Do we like them?

Do we like General Motors?

Detroit-based carmaker behind Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac, with a broad US EV range and OnStar connected services.

Our score: 4 out of 10. Mixed, leaning cautious. The driver-data selling was a real betrayal of customers, and the engine recall is under fire. We'd want proof of changed behaviour first.

GM is the Detroit giant behind Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac. Mary Barra started there in 1980 as a co-op student. She has been CEO since 2014 and chair since 2016, and the Ad Council is honouring her for public service in December 2026.

The big stain is driver data. A New York Times investigation found GM was selling OnStar Smart Driver customers' location and driving behaviour without consent. The data reached brokers, who could pass it to insurers. The FTC called it an "egregious betrayal" of trust and finalised a 20-year order in January 2026.

It didn't stop there. GM has agreed to pay $220 million to 35 states and DC over the same driver-data allegations. One legal summary notes the judgments don't ban GM from selling driving data outright.

On EVs, GM took a roughly $6 billion writedown as demand fell once the US tax credit ended. The Detroit News reported it plans to lay off 3,400 workers at EV and battery plants. It also temporarily laid off 1,300 at Factory Zero. GM says it is still committed to EVs.

Safety and quality are a worry too. After a NHTSA investigation, GM recalled nearly 600,000 trucks and SUVs over L87 V8 engine failures. Owners say the fix is inadequate, and a federal judge has consolidated their class actions. We'd call it a mixed score, and a cautious one.