• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • The Rearview Mirror: All That the Name Implies
  • Top Tips for Improving EV Range in Cold Weather
  • Mercedes is First Automaker to Offer True Level 3 Hands-Free Driving System in the U.S.
  • Audi Introduces Fourth “Sphere” Concept: Activesphere
  • Jaguar Land Rover Posts First Profitable Quarter in Two Years
  • Musk Confirms Cybertruck Production Tracking for End of 2023
  • Polestar Raises its Game with the 2024 Polestar 2
  • Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda Steps Down, Hands Reins to Lexus Chief Koji Sato
  • Environmental Groups Chide GM for ICE Investments
  • Tesla Sets New Financial Benchmarks, But Misses Analysts Targets
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 4x4 Super Crew
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8
    • First Drive: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport
    • A Week With: 2023 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
    • A Week With: 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance
    • A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Z71
    • A Week With: 2023 Lexus UX 250h F Sport
    • A Week With: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4Matic
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > news > Automakers > Tesla Tops Consumer Reports 2022 Owner Satisfaction Ratings — But Mustang Mach-E Top EV

        Tesla Tops Consumer Reports 2022 Owner Satisfaction Ratings — But Mustang Mach-E Top EV

        But Ford's Mustang Mach-E is named CR's EV "Top Pick," dethroning Tesla's Model 3.

        Larry Printz
        Larry Printz , Assistant Managing Editor
        Feb. 18, 2022
        Porsche ranked second in owner satisfaction, according to Consumer Reports. A similar study by J.D. Power ranked Porsche No. 1.

        Reliability may mean fewer trips to the dealer, but it doesn’t necessarily bring happiness.

        That’s the takeaway from Consumer Reports new ranking of brands that most consistently please their customers across their brand line-up. Tesla wound up on top of the charts, despite the influential publication repeatedly faulting the brand for quality problems.

        And that helps explain why Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, rather than the Tesla Model 3, was named CR’s “Top Pick” among electric vehicles this year. The accolade reinforces Ford CEO Jim Farley’s belief that Ford can compete with and beat Tesla.

        The magazine rates the Mustang Mach-E as having much better than average reliability, something no Tesla can claim. While Consumer Reports rates the 2022 Model 3 as having average reliability, the brand’s other vehicles, the 2022 Model Y, Model X and Model S, all suffer from much worse than average reliability, and are not recommended.

        And as automakers introduce new technology with unfamiliar designs, consumers are becoming increasingly frustrated. This is especially true of the yoke steering wheel Tesla is now using opn its Model S and Model X vehicles. Owners’ unhappiness with the new design has clearly had an effect on its ratings at Consumer Reorts. Yet, at the same time, the magazine sites the brand as having the highrst owner satisfaction. So which is it?

        2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Pack - side Bridge
        Ford’s Mustang Mach-E became the first BEV to displace Tesla as Consumer Reports’ “Top Pick” for an EV.

        The most and least satisfying brands

        According to consumer Reports, when it comes to brands that most satisfy their owners, Tesla ranked number one with a score of 82, followed by Porsche at 80, Genesis at 75, and Chrysler and Dodge at 74.

        Rounding out the middle was Ram placing 6th with a score of 73, BMW at 72, Ford at 71, Mazda and Hyundai at 70, Toyota at 69, Volvo, Lexus, Subaru and Lincoln at 68, Mini, Chevrolet and GMC at 67, Honda at 66, Volkswagen and Audi at 65, Mercedes-Benz and Kia at 64 and Jeep at 62.

        When it came to least-satisfying brands, Buick ranked 25th with a score of 61. Faring even worse was Nissan at 59, followed by Acura at 57, Cadillac at 56 and Infiniti dead last at 29th with a score of 43. The bottom of the rankings remains unchanged from last year, while at the top of the rankings, Dodge moved up three spots from last year.

        The consumer organization said it analyzed data to determine which automakers excel at specific factors such as comfort, how easy the infotainment system is to use, and perceived value. Notably, reliability is less of a factor.

        2021 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD S rear
        Chrysler ranked among the most comfortable brands in the latest Consumer Reports survey. It also scored good marks for its infotainment system.

        Other brand considerations

        If you’re looking for a vehicle with comfortable seats and ride, and little cabin noise, Lexus is rated number one at 88, followed by Lincoln at 82, Mercedes-Benz at 85, Chrysler at 83, Volvo at 83 and Audi at 82. Jeep was ranked least comfortable, with a rating of 55. 

        But perhaps you’re more of a driving enthusiast; then you’d want to consider Consumer Reports’ list of brands with the best handling and acceleration. Tesla tops the ranks at 96, followed by Porsche at 95, BMW at 91, Dodge at 87, Audi at 86 and, surprise, Genesis at 86. Jeep also anchors the bottom of this list at 62.

