Tesla has a knack for not performing well in some reliability and dependability surveys, and the most recently released assessment from Consumer Reports continued that trend after the electric automaker finished 27th out of 28 total brands. The report comes just days after Tesla’s Model 3 and Model S claimed two of the top three spots on Consumer Reports’ list of most satisfying cars on the market.
Only Lincoln, a brand of legacy automaker Ford, finished below Tesla. The Model X was rated Tesla’s least reliable vehicle and received 5 out of 100 possible points.
Tesla’s four all-electric vehicles boast some of the best performance and technology on the market. Ask some of the world’s biggest non-profit organizations that handle the automotive sector, and they will regularly conclude Tesla is near the bottom of the barrel. This year’s Reliability Survey from Consumer Reports showed that only the Model 3 was rated with “average” reliability, the highest mark Tesla scored in the assessment. Tesla’s other three vehicles were considered “below average.”
Tesla trifecta dominates Consumer Reports’ list of most satisfying cars on the market
Consumer Reports says that it obtains its reliability data from the Auto Surveys sent to CR members every year. The organization received responses on over 300,000 vehicles this year, detailing information from model years 2000 to 2021. CR asks about reliability and satisfaction to obtain information regarding brands. On its website, Consumer Reports shows how it obtains its rankings for reliability:
“For reliability, we ask members to note any problems with their vehicles that occurred in the previous 12 months. They are asked to identify problems that they considered serious (because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime). We ask them to include problems covered by warranty, but not the ones resulting from accident damage or due solely to recall. Respondents check off problems from a list of trouble areas, ranging from the engine and transmission to climate system, brakes, electrical system, and power accessories. They also tell us in writing (verbatim) specifically what their experiences were to help us understand precisely what problems they are having.”
Interestingly, recent reports from Tesla owners have indicated that build quality has never been better. While customer service is a noted weak point of Tesla, the company still maintains relatively positive experiences with its service. Additionally, the lack of maintenance for an electric vehicle is significantly less. However, there are plenty of owners who are also members of CR that are indicating their cars are not super reliable.
The Model 3 obtained a score of 59 for its reliability rating. The Model S, Y, and X received 20,18, and 5, respectively.
The Model 3 was the only vehicle to score an “Average” rating in CR’s new Reliability Survey. (Credit: Tesla)
CR Director of Vehicle Testing Jake Fisher said that the Model X received incredibly low scores because of continuing issues with its falcon-wing doors. Additionally, The Model Y SUV has build quality issues, Fisher said, especially with “poorly fitting body panels, leaks, and issues with its climate control system,” he said to Reuters. Additionally, in typical CR fashion, the publication took a dig at Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature, where Fisher said, “Full Self-Driving is not Full Self-Driving at all. It’s a convenience feature.”
Consumer Reports’ has regularly been highly critical of Tesla, so the survey results should be taken with some caution. Tesla has had a tumultuous relationship with the build quality of its vehicles, but has refined manufacturing processes in its facilities for years. CEO Elon Musk has stated that he is open to constructive criticism, and Tesla has used it to improve their vehicles’ quality.
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Tesla Model 3 wins Edmunds’ Best EV of 2026 award
The publication rated the Model 3 at an 8.1 out of 10, and with its most recent upgrades and changes, Edmunds says, “This is the best Model 3 yet.”
The Tesla Model 3 has won Edmunds‘ Top Rated Electric Car of 2026 award, beating out several other highly-rated and exceptional EV offerings from various manufacturers.
This is the second consecutive year the Model 3 beat out other cars like the Model Y, Audi A6 Sportback E-tron, and the BMW i5.
The car, which is Tesla’s second-best-selling vehicle behind the popular Model Y crossover, has been in the company’s lineup for nearly a decade. It offers essentially everything consumers could want from an EV, including range, a quality interior, performance, and Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, which is one of the best in the world.
The Tesla Model 3 has won Edmunds Top EV of 2026:
“The Tesla Model 3 might be the best value electric car you can buy, combining an Edmunds Rating of 8.1 out of 10, a starting price of $43,880, and an Edmunds-tested range of 338 miles. This is the best Model 3 yet. It is… pic.twitter.com/ARFh24nnDX
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 18, 2026
The publication rated the Model 3 at an 8.1 out of 10, and with its most recent upgrades and changes, Edmunds says, “This is the best Model 3 yet.”
