Consumer Reports on Model 3 and Prius Prime

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

We traded our 2017 Prius Prime for a 2019 Standard Range Plus Model 3. A unique opportunity, we are very happy and remain happy with both cars. However, Consumer Reports had this:

• Prius Prime - got a higher score even though it has 4-5 generations of improvements yet less payload.
• Model 3 - got a lower score, a first model year, that Consumer Reports has often cited as the worst car to get.
• Measured specifications:
  • Range of Model 3 is cited but not the Prius Prime
  • Cost per mile is not cited for either car

I do not regret trading in our 2014 Prius Prime for a 2019 Model 3. Let me share, we have done some trips of:

• 1200 mi - Prius Prime, $55, ~20 hrs
• 2 x +700 mi each way - trips to Kansas and Texas, ~$30 each way, ~18 hrs
• 500 mi round trip - Tunica MS

I'm not throwing stones at Consumer Reports because they are in an earlier age, 5-10 years earlier. Rather, they have done the best they are able. About three editorial boards earlier, Consumer Reports had a Prius review problem. Perhaps Tesla has replaced their earlier bias ... or they laid off the *ssholes.

Bob Wilson

 

[EinSV]

Hi,

We traded our 2017 Prius Prime for a 2019 Standard Range Plus Model 3. A unique opportunity, we are very happy and remain happy with both cars. However, Consumer Reports had this:

• Prius Prime - got a higher score even though it has 4-5 generations of improvements yet less payload.
• Model 3 - got a lower score, a first model year, that Consumer Reports has often cited as the worst car to get.
• Measured specifications:
  • Range of Model 3 is cited but not the Prius Prime
  • Cost per mile is not cited for either car

I do not regret trading in our 2014 Prius Prime for a 2019 Model 3. Let me share, we have done some trips of:

• 1200 mi - Prius Prime, $55, ~20 hrs
• 2 x +700 mi each way - trips to Kansas and Texas, ~$30 each way, ~18 hrs
• 500 mi round trip - Tunica MS

I'm not throwing stones at Consumer Reports because they are in an earlier age, 5-10 years earlier. Rather, they have done the best they are able. About three editorial boards earlier, Consumer Reports had a Prius review problem. Perhaps Tesla has replaced their earlier bias ... or they laid off the *ssholes.

Bob Wilson

Model 3 had the highest owner satisfaction of any vehicle tested, and Tesla had the highest owner satisfaction of any brand.

That speaks much louder than Consumer Reports' reliability data, which is skewing their overall resutls.

If you dig deeper, CR's reported reliability issues have to do with a few relatively minor areas that don't significantly affect ownership happiness (as can be seen in the owner satisfaction results).

For more details, the flaws in CR's methodology were skewered in a series of posts by @KarenRei in this reddit AMA with Jake Fisher from CR: I am the Director of Auto Test from Consumer Reports to talk about top picks and reliability AMA : IAmA

 

[GGTK]

Prius prime has its place in the market.. Gateway drug to full ev! Bought a prius prime last December and love full electric so much that six months later I ordered a model 3. Not sure how they're driving their car but I have a 400 mi per week commute and my mileage averages 60-65 mpg. I only charge once or twice a week and use ev mode on local roads. Highway miles I use hybrid mode.

 

[J X 3]

Consumer Reports is gossip and they hate Tesla. Go watch their Youtube channel, those are not informed, educated and civilized individuals.

 

[glide]

Model 3 had the highest owner satisfaction of any vehicle tested, and Tesla had the highest owner satisfaction of any brand.

That speaks much louder than Consumer Reports' reliability data, which is skewing their overall resutls.

If you dig deeper, CR's reported reliability issues have to do with a few relatively minor areas that don't significantly affect ownership happiness (as can be seen in the owner satisfaction results).

For more details, the flaws in CR's methodology were skewered in a series of posts by @KarenRei in this reddit AMA with Jake Fisher from CR: I am the Director of Auto Test from Consumer Reports to talk about top picks and reliability AMA : IAmA

The tides are turning and since Tesla has ramped up production and cut down on customer service it seems like CR’s report is perfectly in line.

 

[bwilson4web]

Just 10 years ago, the Prius was Consumer Reports 'betty noire' that they excoriated at every opportunity. They haven't quite gotten that far with the Model 3 but I notice a parallel:

• Jan-Mar 2010 - the Gen-3 Prius suffered from a 'brake pause' problem. Given the right combination of events, the brakes would stop working for ~800 ms. that required a recall taking our cars back to a Toyota service center for a brake controller software upgrade. Consumer Reports barely noticed.
• May 2018 - the early Model 3, emergency brake problem is identified and patched, over the air in one week in front of Consumer Reports. Yet in gratitude, Consumer Reports 'forgets' this exceptional response to a problem.

