Like the rest of the world, Canadians have felt the sting of buyer’s remorse. Whether it was due to depreciation, maintenance nightmares, recalls, or just realizing they don’t need a 500-horsepower muscle car to grab milk from Loblaws, many vehicles have earned a top spot on the regret list. Here are 16 common culprits with Canadians muttering, “Why did I sign that financing agreement?”
Fiat 500L
You wanted European charm. You’ve got electrical gremlins, transmission problems, and a resale value that makes tulip bulbs look like a sound investment. Owners also report issues like transmission, alternator, turbo, coolant system, and infotainment failures within the first year or two. One owner detailed over a dozen major defects—including turbo failure, paint peeling, and radiator back‑orders, and paid roughly CA$10k only to have the vehicle undrivable for a month. Plus, with high interest rates aggravating the situation, Canadians financing these cars often end up paying more than the vehicle’s worth, leading many to regret the loan.
Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart’s struggles in Canada stem from more than just disappearing sales. It became a prime example of buyers regretting their financing choices. In July 2015, FCA Canada sold a mere 220 units of the Dart—down 79% year‑on‑year—with only 1,979 sold in the first half, accounting for just 1.1% of the compact car market. The Dart was stylish, but that charm wore off when its underwhelming performance and reliability issues surfaced. Canadians who financed one often found themselves underwater, both financially and emotionally.
Chevrolet Trax
The Trax offered a budget-friendly entry into the crossover game. But it came with a bumpy ride, plasticky interior, and sluggish acceleration. Even newer 2024–25 models, while improved, still lack AWD and use small three-cylinder engines prone to noise, glitchy infotainment, and concerns over long-term longevity. Unless you secure a low-rate loan and understand its limitations, financing a Trax can lead to regret, particularly if you expect substantial resale value, robust reliability, and premium features.
Jeep Compass (Pre-2017 Models)
The early Jeep Compass models were a masterclass in underwhelming. First-generation Compasses (2007–16) suffered from frequent electrical gremlins—no‑start issues, TIPM failures, and CVT transmission faults causing jerking or overheating, often expensive to fix. Suspension components like control arms, tie rods, bushings, and brakes also regularly failed prematurely, sometimes before 60,000 km, forcing costly replacements and wheel alignments. These Jeeps also depreciated quickly, thanks to underwhelming build quality—cheap plastics, loud engines, and sluggish acceleration.
Mitsubishi Mirage
Many Canadian buyers who financed a Mitsubishi Mirage regret their decision, mainly due to poor value and driving experience. For instance, dealers often marked up the base ES trim from an MSR P of ≈ $17,000 to over $20,000, leading to high payments—one buyer in Ontario ended up paying $34,000 over seven years at 4.2 % interest. Others report overpaying by $12–15K—such as paying $32K OTD on a $20K MSRP car—forcing them into long loan terms and feeling “stuck.”
Ford EcoSport
Imported from India with much fanfare, the EcoSport arrived with lukewarm reviews. Owners reported anemic acceleration and poor fuel economy, with some saying the EcoSport is “one of the most underwhelming vehicles…underpowered, too small, rough riding”. Also, a critical concern was the three-cylinder engine’s oil‑tensioner failure: it fractured, shredded the belt, and often resulted in seized engines, triggering extended recalls that Ford supposedly “handled terribly.” Many Canadians who financed one found themselves wishing they’d gone with something, anything, else.
Nissan Versa Note
Despite boasting stellar reliability scores on RepairPal (4 out of 5, $445/year average repairs), the devil is in its CVT transmission. Across Canada, owners report CVT failures around 80–90,000 km post-warranty, often costing a kidney‑, blowing $3,500–7,000. One Quebec family shelled out a whopping CAD 7,000 in CVT fixes—and hope for a class‑action reimbursement still hangs in limbo. Financing one often meant being stuck with it longer than a bad roommate.
Smart Fortwo
The Smart Fortwo seemed like the perfect urban runabout—tiny, zippy, and easy to park even in downtown Toronto at rush hour. But for many Canadians who financed one, that “smart” decision turned out to be, well… not so bright. With only two seats, minimal cargo space (you can forget Costco runs), and a ride stiffer than a frozen beavertail in January, the Fortwo often felt more toy than transportation. Add to that a clunky transmission, underwhelming acceleration, and resale values that plummet faster than a loonie on a bad economic day, and it’s no wonder owners started feeling buyer’s remorse.
