German Research Finds Tesla Mannequin Y Has Worst Reliability of 2022–2023 Fashions … And Worse!

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Nicely, this isn’t excellent news. TÜV of Germany — or Technischer Überwachungsverein if you wish to strive your tongue on the full identify — is a group of unbiased German organizations that consider the security and high quality of quite a lot of merchandise and techniques. It’s a broadly revered unbiased evaluator.

TÜV has simply revealed its 2026 reliability report, and it included a radical evaluation of electrical autos for the primary time. Echoing considerations that rental automotive corporations and fleet corporations have shared in previous, TÜV discovered that the Tesla Mannequin Y had shockingly unhealthy reliability — the worst within the trade in a decade. It had a 17.3% defect fee for automobiles 2–3 years outdated, the worst TÜV recorded within the auto trade in 10 years.

The Mannequin 3 additionally didn’t do properly, with a 13.1% defect fee. That made it the third worst automotive examined, with solely the Ford Mondeo between it and the Mannequin Y on the backside. However what is that this out of, 15 autos? 20? 30? Nope. The analysis lined 110 totally different fashions within the 2–3 12 months outdated automotive class.

“The 2026 TUV Report depends on technical inspection data for about 9.5 million autos that underwent their necessary technical inspection between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, at TUV facilities throughout Germany,” Auto Evolution writes. “The report notes the speed of serious defects that make a car fail the necessary inspection. It’s not an absolute evaluation, contemplating the variations in mileage and upkeep that totally different autos expertise. An government sedan utilized by a gross sales consultant will rack up extra miles than a personal metropolis automotive. Similar to a Mercedes will normally obtain higher care than an inexpensive Dacia that will by no means see a certified restore store.” By the way in which, sure, the little, low cost Dacia Spring even fared higher than the Tesla fashions.

Most electrical autos really did fairly properly. One of the best of them had been the Mini Cooper SE (3.5% defect fee), Audi This autumn e-tron (4.0% defect fee), and Fiat 500e (4.2% defect fee). So, sure, reliability does appear to be an issue particular to Tesla, not all EVs.

I simply revealed my 6-year assessment of the 2019 Tesla Mannequin 3 that I drive right here in Florida. Knock on wooden, however I’ve had only a few points with it in all this time. I do know many different Tesla homeowners who say the identical. However anecdotes don’t beat actual statistics. The actual fact of the matter is, 87 out of 100 individuals with a Mannequin 3 could also be in my boat (because the TÜV report reveals), however 13 out of 100 having issues is a really poor consequence, and 17 out of 100 is even worse. Would you fairly have a one in six or one in seven probability of getting a defect, or a one in 25 probability?

Maybe issues will probably be higher subsequent 12 months?

Now, I’ve to say, it crossed my thoughts all through the article that some Tesla followers will declare that is all a part of an enormous legacy Germany auto conspiracy towards Tesla and the analysis was rigged. Taking a look at how the research is performed, and the way lengthy it’s been occurring, it’s onerous to provide even an oz. of weight to that concept. In fact, that gained’t hold some individuals (most likely many individuals) from making the declare.

Tip of the hat to eveee for the information tip.