Traveling With A Rental Car? Avoid These 2025 Models, According To Consumer Reports

It's no secret that booking a vacation comes with many stressors both big and small, whether it's international or domestic travel. Is the carry-on luggage you hope to jam three weeks worth of clothing into big enough? Did you remember to set your "out of office" message before you left work? If it's your first time renting a car, especially a vehicle you aren't familiar with, you'll want to avoid these 2025 models according to Consumer Reports data collected from nearly 300,000 vehicles.

Enterprise Mobility ran a survey indicating that approximately 23% of travelers will rent a car to explore the open road, ultimately making freedom and flexibility high priorities. Want to pull over to take a photo? Go ahead, you're in control. Even if you're not a self-proclaimed gearhead, you'll want to avoid avoid making some of the worst rental car mistakes when choosing your trusty vehicle, like not checking the vehicle's previous damages.

One thing you should know before renting a car is the reliability factor of the vehicle. Is the gas mileage good? What are the brakes like? Is the model known for electrical issues, or any other drivetrain problems? Getting acquainted with a rental vehicle's bits and bobs is one thing, but doing research beforehand can potentially save you money and reduce stress, and knowing that you're safe behind the wheel of a reliable vehicle is priceless. After taking a look at the issues with 2025 models of the Volkswagen ID.4, Ford F-150 Lightning, Jeep Wrangler, Rivian R1T, and Ford F-150 Hybrid, you'll likely want to skip past these on the rental lots, and here's why.

The all-electric 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 has an upgraded interior with more modern features, a state of the art infotainment system, and delivers 201-horsepower with its single-motor model that gets an approximate 221 miles per charge. This might make it seem like a great rental option for your next road trip. However, consumers have gripes about its EV battery, drive system, brakes, and charging issues with the online inverter. 

The 2025 ID.4's maneuver braking system recently had issues with sensitivity, causing the SUV to brake suddenly when reversing, even if nothing is behind the vehicle. While not yet reported as an issue for the 2025, there was also a recent software recall on some previous ID.4 models because it wasn't clear when the vehicle was in neutral (N) mode, which could potentially cause the vehicle to roll away. Try explaining that one to the rental company. The lack of a spare tire for the 2025 model is definitely concerning, especially if you're renting this vehicle for a road trip.

As a truck owner myself, it's been one of the greatest investments I've ever made when it comes to efficiency, reliability, functionality, and, surprisingly, fuel range. Renting a truck for those backcountry camping getaways is perfect. You have the towing capacity for a trailer, tailgate space for coolers, accessories, and camping gear, plus added height for seeing ahead and feeling safe.

However, if you've planned an electric-vehicle friendly road trip route, the Ford F-150 Lightning isn't a reliable model. Consumer Reports found that the Lightning is having issues with its 12-volt battery, in-truck electronics system, and the EV battery and charging. If you're going to be taking this truck off-road and 4x4ing, you're obviously going to use more battery power, therefore draining it quickly.

In a camping scenario where you're out in the woods, far from charging stations, this probably isn't the best truck to rent. There have also been major recalls on the braking and suspension systems, causing the driver to potentially lose steering control. Another issue that has been noted is the "frunk" not closing properly, which, if it flies open, can block your vision while driving and become dangerous.

If you were a '90s kid, you would certainly recognize the Jeep Wrangler from the hit 1993 movie "Jurassic Park." Well into the '90s, the Jeep Wrangler definitely held its "cool" factor and sold upwards of 629,000 units in the decade. It was loved by off-road enthusiasts and gearheads alike, but the 2025 model's reliability factor is anything but cool. 

According to Consumer Reports, the Jeep Wrangler for 2025 is having issues with steering and suspension, vibration and shaking, as well as engine problems. Some are claiming that the 2.0 engine is randomly overheating, and that's a problem you definitely don't want while driving your rental vehicle for long periods. On a recent r/JeepWrangler Reddit thread, a few users mentioned that vibration issues are common, so perhaps steer clear of renting a Jeep Wrangler for your next outdoor camping excursion or cross-country trip.

2025 electric vehicles don't seem to be having too much luck when it comes to reliability. The Rivian R1T all-electric truck is on the list as one of the vehicles you definitely don't want to rent. The issues with the 2025 model aren't just with the charging aspect, but also with the EV battery in its entirety, the climate system, brakes, and in-truck electronics. 

On Rivian Forums, a user by the name of RivianPGH said that their truck had Highway Assist turn completely off, even after a soft reset. However, after that reset, the truck forgot the key-to-vehicle pairing altogether. The console USB-C ports also stopped working. You want to ensure that all electronics inside the vehicle are reliable, especially if you're renting the vehicle and may not know how or have access to do a soft reset while on the road.

The least reliable vehicle for 2025 is the Ford F-150 Hybrid, according to Consumer Reports. The model has a slew of issues including the hybrid battery, transmission, drive system, climate system, electrical accessories, and in-truck electronics. The Hybrid version of Ford's iconic F-150 line has also been known to be a very uncomfortable ride, so for those long road trip days when you're miles from your destination, comfortability does play a role in making sure you choose the right vehicle to get you there. 

On The Fast Lane Truck YouTube channel, a user dives into other issues with the Ford F-150 Hybrid such as misfiring of the engine, which causes check engine lights to appear. When you're in a rental vehicle you aren't familiar with, a check engine light is the last thing you want to see pop up on your instrument dash. Here's why you should never ignore the fine print when renting a car abroad.

When compiling our list of 2025 rental car models to avoid when embarking on your next vacation, we primarily relied on data presented by Consumer Reports, a respected publication focusing on accurate reporting of product issues by users. Additionally, we gathered further information on some of these problems by consulting posts made on social media platforms like Reddit and car manufacturer-specific discussion forums. When considering which 2025 models to cite as the worst picks to rent, we focused on those with problems most likely to crop up during a short-term vacation rental period, as opposed to issues more likely to appear after long-term ownership.