In its Top Rated EVs piece on its website, it said about the Model 3:
“The Tesla Model 3 might be the best value electric car you can buy, combining an Edmunds Rating of 8.1 out of 10, a starting price of $43,880, and an Edmunds-tested range of 338 miles. This is the best Model 3 yet. It is impressively well-rounded thanks to improved build quality, ride comfort, and a compelling combination of efficiency, performance, and value.”
Additionally, Jonathan Elfalan, Edmunds’ Director of Vehicle Testing, said:
“The Model 3 offers just about the perfect combination of everything — speed, range, comfort, space, tech, accessibility, and convenience. It’s a no-brainer if you want a sensible EV.”
The Model 3 is the perfect balance of performance and practicality. With the numerous advantages that an EV offers, the Model 3 also comes in at an affordable $36,990 for its Rear-Wheel Drive trim level.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s xAI celebrates nearly 3,000 headcount at Memphis site
The update came in a post from the xAI Memphis account on social media platform X.
xAI has announced that it now employs nearly 3,000 people in Memphis, marking more than two years of local presence in the city amid the company’s supercomputing efforts.
The update came in a post from the xAI Memphis account on social media platform X.
In a post on X, xAI’s Memphis branch stated it has been part of the community for over two years and now employs “almost 3,000 locally to help power Grok.” The post was accompanied by a photo of the xAI Memphis team posing for a rather fun selfie.
“xAI is proud to be a member of the Memphis community for over two years. We now employ almost 3,000 locally to help power @Grok. From electricians to engineers, cooks to construction — we’re grateful for everyone on our team!” the xAI Memphis’ official X account wrote.
xAI’s Memphis facilities are home to Grok’s foundational supercomputing infrastructure, including Colossus, a large-scale AI training cluster designed to support the company’s advanced models. The site, located in South Memphis, was announced in 2024 as the home of one of the world’s largest AI compute facilities.
The first phase of Colossus was built out in record time, reaching its initial 100,000 GPU operational status in just 122 days. Industry experts such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang noted that this was significantly faster than the typical 2-to-4-year timeline for similar projects.
xAI chose Memphis for its supercomputing operations because of the city’s central location, skilled workforce, and existing industrial infrastructure, as per the company’s statements about its commitment to the region. The initiative aims to create hundreds of permanent jobs, partner with local businesses, and contribute to economic and educational efforts across the area.
Colossus is intended to support a full training pipeline for Grok and future models, with xAI planning to scale the site to millions of GPUs.
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Ford embraces Tesla-style gigacastings and Cybertruck’s 48V architecture
Ford Motor Company’s next-generation electric vehicles will adopt technologies that were first commercialized by the Tesla Cybertruck.
Ford Motor Company’s next-generation electric vehicles will adopt technologies that were first commercialized by the Tesla Cybertruck, such as the brutalist all-electric pickup’s 48-volt electrical architecture and its gigacastings.
The shift is expected to start with a roughly $30,000 small electric pickup that is expected to be released in 2027, which is part of Ford’s $5 billion investment in its new Universal EV platform, as noted in a CNBC report.
Ford confirmed that its upcoming EV platform will move away from the traditional 12-volt system long used across the auto industry. Instead, it will implement a 48-volt electrical architecture that draws power directly from the vehicle’s high-voltage battery.
Tesla was the first automaker to bring a 48-volt system to U.S. consumers with the Cybertruck in 2023. The architecture reduces wiring bulk, lowers weight, and improves electrical efficiency. It also allows power to be stepped down to 12 volts through new electronic control units when needed.
Alan Clarke, Ford’s executive director of advanced EV development and a former Tesla engineer, called 48-volt systems “the future of automotive” due to their lower costs and smaller wiring requirements. Ford stated that the wiring harness in its new pickup will be more than 4,000 feet shorter and 22 pounds lighter than that of its first-generation electric SUV.
Apart from the Cybertruck’s 48-volt architecture, Ford is also embracing Tesla-style gigacastings for its next-generation EVs. Ford stated that its upcoming electric vehicle will use just two major structural front and rear castings, compared with 146 comparable components in the current gas-powered Maverick.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has described the effort as a “bet” and a “Model T moment” for the company, arguing that system-level innovation is necessary to lower costs and compete globally. “At Ford, we took on the challenge many others have stopped doing. We’re taking the fight to our competition, including the Chinese,” Farley previously stated.
Tesla Model 3 wins Edmunds’ Best EV of 2026 award
Elon Musk’s xAI celebrates nearly 3,000 headcount at Memphis site
