7 Cars Owners Regret Buying the Most

Want to avoid purchasing a car you’ll regret buying?

Consumer Reports has released the findings from its annual owner satisfaction survey, compiling a list of seven vehicles that owners regret buying the most. The publication asked 230,000 vehicle owners to consider all factors including price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc. to determine if they would purchase the car all over again.

SEE ALSO: Five Worst New Cars by Consumer Reports

A model’s satisfaction score is calculated based on the percentage of respondents who answered “definitely yes” to purchasing the vehicle again. The higher the percentage, the higher the satisfaction.

Only 46 percent of Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot owners would purchase their SUV again. One owner from Texas even went so far as to say that the Compass is “the worst vehicle I’ve ever driven.” Owners noted that the Jeep Compass and Patriot have poor gas mileage and are under equipped for the price. The American automaker is discontinuing both the Compass and Patriot for the 2016 model year and it could be for good reason.

There aren’t many minivans left in this world, but the Nissan Quest is the one owners regret purchasing the most. Of the respondents, 54 percent said they’d purchase the Nissan Quest again with complaints ranging from cheap materials to Bluetooth friendliness. Owners also had a lot to say about poor visibility, complaints on the continuously variable transmission and poor service at Nissan dealership. It is also worth noting that the Quest received a Poor score on the IIHS small-overlap crash test. Not everything about the Quest is awful however, as some owners praised its comfort and spaciousness.

Mercedes-Benz’s entry-level offering might be too entry level for some. Only 55 percent of Mercedes-Benz CLA owners would purchase their vehicle again, saying that the German automaker made too many compromises to make the CLA affordable. Complaints include stiff suspension, compact size, general discomfort, rough and noisy ride and tires needing to be replaced too early. Perhaps the biggest complaint was that the CLA felt “too cheap” for a Mercedes-Benz model.

From the pool of Nissan Altima owners, 58 percent said they’d purchase the sedan again. Complaints were varied on the Altima, with many owners complaining about the seats. Some praised their comfort while others noted that they were a true problem. Although Consumer Reports did mention that the discrepancy could be with the base seats compared to the upgraded ones with more adjustments. Other notable issues with the family sedan include handling complaints with owners adding that the vehicle is horrible and irritating to drive. The good news? Some were happy with the Altima’s fuel economy and ride comfort and the model did just get an overhaul for the 2016 model year.

And the overall car that owners regret purchasing the most? The Kia Rio. Only 40 percent of current owners would purchase it again and the Kia Rio was the least satisfying car overall in the latest survey. While some owners thought the Rio was adequate for commuting, most had criticisms about its backseat, lack of cargo space and features. Owners also noted that the Rio’s mileage is overstated and the ride comfort is poor.