4 Cars With The Worst Blind Spots (According To Consumer Reports)

Crafting an automobile is a careful balance between elements like style, aerodynamics, and functionality. If a particular model is especially sleek and pleasing to the eye but lacks an adequate means for the driver to see the environment around the car, then it may fail to meet critical design criteria. Blind spots are an inevitable byproduct of every vehicle, although, surprisingly, to different degrees. Aspects like ride height, windshield angle, roof pillar width, and even car length can all dramatically impact one of the most crucial components of travel safety: driver visibility. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the blind spots in your car, making travel safer.

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Consumer Reports compiled a list of the worst offenders in the automotive industry in terms of driver blind spots within the genres of subcompact cars, sedans, and SUVs. Overall, SUVs were found to offer drivers less visibility, though a few models did successfully buck the trend. The popular nonprofit organization used a testing methodology incorporating a variety of drivers of differing heights and asked them to evaluate how challenging each model’s blind spots made everyday driving maneuvers.

With the Spark being classified as a subcompact car, you may think its small design would provide ample visibility. However, Consumer Reports found this particular vehicle ranked worst in its category in terms of blind spots. A quick glance at the 2022 Chevrolet Spark’s exterior can provide some clues as to why it doesn’t favor ideal line-of-sight for drivers.

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For one thing, the two rear side windows are much smaller than the front ones. Due to the rounded shape of the roof and the upward angle of the side panels, the glass gets smaller toward the rear of the car. But most noticeable is the thick rear pillars that create a potentially troublesome blind spot, more so than other models.

Fortunately, Chevrolet offers some handy features like a Rear Vision Camera, Rear Park Assist, and Lane Departure Warning on select packages that may mitigate this. However, you’ll only be able to find this model used today, as Chevrolet discontinued the Spark in 2022.

The sporty and sleek Mazda3 sedan has several positives going for it. The 2025 model starts at just $23,950; it has options for all-wheel drive and offers up to 250 horsepower. However, one area that falls short of the competition is its unfortunate knack of blocking the side-rear viewpoints of the road.

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While the streamlined body shape is objectively attractive to the eye, it also includes a seemingly small rear window and massive rear pillars that would hamper a driver actively attempting to check behind them in order to change lanes.

While the sedan impacts vision plenty, the hatchback version is even more egregious. At the 2019 LA Auto Show, a representative from Jalopnik.com hopped into the Mazda3 hatchback and noted the rear c-pillars were so obstructive that another attendee standing behind the car was completely invisible from the driver’s seat. Despite this flaw, our 2023 Mazda 3 review highlighted several areas where this hatchback crushed the competition.

An iconic and capable performance car for decades, this legend just hung up its hat after its sixth generation, and we’re not sure if the Chevy Camaro is gone for good or just discontinued for now. But, for all the praise Chevy’s sports car gets, there is a common complaint among reviewers about aggressive blind spots. It’s no wonder it made the Consumer Reports list, as one look at the narrow windows makes you wonder how challenging it is to see anything while reversing. In fact, owners have commented on the issue in the past, comparing the Camaro to a Panzer tank in terms of visibility (a Panzer tank offers only a narrow slit for the driver to see).

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This sports car includes a devastating combination of tiny windows, wide pillars supporting the roof, and a long hood that severely impairs a driver’s ability to see around the vehicle. Fortunately, similar to the Spark, Chevrolet offers some much-needed driver assistance technology. You can equip a Camaro with features like rear-cross traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors, among other safety systems.

In the category of midsized SUVs that offer 3-rows of seating, Consumer Reports singled out another Mazda model, the CX-9, for the worst blind spots in its class. Some owners have also expressed frustration at the lack of visibility behind the wheel of this SUV. One driver explained that due to the limited front seat space, they were required to sit lower than usual. Between the front and rear pillars, they also found it challenging to ensure lanes were clear.

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The CX-9 does offer a cutting-edge Blind Spot Monitoring System that incorporates radar sensors to identify other vehicles around you. This safety technology helps to mitigate the hazard of reduced visibility, but there are still better options in terms of sightlines with the competition.

The 2023 Mazda CX-9 has been phased out in favor of a new platform. When comparing the 2023 Mazda CX-9 vs Mazda CX-90, the automaker has taken measures to ensure a larger and more comfortable cabin, hopefully helping to mitigate the blind spot issue as well.