GM brands performed poorly in Consumer Reports‘ latest edition of its brand report card.
The consumer advice publication’s annual automotive brand report card gives each automotive brand a grade based on four key factors: vehicle road test results, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. The publication also hands out grades for the number of ‘Green Choice’ designations it has given an automaker, which is given to vehicles that represent the cleanest, lowest-emitting offerings in their respective segment.
Buick received the best grade among GM brands this year, achieving an overall grade of 72, enough to put in ninth among the automotive brands included in this study. Buick climbed ten spots its 2020 performance in this study, a good sign that its products are improving with regard to both owner satisfaction and reliability.
Second among GM brands was Cadillac, which earned an overall grade of 72 and climbed seven spots year-over-year to 22nd. Notably, Cadillac was ranked near many of its luxury brand rivals, positioned one spot ahead of Acura and one spot behind Mercedes-Benz.
Chevrolet, meanwhile, climbed one spot to 24th, achieving an overall grade of 58. GMC was close behind, with its score of 57 placings it 26th overall, which is the same ranking it achieved in last year’s edition of this study.
With regard to this particular study, the predicted reliability score appears to be the Achilles heel for all GM brands except Buick. There were also only two vehicles in the entire GM portfolio, both from Chevrolet, that received Green Choice designations. This should change in the coming years as GM expands its battery-electric offerings, however.
Consumer Reports says that “brands that rise to the top tend to have the most consistent performance across their lineup,” in its brand report card study. However, it also points out that it is important to research individual models when shopping, as every brand has “a range of product performance.”
Mazda finished first among brands included in this study with an overall grade of 80. Italian luxury brand Alfa Romeo was last with a failing grade of 44 – mainly brought down by predicted vehicle reliability.
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Comments
GM scores low in Consumer Reports.
In other news, the sun came out this morning in California. The smog in India is still high. Women still sit down while going to the bathroom. And….Consumer Reports still dislikes American brands.
This is not CR’s opinion. This comes from owners. It’s a study. Doyee! Who’s the one that’s biased? You’re defending the indefensible.
And in other other news… Their are thousands of people driving their GM cars to 250,000 to 300,000 miles. Come on consumer reports….
Exactly!!
Did you READ the article Fred? It’s a study based on road test results, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. It’s not about thousands of people driving their cars to 300,00 miles. They gain nothing by bashing any manufacturer.
“With regard to this particular study, the predicted reliability score appears to be the Achilles heel for all GM brands except Buick.”
They spent three decades telling their readers how bad American cars in general are. Meantime, NusSuToyBishiDazda and AuBenzWagen could do no wrong.
The survey results are no surprise.
Grizz,
Cadillac is a dumpster fire. 3rd to last in it’s segment (in it’s host country). People prefer 6 other brands to Cadillac. The Germans build higher aesthetically quality vehicles. They all have the “I want that” feature. People don’t aspire to Cadillacs. Sad but true. I don’t want to hear about nitpicking maintenance of this or that or recall etc. People are buying other cars. They are winning, Cadillac is losing. Hello? IS anyone at Cadillac listening? Anyone, anyone…Buehler?
I think the problem here is not problem with CR, lot is with GM , GM power train is one area works great, But CR is not looking just GM power train. CR look on full package .
example plastics
GM gets the cheapest plastics they can get ,
They put safety tech only on top models.
Lot of small things if they execute fine .
unni: I work at a Mazda store. I ride (unfortunately) in many Honda and Toyota Ubers when returning to the dealership after a delivery. Maybe you haven’t been in one, but Toyota certainly has the worst plastics of any brand I’ve ever seen. Honda isn’t much better. GM is superior to them both.
Safety tech is not only on the top models. It may be an option where I feel it should be standard. And GM has a lot of integrated safety features that others don’t offer at all or it’s s watered down version if they do offer it.
Then why do people prefer Honda and Toyota over GM? GM pulled out of 2 million vehicle market. 2 million!!! GM does not have better interiors than Honda or Toyota. At best their equivalent.
Lol…people don’t. You are obviously a CR fan so you must be in your silver years that doesn’t put nothing in the back seat except for a bag of groceries and probably never drive it like you stole it. If you did you wouldn’t be writing internet tales on this forum.
You like a hater rather than ring part of a discussion.
