Recommended? Consumer Reports Clarifies Tesla’s Reliability Results

The score for the cheapest Tesla went from 24 to 59. The Model S barely made the cut.

On November 17, we published an article about Consumer Reports’ 2019 Reliability Survey and the fact that the magazine gave a Recommended status to the Tesla Model S and the Tesla Model 3. At the time, we wanted to clarify some doubts we had about it and we’re glad to tell you we managed to chat with Jake Fisher, CR’s senior director of auto testing. He addressed all the concerns we had and even gave some good news to Tesla fans.

Gallery: Tesla’s Performance On Consumer Reports Reliability Survey Made Us Wonder

Recommended? Consumer Reports Clarifies Tesla’s Reliability Results

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Recommended? Consumer Reports Clarifies Tesla’s Reliability Results







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Our main doubt about the survey was how could a company that was in 23rd among 30 car brands have 2 of its 3 models as Recommended vehicles. Presumably, that would put it in a much better position, but the fact is that the Model X, with a score of only 15 points, did drag the company down. It was among the ten least reliable vehicles of the survey.

CR achieves the score for the brands by adding all its vehicles’ points and dividing them for the number of models involved. We only had the number for the Model X and estimated the Model 3 and the Model S had around 51 each. Well, they didn’t.

The Model 3 lost its Recommended status when it got a 24 score in 2018. In the 2019 Reliability Survey, it managed to get a 59 score, with 35 more points. It is 145.8 better than the previous rating. In other words, it more than doubled its score in a matter of one year.