Consumer Reports names the worst vehicles

It’s not a list on which you want to see your new car, SUV or minivan.

Yet when Consumer Reports released its latest report of the lowest-rated new vehicles on Wednesday, Detroit’s Big 3 automakers filled six of the 10 slots.

Fiat Chrysler (FCA-IT) earned the dubious honor of having the most models on the “worst” list, with four. Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) each had one.

Though the Big 3 dominated the list, models by foreign manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz (DAI-DE) were also there. (See the full list below.)

Scores factored in road-test performance, reliability, owner satisfaction and safety.

Consumer Reports’ remarks on the vehicles were stinging. The ratings firm called Ford’s Lincoln MKS “outdated and outclassed,” and said FCA’s Dodge Journey is “a poor value anywhere outside of an airport rental lot.”

All of the models on Consumer Reports’ list scored less than 62 points on a scale of 1 to 100. The lowest score, 31, went to the Fiat 500L compact car. Consumer Reports said the 500L has several “significant flaws,” including a “poor” rating in the small-overlap frontal crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

“Don’t just take our word for it,” Consumer Reports wrote about the vehicle. “Even owner satisfaction is below average — meaning a strong percentage of owners wish they hadn’t bought this hatchback.”

In response to the rankings, Fiat Chrysler said: “We continue to aggressively pursue both product and launch-quality improvements as they are top priorities for the Company and our internal measurements are showing progress.”

Ford responded to Lincoln’s rating by saying: “In 2012, Lincoln began its journey with four all-new products in four years. Each of those — The MKZ, MKC, MKX and soon, the Continental — continues to reflect our rejuvenation as a brand as witnessed by recent sales and quality awards. The MKS has received positive input from this change for Lincoln and clearly we have learned a great deal in this short time. We will continue to improve as we write the next chapter for Lincoln but feel encouraged about the progress thus far.”

General Motors’ Cadillac, whose Escalade was named the lowest-rated large luxury SUV, declined comment.

Simply because a model is rated poorly does not mean buyers have steered clear of them.

Take the Mercedes-Benz CLA250, for example. Consumer Reports said it’s the worst compact luxury car on the market, with an interior that is “noisy and cramped.” But last year, CLA sales in the U.S. increased 8 percent, outpacing the industry growth rate of 5.4 percent.

When asked for comment on the rankings, Mercedes Benz USA said: “Lists like this may make good headlines, [but] they by no means provide a universal perspective. The most accurate measure is when consumers vote with their wallets and CLA250 sales have increased year after year since introduction.”

Consumer Reports pointed out that some of the models on its list are near the end of their current production run, so those that are still in dealerships could have sizable incentives that would make them more attractive.

But for drivers tempted by those deals, Consumer Reports said to be careful, as what looks good in a showroom may not feel good out on the road.

Here is Consumer Reports’ full list of lowest-rated cars.

Lowest-Rated Subcompact: Mitsubishi Mirage

Lowest-Rated Compact: Fiat 500L

Lowest-Rated Midsized Sedan: Chrysler 200

Lowest-Rated Compact Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz CLA250

Lowest-Rated Midsized Luxury Car: Lincoln MKS

Lowest-Rated Family SUV: Dodge Journey

Lowest-Rated Luxury Compact SUV: Land Rover Discovery Sport

Lowest-Rated Large Luxury SUV: Cadillac Escalade

Lowest-Rated Minivan: Chrysler Town & Country

Lowest-Rated Green Car: Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com .