Hey Race , your’re a real genius and it shows with your dumb insults. GM DOES NOT compete with Toyota or Honda with cars like Camry/Coralla Accord/Civic (the top 4 by the way). GM and Ford threw the white flag and stopped making cars(Leaving a 2 million unit market-got their azz kicked).
My comment has nothing to do with being a CR fan. CR’s report comes from data. They don’t sit around and bash GM, GM does that all on their own without any help. If their report showed customers singing praises for GM brands, you sir would be singing CR’s praises. But you’re a home town homie and you know that. You wouldn’t know a fact or know what real bias is if smacked you in the face. Denial is not a river in Egypt. It might be a future trim level with GMC though.
LMAOOOOO…based on your response, you are not car guy. You make NO sense.
Apparently gm must have hurt you or your feelings and now you’re a raging hater. It shows in all your responses.
Make up with gm and guy one….
I own 2 diqwad, a Sierra and Yukon. You can’t even make an argument only assertions. I’ve also owned German and Japanese cars in the past. I call it like I see it. Cadillac is an embarrassment beling nearly last in the market. People vote with their pocket books and they’re choosing others. Facts are stubborn things. GM has lost to Toyota and Honda in the car market, that’s why they pulled out. How’s that for discomforting enlightenment? I can already hear the gnashing of teeth.
Facts don’t lie. GM doesn’t make cars anymore that compete with Honda/Toyote. Dope.
I was just in my coworkers 2019 Civic and it had almost the same amount of plastic and the plastic had the same texture as my Silverado. So why does no one seem to care about the amount of plastic in a Honda?
Does anybody really care what Consumer Reports says? I thought most of their readers were dead by now.
My father in law was a big CR guy. Back in 92 I was driving a new Astro Van, and he made a point of showing me that their annual car issue rated the Astro as not recommended (or however they rated things). In looking at their chart, the Astro scored average or above in all the categories, yet they rated it poorly. And according to the chart, they’d never even tested an Astro! Meanwhile, the Dodge Caravan, which scored poorly especially in reliability, they rated as a best buy?????? Looking further, I realized that generally no GM vehicles got positive ratings from them.
I thought the Astro was a great vehicle, and apparently so did 2 friends, who bought Astro’s after riding in mine.
Astro was junk. Fit and finish subpar, poor overall execution and yes reliability problems. Honda made a better vehicle far and away. Your father-in-law was doing you a favor.
Too many people listening to Scotty Kilmer.
I like alot of Scotty’s videos. However, his constant GM bashing can grow tiresome sometimes
If you see one of his videos you have seen them all.
The consistent hate for American vehicles in CR, and other big online automotive mags, is seriously tiresome.
Like Dan said, He’s ridden in Toyota’s and Honda’s for Uber, and comments how cheap their plastics are compared to GM vehicles. This is true, because my boss owns a 2019 Toyota Camry and the interior in that car is garbage!! The door panel material feels like fisher price put it together, it’s so cheap feeling and looks like crap. The doors have this hollow tin can sound when you close it. I mean it’s nothing like the well made Toyota’s of the 90’s. So many import brands have gone down in quality as well, worse so than the Domestics in certain areas.
Nissans are not what they once were either, including Honda. I will say that my 17 Impala that has almost 100,000 miles on it now, hasn’t given me any trouble whatsoever. No issues at all with it just besides replacing the brakes, a wheel bearing and tires. Nothing has broken off the car, inside or out, when you close the door it’s nice and damped sounding, it has a solid “Thunk”. Not clanky or tinny sounding. No creaks, squeaks or rattles and I drive over some pretty bad streets where I live too.
It’s one of GM’s best most reliable sedans they have built within the last 10-20 years IMO. This can be said for the Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac XTS of the same years and platform. The last gen Impalas don’t even compare.
The car isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s well put together and everything still functions well. It’s a much better car than any current Camry or Accord I’ve been in . Other than the lack of a newer fancier touchscreen and some nicer tech features that the latest cars have, my Impala still feels new inside and out and drives like it too.
I used to drive for Uber, and so many passengers would comment on how nice my Impala was inside and the way it drove. Not a single complaint or negative comment, what I always heard from riders was “Wow this is a Chevy That’s amazing!” And “This is an Impala, it feels more like a BMW”.
