Owner loyalty is one of the clearest tests of whether a vehicle lives up to its promise after the sale. Some models reveal regret through repurchase surveys, while others show it through long lists of logged problems. Here are ten vehicles whose records suggest that many owners ended up less than satisfied.
1. Volkswagen Jetta: Buy-Again Score Stalls
The Jetta’s buy-again score came in at 55% in the 2026 owner survey, according to an AutoGuide owner-regret roundup of the Consumer Reports study, placing it among the lowest results the survey recorded. That means close to half of owners polled would not choose the compact sedan a second time.
For a shopper, the figure signals that satisfaction after purchase can lag behind the appeal on the showroom floor. A low repurchase score does not identify a single flaw, so reading owner reviews of the specific trim and powertrain remains the practical next step before signing a contract.
2. Jeep Grand Cherokee: Half Would Walk Away
Only 51% of owners of the gas-powered Grand Cherokee said they would buy it again, based on the 2026 Consumer Reports owner-satisfaction results in the same AutoGuide owner-regret roundup. The midsize SUV therefore sits at roughly a coin flip on repeat purchase, a weak showing for a family hauler.
Buyers weighing the model may want to separate the gas version from other powertrains, since the survey figure applies specifically to that configuration. A middling loyalty number also tends to raise questions about long-term ownership costs, which deserve a closer look during test drives and pricing talks.
3. Jeep Compass: Same Score, Smaller SUV
The Compass matched its larger sibling at 51% of owners saying they would buy again, a figure drawn from the same AutoGuide owner-regret roundup. The compact crossover thus lands in identical territory on loyalty, with about half of owners expressing reluctance to repeat the purchase.
For shoppers, a shared score across two differently sized vehicles from one brand suggests the dissatisfaction is not tied to size alone. Comparing the Compass with rivals in the segment, and checking recall and service records on used examples, offers a more grounded view than the headline percentage can provide.
4. Volkswagen ID.4: Electric Letdown
Just 45% of ID.4 owners said they would buy the electric crossover again in the 2026 Consumer Reports survey, as reported in the AutoGuide owner-regret roundup. That is the lowest figure among the survey-based entries in this gallery, and it means fewer than half of those polled would repeat the purchase.
The number is a warning for prospective electric buyers that ownership experience can diverge from expectations set by specifications and price. Because the survey reports sentiment rather than causes, anyone considering an ID.4 would benefit from asking current owners which aspects drove their answers, from software to charging to service.
5. Jeep Liberty: Complaint Pile Grows
CarComplaints logs 2,251 owner complaints against the Liberty on its CarComplaints Jeep page, the largest tally among the entries in this gallery. The count reflects reports filed by owners over the vehicle’s life, covering whatever problems they chose to document on the site.
A raw total is not adjusted for how many units were sold, so a high count partly reflects popularity. Even so, a pile of complaints on an older compact SUV is a useful flag for used-car shoppers, who should pull service history and check for open recalls before committing to a purchase.
6. Dodge Journey: Journey Into Trouble
The Journey has 2,014 complaints on file at CarComplaints, according to the site’s CarComplaints Dodge page. Each entry represents an owner who took the time to record a problem with the midsize crossover, which makes the total a sizable record of reported grievances.
Those who find a used Journey attractive on price should treat that volume as a prompt for a thorough pre-purchase inspection. Because counts are not normalized by sales, the figure shows scale of reporting instead of failure rates, but it still marks where a careful buyer should concentrate questions.
7. Honda Pilot: Popular Yet Pursued
CarComplaints counts 1,734 owner complaints against the Pilot, as shown on its CarComplaints Honda page. The tally gathers entries submitted by owners across the three-row SUV’s run, rather than a single survey, so it captures a wide spread of problems without ranking their severity.
Honda’s reputation for reliability makes the number notable, though a popular model naturally attracts more reports. Used-car shoppers should read the individual complaint categories for the generation being considered, since a single total blends different model years and problem types into one headline figure.
8. Nissan Rogue: Rogue Report Card
The Rogue has 1,391 complaints on file at CarComplaints, according to the CarComplaints Nissan page. The total is a running count of owner submissions rather than a measured defect rate, so it points to the volume of reported trouble with the compact crossover.
Because raw totals are not adjusted for sales, a widely owned model will tend to collect more reports. Buyers can still use the page to see which problem categories recur, then ask a seller for service records that show whether those issues were addressed on a particular vehicle.
9. Chevrolet Cruze: Cruze Control Lost
CarComplaints lists 1,176 owner complaints against the Cruze on its CarComplaints Chevrolet page, giving the compact sedan a sizable file of reported problems. Every entry comes from an owner describing an issue, so the total captures breadth of dissatisfaction without ranking severity.
Shoppers eyeing a used Cruze should read the category breakdown for the specific generation before buying, as the headline count combines years and engines. An inspection by an independent mechanic and a check for open recalls give a clearer picture than any single complaint total can.
10. Ford Fiesta: Small Car, Smaller Tally
The Fiesta has 719 complaints on file at CarComplaints, according to the CarComplaints Ford page, the smallest count among the complaint-based entries here. The subcompact still carries a notable record, with hundreds of owners documenting issues they met.
A lower total can reflect a smaller sales base rather than a cleaner history, so the figure should not be read as a clean bill of health. Used buyers should compare the transmission and other recurring complaint categories listed on the page with the specific car’s service documents.
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