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Tesla Model S and Model Y miss out on Consumer Reports ‘recommended’ rating

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Consumer Reports dropped its recommendation of Tesla’s flagship sedan, the Model S, after the organization performed its annual Auto Reliability Survey and found issues with the vehicle’s air suspension and main computer and touchscreen controls. Additionally, the Model Y contributed to a lowering in Tesla’s reliability from the magazine.

CNBC spoke to Consumer Reports’ Senior Director of Automotive Testing, Jake Fisher, who stated that the issues were enough to remove the recommendation that the product testing company once had on the vehicle.

“We see a variety of problems on that car. It’s wavered throughout its life cycle,” Fisher told CNBC. At one point, the Model S was CR’s top-rated vehicle and listed the P85D variant as the best car of all-time in 2015.

However, the removal of the Model S means that only the Tesla Model 3 remains as a “recommended” vehicle by CR. The Model Y never made it to the list, and Fisher added details regarding the all-electric crossover’s issues, which were spotted by CR.

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According to Fisher, the Model Y had a number of misaligned body panels, and human hair was found “stuck in the paint,” according to Reuters“I am surprised that we would see just basic paint and trim type issues and body panel fitment issues,” Fisher said. “Really disappointing when you spend this much money for a car, and hopefully they’ll be able to rectify a lot of these as time goes by.”

The Model Y was given a rating that was “much worse the average” after the examination.

Both Tesla and CR have had a tumultuous relationship with one another, and it is important to identify the relationship that CR has with Tesla.

CR has jostled with ratings of the Model S, Model 3, and Model X several times throughout the past few years. After adding, removing, and re-adding each vehicle several times, CR finally admitted that the Model S and Model 3 were recommended once again in November 2019, after “improved reliability” was reported by the company. A survey of 5,000 Model 3 owners, which revealed positive reviews in terms of the company’s build quality, had shown that Tesla had improved the vehicle’s status during the production process.

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However, CR has continued to cast stones in the direction of Tesla: One in the form of a dismissive review of Smart Summon, another in a very one-sided critique of Autopilot, which stated it was a “distant 2nd” to GM’s Super Cruise.

Tesla Autopilot is now a ‘distant 2nd’ to GM Super Cruise: Consumer Reports

Tesla has confronted the issues with the touchscreen controls on several occasions. The company recently announced that it would be offering warranty extensions on older infotainment systems on Model S and Model X vehicles.

CR has not always been negative toward Tesla, though. The company did list the Model 3 as the only American-made car in Consumer Reports’ Top Picks of 2020. Additionally, CR recognized that Tesla has industry-leading battery tech and energy efficiency.

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Consumer Reports has had quite a tumultuous relationship with Tesla, but the issues recognized in the most recent Model S examination may cause the electric automaker to improve upon any identified issues. After improvements are made, the Model S and Model Y could join the Model 3 as “recommended” by CR.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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SpaceX weighs Nasdaq listing as company explores early index entry: report

The company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly leaning toward listing its shares on the Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could become the largest in history. 

As per a recent report, the company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The update was reported by Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the publication, SpaceX is considering Nasdaq as the venue for its eventual IPO, though the New York Stock Exchange is also competing for the listing. Neither exchange has reportedly been informed of a final decision.

Reuters has previously reported that SpaceX could pursue an IPO as early as June, though the company’s plans could still change.

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One of the publication’s sources also suggested that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion for its IPO. At that level, the company would rank among the largest publicly traded firms in the United States by market capitalization.

Nasdaq has proposed a rule change that could accelerate the inclusion of newly listed megacap companies into the Nasdaq-100 index.

Under the proposed “Fast Entry” rule, a newly listed company could qualify for the index in less than a month if its market capitalization ranks among the top 40 companies already included in the Nasdaq-100.

If SpaceX is successful in achieving its target valuation of $1.75 trillion, it would become the sixth-largest company by market value in the United States, at least based on recent share prices. 

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Newly listed companies typically have to wait up to a year before becoming eligible for major indexes such as the Nasdaq-100 or S&P 500.

Inclusion in a major index can significantly broaden a company’s shareholder base because many institutional investors purchase shares through index-tracking funds.

According to Reuters, Nasdaq’s proposed fast-track rule is partly intended to attract highly valued private companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to list on the exchange.

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The Boring Company’s Prufrock-2 emerges after completing new Vegas Loop tunnel

The new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

The Boring Company announced that its Prufrock-2 tunnel boring machine (TBM) has completed another Vegas Loop tunnel in Las Vegas. The company shared the update in a post on social media platform X.

According to The Boring Company’s post, the new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.

The new tunnel marks the fourth tunnel constructed near Westgate Las Vegas as the Vegas Loop network continues expanding across the city.

The Boring Company also noted that the new tunnel surpassed its previous internal record of 2.26 miles for a single Vegas Loop segment.

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Construction of the tunnel involved moving roughly 68,000 cubic yards of dirt. The excavation process also used about 4.8 miles of continuous conveyor belt, powered by six motors totaling 825 horsepower.

The Boring Company’s Prufrock-series all-electric tunnel boring machines are designed to support the rapid expansion of company’s underground transportation projects, including the growing Vegas Loop network. Prufrock machines are designed for reusability, thanks in no small part to their capability to be deployed and retrieved easily through their “porposing” feature.

The Vegas Loop, specifically the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop segment, has already been used during major events. Most recently, the LVCC Loop supported the 2026 CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show, which was held from March 3-7, 2026. 

As per The Boring Company, the LVCC Loop transported roughly 82,000 passengers across the convention center campus during the event’s duration. 

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CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America, drawing more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries this year.

The LVCC Loop forms the initial segment of the broader Vegas Loop network, which remains under active development as The Boring Company continues building new tunnels throughout the city.

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Tesla gathers Cybercab fleet in Gigafactory Texas

Images and video of the Cybercab fleet were shared by longtime Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer in posts on social media platform X.

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Credit: Credit: @JoeTegtmeyer/X

Tesla appears to be assembling a growing number of Cybercabs at Gigafactory Texas as preparations continue for the vehicle’s mass production. Recent footage shared online has shown over 30 Cybercabs being transported by trucks or staged near testing areas at the facility.

The images and video were shared by longtime Giga Texas observer and drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer in posts on social media platform X.

Interestingly enough, Tegtmeyer noted that many of the Cybercabs being loaded onto transport trucks were still equipped with steering wheels. This suggests that the vehicles are likely testing units rather than the final driverless configuration expected for the company’s Robotaxi service.

The vehicles could potentially be headed to testing sites across the United States as Tesla prepares to expand its Robotaxi fleet.

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Additional footage captured at Gigafactory Texas also showed the Cybercab’s side and rear camera washer system operating as vehicles were being loaded onto transport trucks.

The growing number of Cybercabs at Giga Texas comes amidst the company’s announcement that the first production Cybercab has been produced at the facility. Full Cybercab production is expected to begin in April.

The vehicle is expected to play a central role in Tesla’s Robotaxi ambitions as the company looks to expand autonomous ride-hailing operations beyond its early deployments using Model Y vehicles.

Tesla has also linked Cybercab production to its proposed Unboxed manufacturing process, which assembles large vehicle modules separately before integrating them. The approach is intended to reduce production costs and accelerate output.

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Musk has also noted that the Cybercab’s ramp will likely begin slowly due to the number of new components and manufacturing steps involved. However, he stated that once the process matures, Cybercab production could scale quickly.

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