People were always surprised when i would pull up in my car, they thought it looked more premium than the millions of other standard Uber sedans out there.
So although GM does make some crappy stuff, they also make some really great stuff too. We all know everyone should avoid their smaller vehicles, this goes for Ford vehicles as well because American automakers have never been able to build a reliable small car for the life of them. There’s just no profit in smaller vehicles. They have never built a reliable small sedan in its history especially compared to the Toyota Corolla.
American vehicles are at its best, and were at its best when they build large vehicles. Be it big RWD cars from the 50’s-80’s, including trucks. And a few FWD platforms like the reliable early 90’s Buick Lasabres with the bulletproof V6.
Eff CR and their bias towards Imports. They can kiss my ass!!
Mr. Cadillac: Well said. Something I’d say however is that I’ve had great luck with GM smaller cars. This goes back to the Cavaliers in 1985 (my first new car) to a Buick Skylark in 1995 to several Sparks and a Cruz. Although the Sparks do use a lot of hard plastic on the interior, they were all put together quite well. Fit and finish were very good. The Cruz was one I, like you, also used for driving Uber. I can’t tell you how many times I heard the same basic thing like you did. I had guys asking me if it was an Audi, MB, etc. I would always laugh and just say nope, it’s a Chevy. The reaction was always quite interesting.
I bought a 1997 Chrysler Sebring drop top last year from a friend for $500. It was the perfect summer fun vehicle. Top and interior little shabby. Body has some dings paint faded but no rust. Everything including A/C still functions. Oh, one more thing: IT HAS 372,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL DRIVETRAIN
I have driven GM vehicle’s my whole life . Dollar for dollar Compared to other brands for my experience , Best quality and longevity vehicles. Especially Trucks they will go 200,000 miles and beyond. Just keep the oil changed and maintain the vehicle. Resale value is the best
The 5.3. and 3.8 motors are bullet proof . Some have run 300,000 miles .
Still waiting for my new GMC truck Hope it comes soon. Its been 18 weeks.
GM forever
always has a bias towards American vehicles I have had plenty American vehicles that have left in hundreds of thousands of miles last summer I bought a 1997 Chrysler Sebring convertible for $500 from a friend of mine interior and top were little ratty body was a little dinged and dented but there was no rust everything worked including the air conditioning. And by the way IT HAS 377,000 MILES
I e driven GM since a teenager and this will be my last as I have changed almost every electrical switch from cruse control,window motor switches heater switch heater motor even Plastic door handles .I’m sick and tired of PLASTIC ITEMS BREAKING.If Hyundai made a full size truck I’d buy it in a minute.Tgey need to retro back to metal key switches door handles and such as I know they build them out of plastic so you can replace them every 6 months .As I said I have driven GM since I was a teen and I’m 65 years old now and will NEVER DRIVE ANOTHER ONE when this one is gone and I know this falls on def ears because I’m only one customer.
CR is no different than the people here.
CR publishes their readers, owners opinion !
This site has the SAME people saying the SAME thing !
What I like to see are the burned people entering.
Myself was one, burned by GM’s HORRIBE customer support !!!!!!!!!
Like Sheldon above !!
Just like America as a whole, who is the better liar ?
The dealer experience is lacking at too many dealerships.
Servicing my Jeep at the dealership is just frustrating. For Example: With an appointment, I had my winter tires installed (pre-mounted on dedicated rims). As my “local” dealer is 30 minutes away from home, I waited. I made certain I informed my service writer that I would be waiting).
Three and a half hours I waited!😡. The tires were installed and my air caps were missing.
Other servicing issues involved similar delays, last minute rescheduling, etc.
Our Ford dealer has an even worse reputation….
Toyota and Hyundai facilities/procedures are up to date and much more time efficient. They even seem to appreciate their clients!
I know that your home town may be much different – but the logic still applies.
Going forward I will only spend my money at retailers who show me that they value my business. I’ll pay a little more to avoid bad future service headaches!
Love my Jeep – trouble free for 60k. But I won’t buy another.
