Consumer Reports Cuts Tesla From Its Recommended List Over Reliability

The best car ever tested by Consumer Reports—the all-electric Tesla Model S—is no longer recommended by the magazine after owners reported a litany of bugs and defects.

That was the key headline from Consumer Reports’ annual survey of automotive reliability based on 740,000 vehicles among its subscribers. The surveys found owners struggling with problems with in-dash devices and complaining about many new fuel-saving transmissions, reporting frequent repairs and harrowing driving moments.

The magazine’s news sent Tesla’s shares plunging 15 percent, along with concerns about the pricing and production of the new Tesla Model X luxury SUV.

Last year, Consumer Reports had ranked the Model S as “average” in reliability, allowing it to maintain the magazine’s sought-after recommendation. This year, reports from 1,400 Model S owners offered a wide range of quality problems, from body squeaks and misaligned doors/trunks to electric motors needing replacement and automatic door handles that failed to operate.

“It’s a great car. We stand by those words; it’s a great car when everything is working 100 percent,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports director of automotive testing.

But adding complexity to Tesla vehicles has also added quality problems. The introduction of sunroofs and all-wheel drive models and performance versions have resulted in a slew of reliability issues across the board.