General Motors didn’t make out all too well in the latest Consumer Reports Reliability Survey. The non-profit organization ranked GM brands towards the bottom of the list.
The reliability survey comes from owner responses, which CR said it received feedback on more than 500,000 vehicles in the latest survey. Vehicles spanned the 2000-2018 model years and covered 300 models.
The biggest fall from grace was the Buick brand. The brand placed eighth last year but tumbled 11 spots to 19th place. That’s a major fall from 2016 when Buick became the first U.S. auto brand to crack the top three rankings since data collection began in the 1980s.
Owners cited issues with the 2018 Buick Enclave’s nine-speed automatic transmission as a real sour point. And it gets worse from there.
Buick was the best-ranked GM brand in the latest survey. Chevrolet placed 23rd, down from 18th place; GMC placed 25th, up from 26th place; and Cadillac held steady in 28th place. The luxury division was the second-worst ranked brand, only behind Volvo. The only Cadillac vehicle deemed “better than average” was the XTS sedan, coincidentally enough.
Ford placed 18th, down from 15th place, and FCA’s brands (Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler) placed 21st, 22nd and 24th, respectively.
Each GM brand has hovered toward the bottom of rankings for years, but this year’s list included a few bright spots. CR gave its recommendation nod to the Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Suburban. Each vehicle earned good scores in the reliability survey.
Domestic brands continue to perform poorly in the survey partially due to adding some untested technologies. As GM tries to play catch up with new turbocharged engines, transmissions with more gears and other technologies, the likelihood something hasn’t been entirely ironed out increases.
Moving opposite to market trends.
With four model years recommended for purchase.
This example is a former NCRS award winner.
Many automakers oppose right-to-repair laws citing cybersecurity concerns.
Breaking out the spec sheets for a comparison.
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Cold, hard facts again. You can't buy Consumer Reports. New GM is like old GM. A welfare queen with a new name is still a welfare queen.
How's your check engine light today?
Go back under your bridge troll!
You speak the truth. I have a ‘14 Chevy Sonic. I’ve done everything I can to maintain that car. I’ve had to replace the following:
Transmission
Water Pump
Alternator
Radiator
Catalytic Converter
Purge Valve
Sway Bar Links
Front Struts
Strut Mounts
Air Intake Hose
... and a Chevy dealership called to ask if I’m in the market for a new car.. I told him, ‘if I was, it wouldn’t be a GM product’.
As a 2012 Sonic 1.4T owner, I feel your pain
I bet you drive the car a lot thus the repairs. Duh.
I bought the vehicle certified Pre-owned with 15k miles. Reason why I purchased it was because of affordability, and the extended warranty that lasts until 100k for the powertrain. I reached 97.5k miles in March 2018. I had my transmission fluid changed less than 300 miles after 97.5k. The service technician who replaced my transmission fluid even stated that my transmission was in great shape for how many miles it had on it, and most times he’d see more wear. I drove across the country, and ended my trip with 105,431mi. My transmission was making a winding noise in the first 2 gears. I was on my way to a chevy dealership to have it checked out. On my way, the transmission popped out of gear. My drive indicator went away, check engine light came on, service vehicle soon light came on. I could still drive it, but the tachometer was all over the place. My point is, I have all my service records for this car, have taken every bit of maintenance for it to the dealer, and the transmission failed in less than 8k miles after a clean bill of health... If people knew they were going to be f*cked this hard, they wouldn’t buy the vehicle. That’s just what GM did to me. My next vehicle won’t be a GM product. It won’t be an ICE. It’ll be an electric car. Less mechanical parts, less maintenance, no oil changes, less engine noise, more comfortable, less expensive to charge, increased longevity and durability. It’s the future regardless of what people say.
I have a 2013 Chevy Sonic with 187,000 miles. The car has been nothing but bulletproof!
Just regular maintainance.
Does not burn oil, as the dipstick is full at every oil change.
Look at all of these likes compared to dislikes...
"I like things that support beliefs I already have!"
Anyone hear heard of "cognitive dissonance?" If not, look it up.
Tom, though... Seriously, I am happy you haven't had any issues. As a GM employee that decided to leave due to the massive headaches their vehicles cause their owners, who in turn, caused me headaches, it's nice to see. Good luck, and God bless.
Literally so many butt hurt GM fans. ?? GM makes sub-par quality vehicles. Only built to last the warranty, and after that most of them begin to wither away. The reason GM sells extended warranties? Because they know you’ll need it.
Funny between the wife and I, we've owned three 2014-18 GM trucks and SUV's. They have never let us down. My 2014 Silverado 1500 has 140k miles on it now and no issue aside from basic recalls ffor software updates. Her mother has a 2006 Saturn Ion with 285k miles on it. The only repairs were caused by collisions with animals and a tire change shop that destroyed the lugnuts and wheel studs. The ecotec 4cylikder even has the original timing chain.
.
