Consumer Reports has released its annual car reliability survey, and electric vehicles (EVs) struggled compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles in 2023.
According to the survey, which is based on the responses from more than 330,000 vehicle owners, hybrids are the most reliable vehicles on the market.
Per the data, hybrids experienced 26 per cent fewer reliability issues than ICE vehicles. There is no apparent clear-cut reason why hybrids are so reliable. However, Consumer Reports did note that hybrids have been around for 25 years, and the manufacturers of these vehicles tend to produce reliable cars like Kia, Hyundai and Toyota.
The rest of the results were:
- Electric Vehicles- 79 per cent less reliable than traditional gas vehicles
- Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles- 146 per cent less reliable than ICE vehicles
In terms of the most reliable electric vehicle, the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 both made the Consumer Reports recommended list.
On Tesla specifically, Consumer Reports Steven Elek had this to say:
Tesla powertrains are now pretty solid for the most part, but Tesla owners report a lot of build quality issues, including irregular paint, broken trim, door handles that don’t work, and trunks that don’t close. All of these pull down the brand’s reliability score.
Like hybrids, we should expect EVs to continue getting more reliable as manufacturers mature their production lines. But for those looking for a reliable EV now, the Consumer Report certified front runners are the Model Y and Model 3.
