Tesla is almost last on Consumer Reports’ reliability list
After a turbulent year for Tesla including a relocation of the company led by CEO Elon Musk, viral reports of cars on fire and other self-confessed quality control issues, Tesla has plunged into Consumer Reports’ annual list of most trusted automakers.
The electric car manufacturer now ranks 27th out of 28 car brands on Consumer Reports’ list, above only Ford-owned older luxury brand Lincoln. Much of it has to do with the general instability of electric vehicles in general – especially SUVs – as Consumer Reports’ Jake Fisher said during a presentation is the “absolute bottom in terms of reliability,” according to Reuters.
But considering that the Tesla Model S at one point excelled so much in Consumer Reports̵[ads1]7; own analyzes that the organization itself said it “broke the Consumer Reports Ratings system” because of its excellence, the low ranking is tough criticism for Tesla and its legions of enthusiasts.
Consumer Reports’ concerns about the Tesla Model S, X and Y lines, according to CNBC, were problems with “heat pumps, air conditioning” and notoriously misaligned panels. It is also worth noting that the Tesla Model X ranked dead last among all cars for reliability, scoring 5 out of 100.
The problem, Consumer Reports’ Fisher told CNBC, is that the company tends to “add as much technology as is not needed.” And while this provides a product that varies greatly from year to year, it’s part of the Tesla brand that enthusiasts love.
As a result, it makes sense that even though Tesla and Lincoln are the lowest ranked in terms of reliability, they continue to perform well among buyers and rank high on the customer satisfaction index – proof that buyers can value brand loyalty and innovation over stability.
The long-standing organization collected data from a survey of around 369,000 vehicles sold from 2018 to 2020 for this listing.