Like Ive said before any car whether its Toyota or Gm can be reliable and some can not. There isn't a such thing as a perfect car in this unperfected world.
all brands offer extended warranties and I never had one --all my GM Oldsmobiles & Buicks (15) racked up over 150K were sold when we purchased another I have too say that's good enough fir us
Do you enjoy spending your free time in the shop?
Depends on how much you drive whether you need an extended warranty. Treat a f-n car right and it should do you right.
Charles, I'm looking for advise. I need you to tell me what more I needed to do to treat my f-n car right. My wife's Cadillac ATS was sitting in the driveway all washed, cleaned, polished, fluids checked, oil changed, tires aired up. Just ran home from work for lunch break. When she got back in her WELL TAKEN CARE OF CADILLAC ATS the JUNK CUE SCREEN WAS DELAMINATED. Please tell me HOW to prevent it because there are literally thousands of us that want to know.
4 Impala's 3 that had well into the 170-180K mile range and not one ever left me stranded or needed an engine or transmission replaced. Surprise! My current 2017 has been 100% for the 23K miles I have owned it so far. My butt feels just fine thank you
Why are you here? Did you lose your way back to the bridge you crawled out from under?
I guess all my GMs with well over 100k and zero problems aren't apart of these equations...
I also have driven GM over 37. Most I drove well over 100K some with troubles some without never said a word to anyone just fixed and moved on. However the last 3 - 2014,2015,2017, have had troubles. I'm not in any way saying that more GM vehicles have troubles than ones that do not have troubles. BUT if you get one of the ones that have troubles it is a HORRIBLE experience.
As a retired person who drives two days a week, (for extra income), I drive Dodge & Kia vans with 250K to 300K miles: both continue to drive well and tight. I have been a GM fan all my life. After 50 years of driving: I have an old Buick, and for a new vehicle, I bought a Jeep. Somewhere along the line, GM has lost the way to the heart.
Every GM vehical I ever had has been great. Over 200k on a GMC Envoy, had and olds Delta 88 with 180k on it, had a Cobalt with 150k before I traded it for a Camaro and I have a Chevy Cruze now as well. I always get from point A to point B with no issues.
2017 Impala 2.5 just turned 22K with zero issues so far. In fact all 4 of my Impala's have been really good vehicles.
You only have 22k miles.... ? Of course nothing has went wrong.
Well I know plenty of Jeep/Hyundai/Honda and Ford owners that had has multiple issues with less than 10K miles. This survey of CR involves owners of the years listed with new cars in the first couple of years ownership. Miles can range from 5K to 50K. I was stating that so far in 22 or now 23K miles that my 4th Impala has been 100% reliable.
Gm went way down hill expessilly with customer satisfaction. I have a 90buick Skylark has a great engine 00 Buick regal gs supercharged 240000 still no issues. Then we got a 12 Chevy Captiva let me tell you this is the biggest piece of s**t gm has. Not only is it a load of rolling junk, we purchased the extended warranty on top of still having manafacturing warranty to only be told by our Ed bozarth in Topeka KS and by gm Corp. That they will not cover the 5000+ of repairs need. Not only that they lied for 2 years about the repair needing to be done. Then magically just after the 100000 warrant is up then they see the issue milage of 101000ish . U think we'll it's ok the extended warranty will cover this nope it sure won't. Not only that but it was in the shop 8 times an I work on cars myself and told them each time what to look for and what if was..... Nope 9th time after demanding there best mechanic to speak with me he found it . What a waste of a dealership. And when you contact gm Corp u are expecting then to help you. Nope. I was told they stand by the descions of there dealer's.... O wait gm you stand by those crooks . No thanks gm you have alot of making up to do before I purchase a vehicle again from u. Unfortunate for you I am purchasing 2 new vehicles after the first of the year. Won't be gm. Won't be from Ed bozarth. Gm own up to your mistakes and stop siding with the crooks you call dealers
Have purchased 21 GM vehicles for private and business. Have had very few problems thru out the years.
Chevy Cruz tough little car as well as Impala's that we have owned.
Wake up , GM!
It's tough reading that the "New GM" is being outpaced in quality by other global manufactures. Luckily my wife's 2012 Equinox has been flawless since new, even the tires lasted 101k. We fully expect to replace it with a new Equinox Diesel in a new years unless she wants something larger.
Even the mighty Silverado HD is near the bottom of CR's 10 worst list, with the RAM 3500 at the very bottom. SERIOUSLY? I am getting ready to replace my 07 GMC Dually with a 2019, and can't imagine buying another truck besides a GM. But its pretty hard to hear the trucks you know and love are considered bottom of the barrel for quality after running my 06 2500 DMax/manual for 270k since new and having 235k on the 07 Dually.
I hope GM's ranking on CR's list does not tarnish my experience with a new Chevy 3500 Diesel Dually...
Ok, I've lost confidence in CR. The Cruze?! I was given one as a rental for a day. In 30+ years of driving, I had never driven a worse car. This, coming from a guy who bought an "early launch Hyundai Excel". Uhhg.