9 used cars experts tend to steer clear of in 2026

The 9 used cars experts tend to steer clear of in 2026 aren’t all bad, but something’s off about them. They look fine, some even tempting, but there’s that pause before you sign. Sometimes it’s reputation, sometimes luck. Feels like the kind of list people nod at quietly because they already learned the hard way.

Jeep Compass

Feels strong but not for long. Starts solid, ends tired. Small squeaks turn into something else after a few seasons. Interior wears quick, not painfully, just enough to notice. Keeps acting like it wants to be something else. Probably fine at first, maybe not after.

Nissan Rogue (older models)

Runs smooth right up until it doesn’t. Transmission thinks a little too much, like it’s unsure what it wants. Owners mention it, again and again. Drives fine, and then one day it just stops being fine. Older ones especially, they kind of make you nervous.

Chrysler 200

Always felt in-between, I think. Not bad, not great, just existing somewhere in the middle. Starts nice enough, interior looks good early on. Then suddenly, not so much. Tiny things start going wrong one by one. Smooth car that never stays smooth.

Dodge Journey

Still hanging around long after it should’ve stopped. Feels like 2012 every time you get in, maybe in a comforting way, maybe not. Everything works until it doesn’t. Feels hollow inside somehow. I think everyone knows by now, but they still show up used anyway.

Fiat 500L

Fun idea that didn’t pan out like it should’ve. Personality gets tiring over time, louder than it needs to be. Repairs show up quick, too quick maybe. You want to defend it, but even that becomes work. People sell these quietly, trying not to explain too much.

Volkswagen Tiguan (early 2010s)

Looks smarter than it acts. Drives sharp when it feels like it, vague the rest of the time. Keeps you guessing in ways you don’t want from a car. The electronics flicker, small things adding up fast. Good car until it remembers it isn’t.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Beautiful car that knows it’s fragile. The kind you forgive once, maybe twice, then stop counting. Every repair feels like déjà vu. Still drives like luxury between problems, which is how it gets away with it. Costs keep going up even when the mileage doesn’t.

Mitsubishi Mirage

Light as a napkin, thin sound in the doors when they shut. Cheap in every direction, but honest about it. Not dangerous, just dull. Still, it does what you ask, just never well. I think folks buy it because it’s there more than anything else.

Infiniti QX60 (older generations)

Smooth when you meet it, slow when you know it. The inside glows fake luxury. Transmission always feels like it’s struggling to catch up. Long drives make that clearer. Comfortable enough to fool you once or twice, but it never lasts.