Consumer Reports: Electric Vehicles Face Reliability Issues Compared to Traditional Cars

Consumer Reports (CR) has recently released its annual car reliability survey, and the results for 2023 are not favorable for electric vehicles (EVs). According to the survey, EVs experienced 79% more problems than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Plug-in hybrids fared even worse, with 146% more issues. Surprisingly, standard hybrids outperformed all other vehicle types, with 26% fewer problems than gasoline-powered cars.

Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports, attributed the reliability issues to the fact that most electric cars are produced by legacy automakers new to EV technology or by companies like Rivian that are new to manufacturing cars. Fisher stated that these manufacturers are experiencing growing pains and need time to work out the bugs.

The main issues reported for EVs were failing electric drive motors, unreliable charging systems, and battery pack problems. Plug-in hybrids faced similar challenges due to the complexity of using two separate powertrains. Standard hybrids, on the other hand, performed well because they have been in production for a longer time and are often manufactured by reliable brands like Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia.

Despite the overall poor performance of EVs, Consumer Reports highlighted that the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y were the most mechanically sound electric vehicles in the survey. However, Tesla still struggled with build quality issues such as irregular paint, broken trim, malfunctioning door handles, and faulty trunks.

Consumer Reports emphasized that mechanical issues have the most significant impact on reliability scores. While smaller defects like window or paint problems can add up, major defects that affect a vehicle’s performance or result in expensive repairs are weighted more heavily.

In terms of brand rankings, Lexus and Toyota took the top spots for reliability, followed by Mini, Acura, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, Porsche, BMW, and Kia. Brands such as Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, Volkswagen, Jeep, Volvo, GMC, and Lincoln ranked near the bottom. However, it’s important to note that the survey results are based on qualitative data from survey respondents and only include brands with a sufficient sample size.

The survey also revealed that traditional passenger vehicles, including sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons, had the highest overall reliability scores. SUVs, crossovers, minivans, and pickups followed in that order. Electric pickups had the most problems out of all vehicle types.

Consumer Reports acknowledged that there are exceptions to these findings and provided additional summaries on why EVs performed poorly and the reliability differences between automotive brands.

In conclusion, while EVs face reliability challenges compared to traditional cars, there are variations within each vehicle type and brand. Consumers should consider these factors when making purchasing decisions.