Tesla gets a big slap in the face from consumers: Worst car on the list

In a used car market with high prices and uncertainty about batteries, it’s important for customers to know which brands will last the longest after the car’s warranty has expired. That’s what a new analysis from the US is trying to answer.

The study looks at 26 car brands’ models aged 5 to 10 years, and compares the number of defects with the average for each model year.

More than 140,000 vehicles are included, and the analysis covers 20 fault categories, from squeaky brakes and electrical problems to expensive engine and battery repairs.

The result is a divide between brands that deliver consistent quality and those that lag behind.

Japanese brands take the top spots

At the top are the Japanese brands. Lexus takes first place ahead of Toyota, followed by Mazda, Honda and Acura.

The figures show that these brands often change their models in small steps rather than reinventing the whole car at once, resulting in fewer teething problems over time.

BMW sneaks into sixth place as one of the few European brands in the top 10, while Buick, Nissan, Audi and Volvo complete the list of the most reliable cars in the survey.

– “Our data shows that cars from these brands continue to be reliable as they age,” says Steven Elek, head of automotive data at Consumer Reports.

Tesla struggles with the past

At the opposite end of the scale are Ram, Jeep and Tesla.

The electric car brand comes in at 26th place and is ranked at the bottom among cars that are 5 to 10 years old.

The report points out that during its growth years, Tesla introduced new models and ramped up production at a pace that caused more quality issues than many competitors.

These issues include build quality, electronics and batteries. Analysis of Tesla’s LGES batteries in the Model 3 showed wear and tear from the car’s first kilometers, and these types of findings drag down the reliability of the statistics.

At the same time, the study paints a more nuanced picture of Tesla’s future.

The newest models come in ninth place when Consumer Reports rates the expected reliability of factory-new cars.

Tesla still has a backlog of older model years, but its newest models are approaching the level of its stronger competitors.