When you buy a new car in Kentucky, you naturally expect that you can safely drive and operate it. You do not expect that it will have life-threatening defects. Nor do you expect that your new vehicle will be recalled. Unfortunately, however, reality may well not live up to your expectations.
Per a CBS News report, a high recall rate can and usually does indicate the likelihood of a car’s overall reliability problems. Therefore, knowing a specific make and model’s recall rate, especially over time, can greatly help you when you go car shopping.
Worst of the worst
Based on data obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, iSeeCars.com conducted a study of the recall history of numerous cars from 2013 to 2017. Rather astoundingly, they discovered that the Mercedes-Benz C-class underwent the most recalls, seven times the recall rate of the average model. Worse yet, at least two of those recalls addressed the very serious issues of airbags and the steering column.
The Top 10 (Worst) List includes the following:
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- GMC Sierra
- BMA 3/4 Series
- Dodge Durango
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Ram Pickup
- Toyota 4Runner
- Dodge Charger
- Chrysler 300
- Chevrolet Tahoe
As you can see, American cars took the most recall hits. Fiat Chrysler manufactures four of them. GMC manufactures two.
Best of the best
The Top 10 (Best) List looks like a commercial for Korean and Japanese cars and includes the following:
- Hyundai Accent
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic
- Honda CR-V
- Honda Accord
- Subaru Crosstrek
- Toyota Camry
- Hyundai Elantra
- GMC Terrain
Considering that the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain are the only two American-made cars to appear on the above list, it appears that American car manufactures have a long way to go when it comes to producing safe, reliable and recall-free automobiles. Make your purchasing decisions accordingly.
This is general educational information and not intended to provide legal advice.
