Tesla may dominate headlines for its high-performance electric vehicles and industry-leading Supercharger network, but a new analysis shows the company's older models are struggling badly on the used-car market.
According to Consumer Reports' 2025 Used Vehicle Reliability Study, Tesla ranks as the most unreliable used car brand in America, placing last out of 26 automotive brands. The review looked at models 5 to 10 years old, and Tesla scored a reliability rating of 31, trailing Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler.
The findings highlight a sharp contrast between Tesla's technological ambitions and the long-term durability of its earlier vehicles.
Consumer Reports noted that while aging Teslas encounter frequent issues, the company's newer models now show "better-than-average reliability," placing Tesla among the top 10 in new-car predictability — ahead of several legacy automakers, including Ford, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Volkswagen.
Still, Tesla's recall history remains a major factor in its reliability challenges. The company has issued numerous recalls across nearly every model line. More than 46,000 Cybertrucks were recalled this year over an exterior panel that could detach while driving.
In January, over 200,000 Teslas were recalled for a software glitch that disabled rearview cameras. In recent years, millions more have been recalled for problems involving Autopilot, brake fluid detection, seat-belt warnings, touchscreen failures, and steering control issues.
The used-EV market hasn't helped Tesla either. Prices for pre-owned Teslas have fallen sharply from the pandemic-era boom, when federal tax credits fueled demand.
Since those incentives were rolled back under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, buyers have increasingly returned to gas-powered cars or opted for plug-in hybrids, TechSpot reported.
Tesla is also facing fierce competition from China's surging EV industry.
Brands like BYD are flooding global markets with lower-cost models, a shift analysts compare to the 1970s, when Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Honda reshaped the U.S. auto landscape.
Topping Consumer Reports' 2025 reliability list were Lexus and Toyota, both produced by Toyota Motor Corporation.
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