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Worst Wagons of 2020

Wagons are the perfect medium between a compact car and an SUV. They are quickly becoming more and more popular. We’ve already been through Consumer Reports‘ best wagons of 2020, so it only makes sense that we would also write up a list of the worst wagons of 2020 as well. Anyone looking for a …

Wagons are the perfect medium between a compact car and an SUV. They are quickly becoming more and more popular. We’ve already been through Consumer Reports‘ best wagons of 2020, so it only makes sense that we would also write up a list of the worst wagons of 2020 as well.

The 2020 Subaru Outback took the title of best wagon, but which are the worst?

Anyone looking for a wagon will want to know which ones to avoid, so here are the worst wagons of 2020. We’ll include some reasons why CR rates these wagons so low, and do a run through of some of the basic features of each one. You’ll get a good idea from this which wagons to steer clear of.

Consumer Reports wagon categories

CR reviewed three different groups of cars that are listed under their list of reviewed wagons. First, there is the subcompact category. Then you have your hatchback compact cars. Last, CR rates the AWD wagons. Of these three wagon categories, we have bests like the Honda Fit, the Hyundai Elantra GT, and the Subaru Outback. But to have a best, there also has to be a worst. These are the worst wagons of 2020, according to CR.

2020 Mitsubishi Mirage

Related: The Least Reliable Minivans Have the Highest Road Test Scores

The 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage: worst subcompact hatchback

The 2020 Mitsubishi’s low price point seems like a bargain at first glance, But this little wagon earned a low overall score of 31. According to CR, you can get a lot more for $13,995 – $17,745 in other models like the Chevy Spark. The 2020 Mirage hatchback is the lowest rated subcompact wagon that CR reviewed, and the only thing it has going for it (besides an insanely low sticker price) is great fuel economy.

You may get up to 47 mpg on the highway in this “tiny, regrettable car.” But the cabin noise and lackluster overall quality of both the interior materials and the engine easily outweigh its economy. According to CR, the little made in Thailand Mirage just can’t compete.

The 2020 Fiat 500L: worst compact wagon

The 2020 Fiat 500L scored a dismal 29 overall from CR. This compact wagon earned just 1 out of 1 for reliability and 1 out of 1 for customer satisfaction. Not only are they unreliable, but they are leaving owners unhappy. If given a do over, no one is chomping at the bit to buy a Fiat 500L again. There are just too many decent cars in the $22,500 – $24,645 price range that out do the Fiat 500L on all fronts –– the Subaru Impreza hatchback, for example. Even the Toyota Yaris hatchback may be better than this, though it remains untested by CR pros.

Related: This Ignored Station Wagon Is About to Be Discontinued 

It didn’t earn good crash test ratings and it’s a stiff and uncomfortable ride. According to CR, the Fiat 500L wagon is nothing short of a “bloated” version of the “ultra-cute” Fiat 500. Fuel economy isn’t bad and cargo is competitive, but without the cute factor, this one’s an unsafe and unreliable dud.

The 2020 Volvo V90: worst all-wheel-drive wagon

The Subaru Outback is the only AWD wagon that CR has actually recorded drive test information for, so the worst wagon may be up for debate. We do know that, as it stands, both the Volvo wagons are lowest on the CR AWD wagon list. The Volvo V90 is dead last; for a price tag ranging from $51,450 – $59,450, that’s a bit disheartening. For a wagon in the luxury segment, we definitely expect more. Especially for Volvo, as its wagons were once a claim to fame for this auto brand.

Which is the worst overall?

According to Consumer Reports, the wagon with the lowest overall score belongs to the 2020 Fiat 500L. While that may change if CR tests any more wagons, we can’t argue with the verdict so far. The 2020 Volvo V60 and V90 are the worst AWD wagons and the 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage earned the lowest score for the subcompact category.

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