Worst model years to avoid

Within each model line we compare every year against its peers using our reliability score, which weighs NHTSA complaint volume, severity, and recalls. The lowest-scoring year — among years with at least 20 complaints so the signal is real — is flagged as the year to avoid. It is always a comparison inside the same model, never across different vehicles.

No. It means that specific year is the weakest of its model line on the complaint record — often because of one bad engine, transmission, or recall cluster. The same model in a different year may be excellent. Always read the individual vehicle page to see exactly what owners reported before you decide.

A model only appears if it has at least two model years that each cleared 20 owner complaints — otherwise there isn’t enough data to fairly say one year is worse than another. Low-volume or very new models are left off on purpose rather than ranked on a thin sample.

Not reliably. New designs, new transmissions, and first-year platforms often generate more early complaints, while a mature year late in a generation can be the most trouble-free. The data here frequently flags a redesign year, not the oldest year, as the one to avoid.