20 Worst Cars of Model Year 1981

The 20 Least Reliable and Durable Cars of Model Year 1981 

This page lists the 20 worst cars of model year 1981 by reliability-and-durability grade point average (Reliability-Durability GPA or more concisely, R-D GPA).

1981's Bottom 10 Cars: The Ten Worst

The 10 worst cars of 1981 are listed below in ascending order of Reliability-Durability GPA (worst first), together with the corresponding R-D Grade.

  • The Plymouth Horizon, TC-3, with a Reliability-Durability GPA of 0.26 and a Reliability-Durability Grade of F
  • The Dodge Omni, O24, with a R-D GPA of 0.26, an F
  • The Pontiac Grand Prix V6, with a R-D GPA of 0.31, an F
  • The Buick Regal V6, with a R-D GPA of 0.32, an F
  • The Jeep CJ Series Inline 4, with a R-D GPA of 0.35, an F
  • The AMC Eagle Inline 6, with a R-D GPA of 0.35, an F
  • The Pontiac Phoenix Inline 4, with a R-D GPA of 0.37, an F
  • The Pontiac Phoenix V6, with a R-D GPA of 0.39, an F
  • The Pontiac T1000, 1000, with a R-D GPA of 0.43, an F
  • The Chevrolet Chevette, gasoline, with a R-D GPA of 0.43, an F

Manufacturers of the 10 Worst 

General Motors Corporation increased its share of the least reliable-durable cars of 1981 - from 4 in 1980 to 6 in 1981; Chrysler Corporation decreased its share - from 4 in 1980 to 2 in 1981; American Motors Corporation had the remaining two 1.

Three of the then Michigan 4 manufacturers (American Motors Corporation was absorbed by Chrysler Corporation in 1987) accounted for all 10 of 1981's worst cars, and none of 1981's best cars.

The following chart gives each car maker's percent share of the Bottom 10 of 1981.

1981's Next 10 Worst Cars

The remaining 10 of the 20 worst cars are listed below in ascending order of Reliability-Durability GPA (worst first), together with the corresponding R-D Grade.

  • The Pontiac LeMans V6, with a Reliability-Durability GPA of 0.44 and a Reliability-Durability Grade of F
  • The Chevrolet Suburban V8, with a R-D GPA of 0.44, an F
  • The AMC Concord Inline 6, with a R-D GPA of 0.47, an F
  • The Chevrolet Monte Carlo V8, with a R-D GPA of 0.48, an F
  • The Cadillac Seville V8, with a R-D GPA of 0.49, an F
  • The Oldsmobile Toronado V8, gasoline, with a R-D GPA of 0.51, a D
  • The Cadillac Eldorado V8, with a R-D GPA of 0.51, a D
  • The Pontiac Grand Prix V8, gasoline, with a R-D GPA of 0.56, a D
  • The Buick Riviera, V8, gasoline, with a R-D GPA of 0.56, a D
  • The Oldsmobile Cutlass, Cutlass Supreme V6, with a R-D GPA of 0.71, a D

Manufacturers of the 20 Worst 

General Motors Corporation accounted for 75% of the 20 worst cars of model year 1981 - up from 50% in 1980. Chrysler Corporation accounted for 10% of the least reliable-durable cars of 1981 - down from 25% in 1980; American Motors Corporation - 15%.

The Michigan 4 manufacturers accounted for all 20 of 1981's worst cars, and none of 1981's best cars.

Ford Motor Company accounted for none of the 20 Worst cars of 1981 and none of the 10 Best cars of 1981.

The following chart gives each car maker's percent share of the Bottom 20 of 1981. 

Computations

To compute the reliability-durability grade point average of the MY 1981 cars, Consumer Reports' reliability ratings for the age ranges 4-to-5 years and 5-to-6 years are used.

CR's ratings are converted to numerical values following the standard academic pattern: a grade point of 4.0 (an A) is accorded a rating of Much Better Than Average, a 3.0 (a B) is accorded a rating of Better Than Average, a 2.0 (a C) is accorded a rating of Average, a 1.0 (a D) is accorded a rating of Below Average, and a 0 (an F) is accorded a rating of Much Below Average.

Then, for each age range, the grade point of CR's overall reliability rating is weighted 2/3 and the average of the grade points of the category ratings is weighted 1/3.

Finally, the average for the two age ranges is taken.

The 4-cylinder Jeep CJ Series, the 6-cylinder AMC Eagle, the V6 Pontiac Phoenix, the V6 Pontiac Le Mans, the gasoline-powered V8 Chevrolet Suburban, the 6-cylinder AMC Concord, the V8 Cadillac Seville, the gasoline-powered V8 Oldsmobile Toronado, the gasoline-powered V8 Pontiac Grand Prix, and the gasoline-powered V8 Buick Riviera offered only one age range of data.

Best and Worst Vehicles of Each Model Year

The Best Cars of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1975  1976  1977  1978  1979  1980  1981  1982  1983  1984  1985  1986  ...  2004  2005

The Worst Cars of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1980  1981  1982  1983  1984  1985  1986  ...  2004  2005 

Additional Resources

The Best Car Brands of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985  1986 ...  2004  2005

The Worst Car Brands of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985  1986 ...  2004  2005

The Best Car Manufacturers of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985  1986 ...  2004  2005

The Worst Car Manufacturers of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985  1986 ...  2004  2005

Best Car Brands by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid:  1985  1986  1987  1988  1989  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 

Worst Car Brands by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid:  1985  1986  1987  1988  1989  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006

Best Car Makers by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid: 1985  1986  1987  1988  1989  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006

Worst Car Makers by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid:  1985  1986  1987  1988  1989  1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006

For additional car quality information, visit www.AutoOnInfo.net and CarsOnInfo.net.

In particular, for additional durability information, see:

http://www.AutoOnInfo.net/SharesOfHighMileageVehicles.aspx 
http://CarsOnInfo.net/ToyotaAgeEquivalents.aspx 
http://CarsOnInfo.net/ToyotaMileageEquivalents.aspx 
http://CarsOnInfo.net/Top25OfAutoonInfosHighMileageRoster.aspx

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