A refreshed version of the Tesla Model Y is displayed outside a Tesla store in San Diego, California, USA on October 21, 2025.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Detroit — U.S. electric vehicle sales leader tesla Significant progress in the influential Consumer Reports annual car brand rankings, breaking into the top 10 overall in the US
The company jumped to No. 10 on the list of more than 30 auto brands in the 2026 Consumer Reports Brand Report Card, released Thursday, from No. 18 last year.
“They definitely have their struggles, but by continuing to improve without making major changes to their models, they’ve been able to build more reliable vehicles that have helped move us up the rankings,” Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ senior director of automotive testing, told CNBC.
Automotive brands’ annual report cards are based on Consumer Reports testing and owner surveys on reliability, safety, and overall customer satisfaction.
This study does not reflect broader consumer sentiment, other than customer satisfaction, about the models and automakers ranked by CR. Tesla is facing a consumer backlash after CEO Elon Musk collaborated with the Trump administration and supported far-right politicians and celebrities around the world, including Germany’s far-right anti-immigration party AfD.
Fisher said Tesla’s gains stemmed from the fact that its vehicles have become more reliable over time, particularly because the company hasn’t made major design changes to many of its vehicles like traditional automakers.
Tesla instead relies on remote or over-the-air updates to revise many of the vehicle’s features. According to Consumer Reports, its powertrain reliability remains a standout among EVs.
The only Tesla model to score below the average score is the latest model Cybertruck, which features a number of new technologies such as a 48-volt architecture system and “steer-by-wire.”
A Tesla Cybertruck in front of a graffiti mural in Detroit on August 28, 2024.
Michael Weiland/CNBC
“They’ve definitely gotten better by continuing to do things and refining them, but if you look at the five- to 10-year-old models that are out there, they’re at the bottom of all the brands in terms of reliability,” Fisher said. “Without major changes, you can improve reliability.”
On the other side of the report card, Rivian Automotive Although it moved up five places to 26th place, it remains near the bottom of the rankings. Fisher said the Rivian model is the least reliable.
Despite Rivian’s reliability issues, the brand has the highest owner satisfaction ratings, according to Consumer Reports. During an Automotive Writers Association webinar Thursday, Fisher said the company’s owners are primarily early adopters who are more willing to deal with growing pains than mainstream consumers.
Reliable brands tend to perform well in overall rankings. New model reliability in 2026 is predicted based on each model’s overall reliability over the past three years, provided the model has not been redesigned during that period.
Subaru topped the overall brand list for 2026, followed by BMW, Porsche, Honda, and Toyota, rounding out the top five brands. At the bottom of the rankings were Jeep, Land Rover, GMC, Dodge, and Alfa Romeo.
ford motor’s Lincoln, the top-ranked domestic brand, made the biggest jump in this year’s rankings due to its reliability score, rising 17 spots to No. 7. Audi fell the most from last year, falling 10 places to 16th place.
Traditional American automakers, especially Stellantis The brand struggles compared to its Asian competitors in Consumer Reports’ annual brand reliability rankings.
Remarkably, the Ford brand ranked 18th on the report card with improved reliability. The automaker, which has struggled with quality issues and recalls, ranked 11th in Ford brand reliability, its highest ranking in 15 years.
GM’s top brands were Cadillac in 17th place, Buick in 20th place, Chevrolet in 24th place and GMC in 29th place.
Consumer Reports says hybrid cars, which are growing in popularity, continue to outshine other “electric” vehicles and traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Of the nearly 30 hybrids analyzed by Consumer Reports, only the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and Mazda CX-50 Hybrid have below-average predicted reliability scores.
