Consumer Reports Ranking Sees Significant Improvement for Tesla
Elon Musk’s Tesla has achieved a new milestone, entering the top 10 most reliable car brands in the latest Consumer Reports ranking released on Thursday. This marks the first time the company has reached this position.
According to the report, Tesla now holds the No. 9 spot out of 26 brands, a substantial climb from its 17th place ranking last year and a dismal 27th out of 28 in 2022. Consumer Reports attributes this improvement to the company’s sustained production of the same vehicles, allowing for refinement and better manufacturing processes.
The rankings are based on survey responses from owners of approximately 380,000 vehicles, representing a 27% increase in data from the previous year. Despite the overall jump in rank, the report notes that some issues persist, particularly with electrically controlled doors, which remain a point of concern.
A Bloomberg investigation previously highlighted hundreds of complaints filed with U.S. regulators, with Tesla being the most frequently mentioned brand. However, these recurring issues did not sufficiently impact its overall reliability score to prevent its ascent in the rankings.
Older Vehicle Lineup Contributes to Tesla's Reliability Gains
The improvement in Tesla's reliability is largely attributed to its established vehicle lineup rather than new design innovations. Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' senior director for auto testing, explained that the company's consistency in production has been key to its progress.
“With Tesla, it’s not that they’ve suddenly changed, but the issue is that they’ve been building vehicles in the same plant that are very similar for a while now and they’re able to improve them,” Fisher stated.
This pattern is particularly evident in the Model S, which has been in production since late 2011. Despite not undergoing a full redesign in 14 years, the model has seen continuous refinements. Fisher commented on the Model S, saying, “The Tesla Model S is a dinosaur in the world of redesign. To have a vehicle that’s going to soldier on without a full redesign is unheard of in the industry, but it’s helping them.”
However, not all Tesla models have performed equally. The newest addition to the lineup, the Cybertruck, is the only Tesla model to exhibit below-average reliability.
This rise in reliability also propelled Tesla into the top 10 of Consumer Reports’ comprehensive automotive report card, which evaluates factors beyond just reliability, including road testing, safety, and customer satisfaction. This year, Tesla secured the 10th spot out of 31 brands, moving up from 17th. The last time Tesla appeared on this list was in 2018, when it ranked eighth.
Rivian's Position and Hybrid Vehicle Performance
While Tesla experienced a significant climb, Rivian remained near the bottom of the rankings. The company did move up five spots to No. 26, but Fisher noted that Rivian's reliability is still considered the lowest among all tested brands.
Interestingly, despite its reliability issues, Rivian owners reported the highest satisfaction levels in Consumer Reports' surveys. During a webinar with the Automotive Press Association, Fisher suggested this might be because Rivian drivers are early adopters who tend to be more tolerant of vehicle flaws.
Ford's Lincoln brand saw the most dramatic improvement this year, jumping 17 places to No. 7, largely due to enhanced reliability. The Ford brand itself ranked 18th overall and 11th in reliability, its highest score in 15 years, despite facing recalls and quality control challenges.
Conversely, Audi experienced the most significant decline, falling 10 spots to No. 16. Legacy American brands such as Jeep, GMC, Dodge, Land Rover, and Alfa Romeo occupied the lower positions on the list.
General Motors' top-performing brand was Cadillac at No. 17, followed by Buick at No. 20, Chevrolet at No. 24, and GMC at No. 29. Many of these traditional U.S. automakers continue to struggle in matching the consistent quality often seen from Asian manufacturers.
Hybrid vehicles, however, continue to demonstrate strong performance. Out of the 30 hybrid models surveyed, only three—the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid, and Mazda CX-50 Hybrid—were found to have below-average predicted reliability. All other hybrid models outperformed both electric and internal combustion engine vehicles in terms of reliability.
At the forefront of the overall brand rankings, Subaru secured the first position, followed by BMW, Porsche, Honda, and Toyota. This landscape represents the competitive environment in which Tesla is now operating, having achieved its recent success through a strategy of maintaining and refining existing models rather than introducing entirely new designs.