Consumer Reports has named Tesla America’s top car brand based on owner satisfaction, road tests, predicted reliability, and safety. Tesla placed eighth overall on the annual Brand Report Card, with only foreign brands besting the carmaker.
Tesla’s overall score of 73 consisted of high marks for owner’s satisfaction and road-testing, but its reliability score took a hit.
Last year, Tesla recalled many cars for drive unit replacements, enough to exceed Consumer Reports’ threshold for “average” reliability, which resulted in Tesla dropping from their “recommended” list. But, a revised rating in October brought the rating back to average.
The publication has also taken a strong stance against Tesla’s Autopilot feature and has gone so far as to issue a list of four demands, including:
Disable Autosteer until it can be reprogrammed to require drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel
Stop referring to the system as “Autopilot” as it is misleading and potentially dangerous
Issue clearer guidance to owners on how the system should be used and its limitations
Test all safety-critical systems fully before public deployment; no more beta releases
Tesla refuses to comply.
Three German automakers took the top spot on the list – Audi, Porsche and BMW, respectively.