Every year, carmakers bite their fingernails wondering how Consumer Reports will grade their newly released vehicles. That’s because a bad Consumer Reports score can seriously, permanently damage the reputation of a car, and even the company. In 2019 and 2020, lots of formerly sturdy, solid trucks were on the bad side of the list.
Perhaps the redesigns and new cars were released too quickly, not given enough love, or consumers just hated them. Whatever the case, Consumer Reports asked over 500,000 truck owners how their vehicles fared in everyday use, and these were some of the worst.
Keep in mind that these are all cheap trucks, too—under $35,000, for the purposes of this list. You might tell yourself after reading it: “Wow, so what trucks are not on the list?” but you’d be surprised how many good ones are still out there.
Here are 14 cheap new trucks you should avoid at all costs.
14. 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ($21,300)
via McClinton Chevrolet
The 2019 Chevrolet Colorado has a “below average” reliability rating according to Consumer Reports in their 500,000-person study. The problem areas were the transmission and fuel system—which have been problems since the car was reintroduced in 2015. Back in 2015, climate system problems and suspension problems were also common. In 2017-18, it was one of the very worst pickups in terms of reliability.
13. 2019 GMC Canyon ($22,200)
via GMC
The GMC Canyon hasn’t fared too well among drivers, which makes sense because it’s a rebadged Chevy Colorado. The “upscale” pickup has a “below average” reliability rating and also claims problems with the fuel system and transmission. For two years running, the Canyon was given the worst reliability ratings a pickup could get, including trouble in all 17 of the areas considered by the Consumer Reports survey.
12. 2019 Nissan Titan ($30,690)
via The Drive
The Nissan Titan is barely even cheap—it’s reaching mid-tier ground—and it has too many problems to be worth your time. The 2019 Titan was given “below average” reliability ratings, due to minor problems with the engine, and bigger problems with the body integrity. It was redesigned in 2017 and was given solid test scores then, but has gone downhill since.
11. 2019 Toyota Tacoma ($25,850)
via Auto Trader
The compact Toyota Tacoma is usually a safe bet, but for 2019 it didn’t do so well. A “below average” reliability rating was given to it due to a faulty drive system and minor transmission problems. But we all know how expensive even the smallest of transmission problems can be, so that’s a big trouble area. Since its 2016 redesign, it’s had two straight years of below-average ratings, and some of the worst among small pickups.
10. 2019 RAM 3500 ($35,095)
via Motor Trend
The 2019 RAM 3500 is just $95 over our $35,000 mark, so we’ll let it slide, since it deserves a spot on this list. On its reliability rating from Consumer Reports, it was given “the worst,” due to problems with the suspension, transmission, fuel system, steering, and engine. Ouch. The RAM 3500 was named the least reliable vehicle you can buy out of ALL cars and trucks on the market in 2019!
9. 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 ($29,600)
via Kelley Blue Book
The 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 was given a 2/5 total for a predicted reliability rating from Consumer Reports, before the survey was taken. This prediction comes after its below-average scores in 2016, its way-below-average score in 2017, and a 2 overall from J.D. Power’s 2019 Dependability Study. Powertrain durability, body/interior design, and more were all docked points. The more-mechanical brother, Chevy Silverado 1500, was given far better scores.
8. 2019 Nissan Titan XD ($32,990)
via Future Nissan of Roseville
Just like the Titan, the XD higher-tier version doesn’t fare much better. It looks cool, but the heavy-duty truck scored way below average in terms of reliability, garnering a 1 out of 5 total. Consumer Reports didn’t bother even pointing out specific areas, as it seems the entire truck was just messed up, but if we had to guess, we’d say the engine and body integrity were the culprits, like on the base Titan model.
7. 2019 RAM 1500 ($33,440)
via Motor1
2019 was not a great year for RAM trucks, as you’ll see all three classes on this list: 1500, 2500, and 3500. The smaller 1500 truck was predicted to have a low rating in 2019 coming after a redesign, despite it faring all right in 2018. It’s nowhere near as bad as “the worst” that the 3500 scored, however. But for over $33,000, you can find yourself a much better, more reliable truck.
6. 2019 RAM 2500 ($33,645)
via Kelley Blue Book
The 2019 RAM 2500 was given a 2 out of 5 by Consumer Reports, which is “below average” after it scored a 1 for 2016 models. It’s hard for a truck to recover once its given low scores—a lot of things need to change, most of all being consumer opinion. CR notes problems with the engine cooling, the fuel system, and the suspension, all of which are expensive problems for a truck that’s already not that cheap.
5. 2020 Jeep Gladiator ($33,545)
via Consumer Reports
It’s a shame the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator has been met with such scorn. It looks cool, and people had high hopes for it. The Wrangler-based truck has quite a few negatives that it’s hard to look past, such as the underwhelming V6 engine that powers it. It can tow a max capacity of 7,650 pounds, which isn’t bad, but the Gladiator starts to strain anywhere above 5,000 pounds. For a high-priced small pickup, you really have to do everything right to satisfy consumers, and this one didn’t.
4. 2019 Nissan Frontier ($19,290)
via NY Daily News
The 2019 Nissan Frontier has a lot of specs that people just hate. It might be the cheapest truck on the list, but that’s for a reason: its cramped inside, especially in the rear seats—there’s a lack of legroom. The interior is also outdated and not modern enough for a 2019 model. The truck doesn’t have modern amenities, which is why it costs so little, probably, but that price alone doesn’t make it a truck worth owning.
3. 2020 Toyota Tundra ($33,575)
via Torque News
The 2020 Toyota Tundra might be one of the worst trucks released this year, and was a serious misstep on Toyota’s part. The fuel economy of the truck is very bad, the price is too high, its competition can tow and haul more, and the ride feels stiff when you’re driving it. It’s a pretty terrible truck in many people’s eyes, and unfortunately it’s not the only Toyota on this list!
2. 2020 Ford Ranger ($24,110)
via Ford
The 2020 Ford Ranger is on many people’s lists of “best” trucks released this year (because let’s be real, there aren’t that many trucks left off this list), but many others gave the small truck pitiful reviews. It scored just a 3/5 from Car and Driver, a 6.8/10 from Edmunds.com (about the worst score this writer has seen), and a 5/10 from The Car Connection! All of that together, even with its 21/26 mpg city/highway fuel economy, doesn’t make it worth buying.
1. 2018 Mercedes-Benz X220d PURE ($29,990)
via CarAdvice
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz X220d PURE is the only truck under $40,000 from the marquee, and even though it’s a couple years old, it deserves a spot on this list. On the plus side, it’s refined, gets a good payload, and has a standout cabin design. On the negative side, its warranty and servicing costs are outlandish, the back seats are cramped, it has less power than its rivals, and it’s probably a $20,000 truck priced at $30,000.
References: consumerreports.org, caradvice.com.au, motorbiscuit.com, motor1.com