Volkswagen Passat (2012-2015)
Canadians once loved the TDI diesel Passat for its fuel economy. That is until Dieselgate hit. Yes, that “clean diesel” was neither clean nor particularly legal, leading to recalls, lawsuits, and plummeting resale value faster than a dropped maple syrup bottle in January. In addition, transmission troubles, clogged diesel particulate filters, and electrical gremlins made the dash light up like a Christmas tree. The TDI models, especially aged like unrefrigerated poutine. According to the Canadian Black Book, depreciation hit Passats harder than a snowstorm in Sudbury.
Chrysler 200
Owners often report the 9-speed transmission jerking, slipping into neutral mid-drive, or needing replacement by 40,000 km, sometimes multiple times. One Canuck on r/Ask Mechanics even said, “Within 30 days, I’ve had to get the heater core completely replaced, and now my power steering return line blew up” in –30 °C. Canadian drivers quickly learned that good looks fade, but bad transmissions haunt them.
Chevrolet Impala (2014–2020)
It’s comfy, sure. But the Impala fell out of step with Canadian tastes shifting toward SUVs. Financing one meant paying for a big sedan nobody wanted. The facelifted Impala of 2014—talk about a rocky ride! That year alone racked up 14 recalls, mostly flipping the script on brakes, steering, ABS/StabiliTrak, infotainment, and even power steering. Also, RepairPal then tells us annual bills hover around $579, like a subscription to vehicular heartbreak. As resale values plummeted, so did owner enthusiasm.
Hyundai Veloster
Its quirky design, fun vibes, long-term reliability, and cramped interiors turned off many buyers. Canadian drivers who financed a Veloster for its youthful style often felt old when facing unexpected repairs. On top of that, warranty support is often disappointing. Hyundai Canada dealers sometimes refused to honor coverage, leaving buyers with repair bills despite recalls.
Kia Rio
The Rio delivered on price and fuel economy, but everything else was meh. Complaints from 2013–2017 models include pesky rattles, glitchy infotainment, carbon buildup, prematurely failing belts, and suspension—essentially the full orchestra of car annoyance. Car Complaints flag the Rio as Kia’s third‑most‑reported, with the deadly 2004 and 2007 model years especially prone to engine and transmission collapse.
Mini Cooper (Older Models)
The older Mini Coopers were adorable but a financial regret for many Canadians who financed them with wide eyes and wider wallets. These peppy British imports, especially the 2002–2011 models, are notorious for mechanical drama: failing transmissions, leaking water pumps, and electrical gremlins that could haunt your glovebox. According to Consumer Reports and CarComplaints.com, the 2006 Mini Cooper S is a case study of post-warranty heartbreak.
Ford Fiesta
The Fiesta, especially the dual-clutch automatic models, suffered galore transmission issues. A class-action lawsuit in Canada highlighted how thousands were left figuratively and literally stuck by what felt like a lemon in disguise. Repair bills piled up faster than Tim Hortons cups in a snowbank, and resale value? Let’s say even dealerships quietly backed away. Consumer Reports ranked it among the least reliable small cars, while mechanics affectionately dubbed it the “No-Fun Fiesta.” So, if you’re wondering why your financed Fiesta feels like a bad ex, always causing drama and impossible to eliminate, you’re not alone.
Cadillac ATS
Here’s the skinny on the Cadillac ATS in Canada: many drivers who financed one have regretted it faster than you can say “steering‑assist reduced!” The ATS (2013–2016) earned a reputation for turbo‑charged headaches—misfires, piston damage, coolant leaks—and a temperamental CUE infotainment screen that spiders would admire. Oh, and do you live where they salt the roads? Watch out for a scary recall on corroded power‑steering bolts that could make you wish you’d rolled a snowbank instead.
22 Times Canadian Ingenuity Left the U.S. in the Dust
When people think of innovation, they often picture Silicon Valley. However, Canada has a history of innovation, too. Whether it’s redefining sports, revolutionizing medicine, or just showing America up at its own game, Canadian inventors, thinkers, and dreamers have had their fair share of mic-drop moments. Here are 22 times Canadian ingenuity left the U.S. in the dust.
22 Times Canadian Ingenuity Left the U.S. in the Dust
