Experts Hate These 2 Worst Luxury Car Brands
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 05/18/2023
While luxury cars have a reputation for expensive repairs and questionable reliability, the truth is that most modern luxury brands have those things figured out. Well, all except for these two. In recent iSeeCars rankings, both Alfa Romeo and Jaguar sit at the bottom, based on both customer sentiment and road test results. Buy what makes these the two worst luxury brands? Let’s dig into each and find out.
Alfa Romeo reliability keeps it as the worst luxury car brand
It’s become something of an in-joke in automotive circles, that if you have an Alfa Romeo you’d better have another vehicle ready to go. The truth is, Alfa Romeo reliability is slightly better than in previous years. However, that slight uptick hasn’t put the brand ahead of its more reliable competition.
Languishing in the bottom three for reliability since 2017, the Italian luxury car brand can’t seem to get out of its own way. Whether it’s battery problems on Stelvio and Giulia models, or random electrical gremlins in their Quadrifoglio performance vehicles, Alfa cars can’t seem to stay on the road.
That’s unfortunate because they are among the most beautiful cars on sale today. But buyers seem to agree that those looks don’t matter when the car spends all its time back at the dealership.
Jaguar’s problem is much more complex
Okay, sure – Jaguar’s reliability is still a bit questionable. While the years of electrical gremlins are behind it, current Jaguar issues involve water pump failures and brake problems. Much like Alfa Romeo, Jaguar is also hurt by a relative lack of vehicle offerings.
However, customer satisfaction is also dragging the British luxury brand down the rankings. While Alfa Romeo buyers seem to enjoy their vehicles (when they actually work), many Jaguar buyers find that they’re not worth the spend.
A lack of overall technology and small interior spaces make for luxury vehicles that aren’t all that luxurious. And when considering the price of a new Jaguar, it’s hard to make a case that there is value for a luxury car buyer.
That’s not a good place to be for a luxury brand. Currently, their focus on shifting to high-end, high-performance vehicles marks a change in strategy. It seems that Jaguar is admitting it can’t keep up with mass-market luxury cars. Time will tell if that may improve its overall standing.
Small vehicle lineups can hurt ranking
While the reputations of both brands are certainly not new, they are not helped by a lack of overall options. Fewer vehicles means that an issue with one or two models can tank a luxury car brand’s overall ranking. Unfortunately, Alfa Romeo’s four-car lineup and Jaguar’s five-car offering make it easy for both brands to sit toward the bottom of the list.
However, that isn’t an excuse for the poor reliability and customer experience of both brands. Both Alfa Romeo and Jaguar have been making cars for generations. The expectation is that both automakers can create luxury vehicles that will keep customers happy. Instead, they’re two of the worst luxury car brands on the road today.
That they consistently sit near the bottom of the iSeeCars rankings isn’t a good sign. Especially as new automakers like Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian are new brands already gaining ground.