Of all the car reviewers:

1. Edmunds long term reports - the closest to owner experience except they still use a corporate owned car in the employee car pool. Lacking the commitment of 'money in the game,' they write what they think owners experience . . . without the commitment.
2. Car and Driver - at least they make reasonably accurate performance metrics. They still have a lot of snark about what they don't understand.
3. Consumer Reports - less bad, they try and at least make an attempt at accurate performance metrics. But they suffer the same problem as Edmunds that they individually are not financially vested in their test cars.

I don't know if there is a resolution. For me, it is applying basic engineering to what little open source data exists. Then when I get a test article, do the tests the 'reviewers' miss.

Bob Wilson

 

[davewill]

... Range of Model 3 is cited but not the Prius Prime ...

Well being a hybrid, the range of the Prius exceeds the Tesla, and isn't really a significant issue. And the article states states the Prius' electric range right at the top of the page you posted.

 

[Bleu]

I think CR can offer useful information but I also think they have different priorities than me in terms of what makes a great car. Most notably, they don't seem to weigh very heavily the fact that M3 uses no gas and is zero emissions. They're really concerned with a smooth and quiet ride; not that those aren't factors to consider but they aren't necessarily my priorities and preferences. So take what is meaningful to you from CR but find a way to adjust the numeric rating to fit what you are actually looking for in a car. For me, anything that consumes gas is a non starter at this point.

 

[GGTK]

I think CR can offer useful information but I also think they have different priorities than me in terms of what makes a great car. Most notably, they don't seem to weigh very heavily the fact that M3 uses no gas and is zero emissions. They're really concerned with a smooth and quiet ride; not that those aren't factors to consider but they aren't necessarily my priorities and preferences. So take what is meaningful to you from CR but find a way to adjust the numeric rating to fit what you are actually looking for in a car. For me, anything that consumes gas is a non starter at this point.

Well isn't a smooth and quiet ride the point of ev.. Seems like most of us value that.

 

[DirtyT3sla]

CR is really weird in the ways the put down tesla. I'm about to give them a rebuttal on their NoAP video...that video was a bunch of crap

 

[Bleu]

Well isn't a smooth and quiet ride the point of ev.. Seems like most of us value that.

I wouldn't call it "the" point.

To me the main point of EV is moving away from fossil fuels towards clean, sustainable energy, which happens to be Tesla's mission statement. Of course, EVs run very quiet compared to ICE cars, but what CR really rewards is having a quiet cabin, which is really more about soundproofing the cabin from wind and traffic noise, etc., and somewhat oddly they seem to penalize EVs for not "masking" such noise with the engine. Smooth ride..that's more related to suspension than the drivetrain, I think. I was just saying that CR is still evaluating from an old school, ICE centered perspective and people should factor that into their decisions.

 

[StellarRat]

You have to remember that CR does a lot of "averaging". They also expect every feature in a car to work perfectly and simply for the consumer. They don't seem to accept that people (like Model 3 owners) are willing to use really cool features even if they're not simple or perfect. I also don't think CR counts the safety some of them add to driving as well as the risks. A lot of the CR criticism comes from the complicated features in the Model 3 that the consumer has to think/know about to use them safely like Autopilot. This philosophy was probably fine when consumer products were relatively simple, but I think as products become "smarter" you're going to see a lot more complaining from CR or they'll have to change their outlook. Like I said in another comment, it's good thing CR doesn't review airplanes and military equipment. Those have "features" that can get you killed if you don't know what you're doing. I think eventually AI will make the complexities of modern products safer in the long run, but that probably a way off.

 

[warren_ja]

Prius prime has its place in the market.. Gateway drug to full ev! Bought a prius prime last December and love full electric so much that six months later I ordered a model 3. Not sure how they're driving their car but I have a 400 mi per week commute and my mileage averages 60-65 mpg. I only charge once or twice a week and use ev mode on local roads. Highway miles I use hybrid mode.

I am in the same boat. Bought a Prius Prime last July. I love the car and it fulfills the niche for which it was designed and has exceeded its advertised specs in most every way. I wanted a Model 3 at the time and bought it primarily due to the limitations of the Supercharging network in places where I go and also due to the sticker-shock of going on the Tesla website to reserve my "$35,000 Model 3". All my in-town driving in the Prime full EV so I have really learned to appreciate what a superlative alternative EV is to ICE. Trading in the Prius Prime and trading up if I can ever get Tesla to give me a delivery date!

 

[Kleenerth3]

Boy, it's hard not to notice how well Toyota pays attention to advertising!!! Glad my American Tesla Co. doesn't piss me off every 8 minutes on the TV or radio about some kind of "feeling".

 

[Glamisduner]

My customer satisfaction of driving a prius prime would be a 1 out of 10 when compared to a model 3.