Should you still buy a car that has negative reviews?
While it would be simple for us to recommend that you not purchase a vehicle that has negative reviews, we feel that the answer is more complicated than that, so let's have a look at the variables.
AutoTrader has several professional motoring journalists that form part of a larger group of motoring content creators around South Africa and the globe. The job of these journalists is to inform and provide expert opinions surrounding the latest products that come to market, allowing the consumers to make more informed buying decisions.
While we see ourselves as a valuable resource to consumers, our collective opinion surrounding a vehicle should be viewed on a case-by-case basis. For example, if a performance car is not as competent as a key rival, or is too expensive, that does not necessarily mean that it is a bad vehicle that should be avoided, however, a product deemed unsafe and poorly made is a different scenario entirely.
As journalists, we generally spend a week with a vehicle, but sometimes a month or longer, which, in the grand scheme of things is not a long time compared with the consumer who ultimately buys the product. This means that consumer reviews are also important research material when purchasing a vehicle, and with enough reviews on one specific product, a pattern will emerge that will tell you whether buying the car is a good or bad idea.
To answer the question, you should do your own research and consider multiple reviews by journalists and owners before purchasing a vehicle. If the overall sentiment is negative, you should consider walking away from the idea entirely.
