According to Consumer Reports (CR) surveys, the Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf grab the second- and third-place positions on the list of the most reliable electric vehicles. The newer Kia EV6 actually slotted in the top spot, but it hasn't been around long enough to provide a fair assessment of its potential long-term issues compared to the tried-and-true options.
CR's surveys gather information from hundreds of thousands of owners all over the map, which gives us a solid idea of whether or not they're experiencing problems or they're happy with their cars. Tesla's vehicles often land in high positions when it comes to consumer satisfaction, though the EV maker's lineup has been considered unreliable many times in the past.
Based on CR's data from more than 1,000 Tesla Model 3 owners with vehicles from as early as the 2018 model year, all these EVs have proven to have average reliability or better. The Nissan Leaf is also one of the oldest and "original" EVs, even becoming a bit of an icon these days, somewhat like the Toyota Prius. After being around for so many years, there's plenty of data to suggest that owners haven't had too many notable issues with the electric hatchback.
CR writes that Tesla and Nissan have been mass-producing EVs for many years now, and while their rivals have been building gas cars for over 100 years, these brands still have an obvious edge with EVs. Legacy automakers are now up against a huge transition that is bringing many issues that the two aforementioned brands have already had plenty of time to iron out.
The publication goes so far as to say that the Tesla Mode 3 and Nissan Leaf "have very few problems with batteries, electric motors, or charging," at least based on its extensive survey data. However, it's always important to remember that every person's situation is unique. You could buy or lease a Model 3 or Leaf tomorrow and have reliability issues almost immediately, but it's not as likely as it would be in a new EV such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which is no longer recommended by CR due to its low reliability score.
As far as Tesla is concerned, CR notes that the Model 3 may be an exception in the brand's lineup. Even the Model Y, which is basically an inflated Model 3, has reliability concerns, according to the surveys. Tesla's flagship models also aren't free of such issues.
The publication concludes that it will only be a matter of time before other automakers are likely more successful in producing reliable electric vehicles. However, the Leaf and Model 3 are currently your best bets for a reliable EV. And let's not forget about the all-new Kia EV6.
