Tesla's Ranking Plummets in US Consumer Reports' Recommended Electric Cars... Also Loses Top Pick Spot

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As Tesla faces design changes and safety issues, its ranking has significantly dropped on this year’s recommended electric vehicle list selected by the U.S. consumer magazine Consumer Reports, and the top recommended electric vehicle spot has been taken over by Ford.

According to Bloomberg on the 17th (local time), Tesla received a score of 60 in Consumer Reports’ annual electric vehicle evaluation ranking of 32 car brands, falling 7 places from before to 23rd. The first place was taken by Japan’s Subaru (81 points), followed by Mazda and BMW. Hyundai and Kia ranked 14th and 18th respectively.

Tesla also lost the top recommended electric vehicle spot chosen by Consumer Reports this year. Tesla’s sedan Model 3 had been selected as the top recommended electric vehicle for the past two years, but this year Ford’s Mustang Mach-E was chosen. Consumer Reports stated that based on road test results, consumer satisfaction, reliability, and safety, the Mach-E was named the ‘Top Pick’ in the electric vehicle category.

Jake Fisher, head of automotive testing, evaluated, “The Mach-E is fun to drive and has a good ride quality,” adding, “It seems well made.” He explained that Tesla’s Model S sedan and Model X SUV have low shipment volumes, and Model Y continues to have safety issues, so the only Tesla electric vehicle recommended by Consumer Reports is the Model 3.

However, the Tesla Model 3 also lost points in terms of safety. Consumer Reports explained that Ford Mach-E’s driver assistance system BlueCruise had better warning functions for inattentive driving compared to Tesla Model 3’s similar feature.

Meanwhile, Tesla is under investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after consumer complaints about sudden unintended braking of electric vehicles. NHTSA stated that more than 350 complaints of unexpected sudden braking were received for certain Tesla electric vehicle models, and an investigation is underway targeting 416,000 units of 2021?2022 Model 3 sedans and Model Y sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

The vehicles with consumer complaints are equipped with autonomous driving assistance features such as Autopilot. Autopilot is an automatic function that assists with braking, acceleration, and steering of the vehicle. NHTSA is currently investigating accidents related to Tesla vehicles equipped with the Autopilot feature. Tesla has not issued any specific statement regarding this matter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.