Tesla is tops in buyer satisfaction, Consumer Reports says

By Russ Mitchell

Dec. 21, 2017 9:40 AM PT

Reporting from San Francisco —

Tesla Inc., California’s only major automaker, satisfies its car buyers better than any other brand, according to Consumer Reports.

The electric-drive Tesla Model S sedan topped the list of cars whose buyers are satisfied with their purchase after three years of driving. The Model X finished eighth.

And across all models, the Elon Musk-led automaker — based in Palo Alto — ranked No. 1 on the list of vehicle brands whose owners feel satisfied.

The satisfaction rankings, released Thursday, aren’t a measure of build quality or reliability. Instead, Consumer Reports said, “cars that meet owner expectations” tend to top the list.

Although Tesla’s Model X crossover continues to suffer from quality problems, owners are otherwise happy with it, according to Consumer Reports.

The survey asked about driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio and climate systems.