While the Tesla Model Y was listed by Consumer Reports (CR) as one of its Best Cars of 2024, the organization does not seem to hold the same sentiments for the Model S sedan and Model X SUV. This was highlighted in CR’s used cars to avoid list, which included the Tesla Model S and Model X, as well as other notable electric cars.
As per the organization, it was able to collect data from Consumer Reports members in its Annual Auto Surveys. This allowed CR to tell how many issues a vehicle has had compared to the average problem rate for all cars that were released in the same model year. As noted by Green Car Reports, over 20% of the vehicles in CR’s list of cars to avoid were electrified.
Particularly interesting was the Tesla Model S, whose 2019-2021 year models were listed by the organization as problematic. For the Tesla Model X, Consumer Reports flagged the all-electric SUV’s 2018 and 2022 model years as problematic. The 2022 Rivian R1T was highlighted by the organization as a used vehicle to avoid as well. Other electric cars in the list included the 2021 and 2023 Volkswagen ID.4, the 2019-2022 Chevy Bolt EV, and the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5.
While the inclusion of some of the market’s most popular electric cars in Consumer Reports’ list of used vehicles to avoid may be quite surprising, some of the EVs in the list may be quite expected. The 2021 Model S and 2022 Model X, for example, have been criticized by Consumer Reports due to their yoke steering wheel and other key features.
This could be seen in CR’s review of the Model S and Model X, with the organization noting that the “yoke steering wheel makes driving very awkward, and controls are extremely unintuitive.” Consumer Reports also criticized the Model S and Model X for not having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Tesla’s use of the Model S and Model X’s infotainment unit as a blind spot warning system was also deemed by the organization as potentially “distracting to the driver.”
The inclusion of the Rivian R1T in Consumer Reports used cars to avoid list may also have been hinted at by the organization earlier this year. In late February, the organization published its list of Worst Car Brands for 2024. Much to the surprise of the electric vehicle community, Rivian was included in CR’s list. As per the organization then, the Rivian R1T and R1S actually performed well in its tests, but some of its members have shared complaints about the vehicles.
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