There are some cars Scotty Kilmer doesn’t like. The American auto mechanic, author, and YouTuber has over 4 million subscribers, so consumers respect his opinion, and he’s not shy about giving it. But is he always correct? Recently, he named four car brands he says are awful: Chrysler, Fiat, Jaguar, and Volkswagen. In fact, Kilmer calls them the worst car brands only stupid people buy. Here’s why.

Chrysler is 1 of the worst car brands you should never buy, Kilmer says

“I’m not a fan of any of the Chrysler products,” Kilmer says bluntly in his YouTube video released this past November. But are Chrysler vehicles really that bad? The truth is, it depends.

Chrysler once owned Jeep, Dodge, and Ram. And since 2016, Jeep has been at the bottom of reliability surveys. However, things looked better in 2021 after Chrysler’s parent company, FCA, merged with PSA Group to become Stellantis. The brand moved up on Consumer Reports’ “Best Brands” list by 10 spots to land at number eight. 

The bottom line is that Chrysler doesn’t necessarily make bad cars — it’s just that other brands make much better cars. Although the company flourished in the 1990s and 2000s with the minivan and SUV booms, the brand suffered from poor build quality, electronic problems, and low-quality plastic parts.

Today, Chrysler makes only two models — the Pacifica minivan and Chrysler 300 sedan — showing there may be little hope left for the brand. 

Fiat cars are no good, Kilmer says

Kilmer doesn’t like Fiat either, and he’s blunt about it. “Fiats are crap,” he says.

The well-known adage that “Fiat” stands for “fix it again, Tony” has plagued the company for years, but is it deserved?

According to Consumer Reports’ reliability index, the answer is yes. Fiat has scored low in reliability since the brand returned to the U.S. market in 2011.

Although Fiat has tried to reinvent itself since then, models like the Fiat 500 and Fiat 124 haven’t taken off with American drivers. In fact, the brand has halted North American production on several trims in the 500 lineup, and sales of the 124 are declining. The brand’s oddness and cheap interior materials turned off consumers — and Kilmer. 

And Jaguar vehicles are ‘horrendous’

According to Kilmer, “Jaguars are horrendous cars.” In 2021, Jaguar was at the bottom of J.D. Power’s reliability ratings. Owners complain mostly about engine and safety issues and the high cost of service visits and repairs. Jaguar has also seen numerous safety recalls for engine problems and electrical issues. 

But the automaker might be able to claw out of the hole thanks to its plans for an all-EV lineup. Jaguar intends to do this by 2025, so it has an ambitious to-do list, which includes better warranties and complimentary maintenance. These changes should help drivers feel more confident in the brand and improve Jaguar’s reliability ratings. 

Does Volkswagen make good cars?

“Volkswagens in the United States — plastic junk that falls apart as it ages,” Kilmer claims. True or false?

According to RepairPal, it’s false. The site makes calculations based on the cost, severity, and frequency of actual repairs. Volkswagen scored a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, which is above average on RepairPal’s scale. That ranks it 12th out of 32 car brands listed. 

However, the review site averages Volkswagen’s repair cost at $676, putting the brand above average. The site estimates VW has an 11% chance of a repair being severe. The top models rated are the Jetta, Beetle, and Passat. 

Scotty Kilmer’s viewers know he doesn’t mince words when it comes to bad cars. So, are the above four really the worst auto brands? Kilmer has years of experience working on vehicles, but fans of these cars would likely disagree.