10 of the Least Satisfying Cars

Many buyers regretted buying these ten least satisfying cars for 2023.

by Peter Corn

Updated on May 25, 2023

Published on December 31, 2022

2 min read

At the end of the day, owner satisfaction is the best way to determine if a certain car model is worth buying. Although individual examples can vary, chances are, if thousands of people are satisfied with the car you want to buy, you will also be satisfied. Well, the inverse is also true; if thousands of people are dissatisfied with a model, you might be bummed about that purchase.

Red VW Taos parked on gravel — Red VW Taos | Volkswagen

10) 2023 Kia Forte

A silver 2023 Kia Forte parked in an outdoor environment. — 2023 Kia Forte | Kia Media

Price Range: $19,490 – $24,890
MPG: Overall 34 / City 22 / Hwy 49 mpg

Kia Forte owners were polled; nearly half said they wouldn’t buy the car again. Some reliability issues and one recall are likely to blame for the dissatisfaction. Although J. D. Power rated it second in its class, polled owners didn’t like the low-quality headlights, the audio system, and sloppy steering.

9) 2023 Nissan Altima

Price Range: $25,290 – $34,990
MPG: Overall 31 / City 20 / Hwy 45 mpg

Many owners said they wouldn’t buy another Nissan Altima. Considering its consistent reliability and good fuel economy, buyers simply seem not to enjoy it, despite it doing well on the 2022 APEAL study done by J.D. Power.

8) 2023 Nissan Kicks

Price Range: $20,290 – $22,850
MPG: Overall 32 / City 24 / Hwy 40 mpg

The Nissan Kicks has even fewer repeat takers. Only 49% of owners said they’d take that ride again. Again, reliability seems to be the cause of the low satisfaction.

7) 2023 Volkswagen Taos

Price Range: $24,155 – $34,535
MPG: Overall 26 / City 17 / Hwy 39 mpg

48% of owners say they’d come back for more Volkswagen Taos action. The abysmal reliability score is certainly to blame for this one.

6) 2023 Kia Seltos

SUVs with all-wheel drive under $25,000 include the Kia Seltos — Kia Seltos | Kia

Price Range: $23,140 – $28,640
MPG: Overall 28 / City 20 / Hwy 35 mpg

The Kia Seltos also landed 48% buyer retention. This model is another example of a car that tested well across many sites, but many owners just don’t love driving it.

5) 2023 Jeep Compass

A gray 2023 Jeep Compass small SUV is parked. — The 2023 Jeep Compass | Jeep

Price Range: $29,995 – $35,745

Polling showed that only 46% would buy again.

4) 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA

Red 2023 Mercedes GLA 250 parked next to a treee — Red 2023 Mercedes GLA 250 | Mercedes-Benz

Price Range: $37,500 – $56,650
MPG: Overall 27 / City 17 / Hwy 40 mpg

Seeing a Mercedes on this list is a bit more surprising, but here it is. Only 45% of Merc GLA owners say they would buy again. Poor reliability and a high price point may be to blame.

3) 2023 Infiniti QX50

experts agree on the best 2023 infiniti qx50 trim to buy, the Sport model. — 2023 Infiniti QX50 | Infiniti

Price Range: $40,300 – $57,350
MPG: Overall 22 / City 15 / Hwy 29 mpg

Only 40% of owners would buy the Infiniti QX50 again. While predicted reliability isn’t great, it feels like the price point could be part of the sticking point with this model.

2) 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLB

Price Range: $39,800 – $51,500
MPG: Overall 26 / City 17 / Hwy 38 mpg

According to polling, only 39% of buyers are stepping up to this Mercedes SUV again. Again, reliability isn’t great, but the price point and the high expectations of Mercedes might contribute to this low satisfaction.

1) 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Price Range: $34,460 – $51,625
MPG: Overall 21 / City 14 / Hwy 30 mpg

Only 38% of owners are willing to buy another VW Atlas. The J.D. Power poll shows that most owners didn’t like the low power figures, the sound quality of the audio system, and the fuel economy.