Good point… That is the issue, customers have had terrible dealer experiences at GM stores. My mom refuses to go with a GM vehicle because of awful past experiences. She has had an incredible dealership experience with her Subaru and is convinced she should get another Subaru or Toyota or Honda. Unfortunately, this issue needs GM’s absolute attention…
Apparently mom hasn’t been in a BUICK Dealership. Part of CR subscriber survey Ratings is the Dealer & Service “experience”. At least they ask me about my Buick service experience. AND as a Buick “certified used” Program, my Service experiences have been surprisingly better than my Pontiac days.
I too “once” bought into CR and got burned. I cancelled my subscription after the first month that my father in-law got for me. He was fan and my wife told me not to tell him…
I ve owned GM, Toyota, and Nissan. I stuck with GM for many reasons like a better foundation, more solid feel, better reliability with my boys driving, and most importantly, never left me stranded like the other two.
Plastic interior is no better. Putting in aftermarket radios, learned the other brands used clear silicone to dampen plastic squeaks around the screws. Also learned the same plastic mfgrs made interiors for the all cars…
Lol…thought all CR readers were dead…as someone said.
CR always downed GM and all American auto’s . Pontiac produced a Vibe along side a Toyota Metrix ,same vehicle nameplates where assigned to corresponding divisions , Why was the Toyota rated better . when Oldsmobile uncovered the Aurora in 1995 which remained the same through 1999 , same car throughout Why did different years have different negative grades . Canceled my subscription years ago never to pick one up again . Owned a 1997 Aurora 13 years 187K NO problems .
TomG The Vibe was also 1k cheaper but Matrix outsold it 10 :1.
Got a 95 Vibe over 300k still going strong.
Correction, it’s a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. Fat fingers. Lol
As part of CR vehicle rating, I’d like to see the vehicle breakdown showing what vehicles their readers own. Also report on how many responses for each vehicle were received. Provide some proof that they are getting equal samples of every model for a manufacturer. As it is, I’d guess that the responses they get are heavily skewed toward Honda/Toyota and this don’t provide meaningful results.
GM killed their best car line in 2019/2020 in the LaCrosse/XTS and Impala and have lost my business and respect because of it. My last two Impala’s, a 2017 2.5 and my current 2019 3.6 have been the best cars I have ever owned all to be flushed down the toilet by Barra. Ford is no better killing off their best mid size car in years the Fusion for some dumb jacked up wagon that still is a long way off. Essentially GM and Ford have forced me and many others right into the foreign competition!
CR needs to stick with home and garden appliances! Very few of any are American brand so that would be perfect for byous opinion.. As far as I’m concerned they’re opinion doesn’t matter.
Joe Yoman: So let me get this into my head. You claim the two Impala’s have been your best cars ever. You get all bent up about sedan body style vs. a more jacked up version of the sedan. Proceed to tell us that you will therefore sell out to imports because of this even though the import brands are going the same path as GM and Ford. So once those import brands drop their sedans in favor of what’s selling and making money (SUV/CUV’s), you will then do what? Ok got it. So you are willing to sell out over this even though your Chevy’s have been the best cars ever.
They don’t make cars anymore Dan, read his post. That’s why he has to go elsewhere. He want’s a car not a CUV/wagon.
I subscribe to CR for their appliance ratings. I also have owned the stellar 2011 reintroduction of the Buick Regal. Best car I’ve owned. In fact my first 2011 was totalled on a deer accident. Loved the car so much, I bought another 2011, bypassing the lesser quality newer models. I have written glowing reviews of the 2011 Buick Regal in their subscriber surveys. So it’s irritating when I see the 2011 Regal on the CR list of “Do not buy” Used Cars. I thought about cancelling script for this outrage. HOWEVER, CR did RATE the Regal in 2017 & 2019 at the TOP of their “Entry Level sports sedan” category. EQUAL to the overpriced Audi A4 and WAY ahead of Asian competition & Mercedes and BMW 3 series. CR is ACCURATELY rating Buick as GMs best brand. Too bad the clueless Queen MaryB & Rob Petersen are wrecking the historic GM SEDAN brand. So i’ll keep the script & keep sending in my highly satisfied reviews of my Regal.
GM did it to themselves. The Caddy dealer near me is the absolute worst of any car dealer ever. They make the crappy Dodge dealer seem classy and knowledgeable. GM needs to ditch these horror stories. I take my car for service at the Chevy dealer, way better and cleaner than the Caddy dealer.