        Or maybe a car with a great infotainment setup and flawless in-car electronics is your top priority. Consumer Reports ranks Tesla at the top of this list as well, with a score of 70. Chrysler trails at 69, followed by Dodge and Lincoln at 66, followed by GMC and Chevrolet at 64. Acura brings up the bottom of the list with a rating of 34 — which shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s had to wrestle with their funky electronics.

        Acura’s infotainment system was considered the worst of any brand’s offering.

        Some of us are captivated by styling, and when it comes to how a car looks, the Genesis brand took the lead at 97, followed by Mini and Porsche at 96, Lincoln and Audi at 91, and Cadillac at 89. Nissan’s styling was least-favored with a ranking of 74.

        When it came to brands that delivered owners expected for the price, it’s no surprise that brands that have long been perceived at giving you more for less placed at the top of the list. So, Subaru placed first at 64, followed by Genesis at 63, and Mazda at 62. They were followed by Buick, Chrysler and Hyundai, all tying with a score of 60. The bran that offered the least value for the price? Porsche, with a score of 36.

        Anomalies among the results

        But none of these factors are the ones that consumers think about first when choosing a new vehicle: reliability. 

        Among the top five brands in owner’s satisfaction, Tesla and Genesis are rated by Consumer Reports as having worse than average reliability, while Chrysler, Dodge and Porsche are predicted to deliver average reliability.

        2023 Cadillac Escalade-V best
        While consumers applauded Cadillac’s styling, overall satisfaction was among the industry’s worst, according to Consumer Reports. However, J.D. Power thought otherwise.

        But reliability isn’t the sole factor affecting a purchase decision, as indicated by the ancillary lists the magazine also published. Someone looking for driving comfort would consider a Mercedes-Benz which ranks third among all brands for driving comfort. But overall, it ranks 22nd, a reflection of other factors that impact total satisfaction.  

        And while consumers liked Cadillac’s styling, overall, it ranks 28th of 29 brands for owner satisfaction. By contrast, its crosstown rival ranked higher for styling, and placed mid-pack in owner’s satisfaction at 15. It also outranked Cadillac for comfort and infotainment, placing among the industry’s best brands for both.

        But perhaps what’s most revealing about the list is that you don’t have to spend a lot money to get a vehicle that’s satisfying to drive. Dodge outranks BMW, while Honda outflanks Mercedes-Benz. That said, the most reliable brands don’t necessarily deliver owner happiness: Toyota ranks 11th, while Honda ranks 19th. They’re outranked by Hyundai at 10, and Ford at 8. 

        J.D. Power begs to differ

        The biggest issue with Consumer Reports ratings is that they come from the magazine’s subscriber base, and so its ratings aren’t random samplings. That’s where the J.D. Power Consumer Satisfaction Survey appears to be somewhat more accurate of overall consumer sentiment, not just Consumer Reports subscribers’ sentiment.

        2021 Buick Envision Essence front driving
        Buick had good customer satisfaction on the J.D. Power survey, but not on Consumer Reports’ list.

        J.D. Power’s most recent survey for 2021, has some similarities to the Consumer Reports list, but in other ways differs significantly.

        Among premium brands, J.D. Power ranks Porsche first, followed by Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac and Lincoln. Acura, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Genesis, Volvo, Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover and Alfa Romeo all ranked below average in owner happiness. (Consumer Reports didn’t even include Jaguar, Land Rover and Alfa Romeo in its ratings, while J.D. Power doesn’t include Tesla.)

        Among mainstream brands, J.D. Power rates Mini first, followed by Buick, Mitsubishi, GMC, Kia, Nissan, Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. Other brands were ranked below average including Mazda, Hyundai, Ford, Dodge, Volkswagen, Jeep, Chrysler and Ram. (Consumer Reports didn’t include Mitsubishi in its rankings.)

        The disparity in the lists from Consumer Reports reflects the difference between the magazine’s specialized readership, and a true random sampling.

        Regardless of which list you may believe, the point of the survey is this: it takes more than reliability to make for a happy ownership experience. At best, these serve as starting points on your shopping trip.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published

        The Rearview Mirror: All That the Name Implies

        Yesterday
        GMC Hummer SUT winter testing

        Top Tips for Improving EV Range in Cold Weather

        Jan. 27, 2023
        Mercedes Drive Pilot Nevada driving

        Mercedes is First Automaker to Offer True Level 3 Hands-Free Driving System in the U.S.

        Jan. 27, 2023

        2 responses to “Tesla Tops Consumer Reports 2022 Owner Satisfaction Ratings — But Mustang Mach-E Top EV”

        1. Jim says:
          February 18, 2022 at 1:56 pm

          Obviously, CR editors know more than the people who actually own the vehicles!

          Reply
          1. Paul A. Eisenstein says:
            February 18, 2022 at 5:23 pm

            See our update to the story. It wasn’t nearly as good as our first take for Tesla.

            Paul E.

            Reply

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: