Tesla has made history by cracking Consumer Reports’ annual top 10 auto brands list for the first time ever, signaling a significant shift for the EV maker as it continues to focus on improving both quality and affordability. The 2026 Automotive Brand Report Card, recently published by Consumer Reports magazine and detailed by the Detroit Free Press, positions Tesla at No. 10 overall — a notable jump from 18th place last year and its highest ranking to date.
Consumer Reports has traditionally been known as one of Tesla’s toughest critics, particularly in terms of reliability. However, this year’s results paint a different picture. Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ senior director of automotive testing, stated, “Tesla now produces the most reliable electric vehicles.” He attributed this improvement to Tesla’s extensive production experience, noting, “Who else has been manufacturing EVs for as long and at the scale of Tesla? No one. The Tesla S hasn’t undergone a redesign in 15 years. No other automaker keeps a vehicle in production for that long, but Tesla has continuously refined it over time.”
In terms of reliability alone, Tesla secured 9th place overall with a score of 50. This stands in stark contrast to Rivian, the only other all-electric brand assessed by Consumer Reports, which found itself at the bottom of the list with a score of 24. Fisher also highlighted that while current-generation Teslas are performing better than ever, “5- to 10-year-old Teslas rank the lowest in reliability among vehicles of that age group,” emphasizing that the brand’s long-term durability still lags behind its competitors.
The overall 2026 rankings continue to be dominated by foreign automakers, with Subaru claiming the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year. Following Subaru are BMW, Porsche, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Lincoln, Hyundai, Acura, and finally Tesla rounding out the top 10.
Tesla’s remarkable achievement in the Consumer Reports rankings comes at a time when the company is aggressively expanding its product portfolio. Recently, Tesla introduced its most affordable EVs to date — the Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard — significantly lowering the entry barrier for potential buyers. Additionally, the company has commenced deliveries of the refreshed Model Y Performance, featuring updated internals and chassis enhancements for its popular SUV.
With improved reliability ratings, the introduction of budget-friendly models, and the rollout of enhanced Performance variants, Tesla’s inaugural appearance in the Consumer Reports top 10 list marks yet another milestone in a notably eventful year for the company.