Photo: Tesla
Consumer Reports does not use its Overall Score only to rate its top picks when it comes to cars. The consumer organization also ranks the brands. In 2021, Mazda was the best one, but it lost its place to Subaru in 2022. The last one is Jeep, but the real surprise was how much Tesla nosedived in the ranking: seven positions, ending in 23rd place. Blame the steering yoke for that.
According to Consumer Reports, the weird solution blasted Tesla because the yoke is challenging to use, which affected the road-test score of the two vehicles that got it: the Model S and Model X.
On its page about Tesla, the entity also states that “the recently refreshed Model S has an estimated range of more than 400 miles, but the controls are extremely distracting and unintuitive.” Sean O’Kane reported on Bloomberg that capacitive buttons also lowered Tesla’s score.
Although customer satisfaction rose in Consumer Reports’ evaluation, the predicted reliability of Tesla vehicles dropped, which also influenced its final position on the ranking. Of its four cars, only one is recommended by the consumer organization.
To show how that affects the brand position in the ranking, Subaru has 5 of its 6 tested models among those recommended by Consumer Reports. Mazda – which is now in the 2nd position – has all its five models in the consumer organization list of recommendations.
The closest brand to Tesla in regard to tumbling was GMC: it fell five positions in 2022 and got the 31st position, just one above the worst one. Consumer Reports did not explain why GMC dropped the ball so badly.
On the positive news, Acura climbed 11 positions compared to what it achieved in 2021 and is now 12th. Other significant improvements were reported for Mini – which mounted nine places, to 8th – and Audi. The premium German brand is 6th in the ranking, five positions above what it had in 2021.
According to Consumer Reports, while its vehicles still “rank about mid-pack in terms of brand reliability,” they also present “a high-grade interior. Ride and handling are accomplished and the cabin is quiet.”
On its page about Tesla, the entity also states that “the recently refreshed Model S has an estimated range of more than 400 miles, but the controls are extremely distracting and unintuitive.” Sean O’Kane reported on Bloomberg that capacitive buttons also lowered Tesla’s score.
Although customer satisfaction rose in Consumer Reports’ evaluation, the predicted reliability of Tesla vehicles dropped, which also influenced its final position on the ranking. Of its four cars, only one is recommended by the consumer organization.
To show how that affects the brand position in the ranking, Subaru has 5 of its 6 tested models among those recommended by Consumer Reports. Mazda – which is now in the 2nd position – has all its five models in the consumer organization list of recommendations.
The closest brand to Tesla in regard to tumbling was GMC: it fell five positions in 2022 and got the 31st position, just one above the worst one. Consumer Reports did not explain why GMC dropped the ball so badly.
On the positive news, Acura climbed 11 positions compared to what it achieved in 2021 and is now 12th. Other significant improvements were reported for Mini – which mounted nine places, to 8th – and Audi. The premium German brand is 6th in the ranking, five positions above what it had in 2021.
According to Consumer Reports, while its vehicles still “rank about mid-pack in terms of brand reliability,” they also present “a high-grade interior. Ride and handling are accomplished and the cabin is quiet.”
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