When buying a new car, you first want to know if it is reliable. Real human experience can give you valuable insight into what to expect. Like every other year, Consumer Reports has issued a list of the most reliable electric cars, and, to our surprise, the list has changed a lot compared to the previous year. In a way, though, that is to be expected because as EVs age, consumers will have a little more experience with their vehicles. If any problems come to the surface, that is when it will show up. As the old saying goes, “Time will tell,” and in this case, it most certainly will.
In theory, electric vehicles should be much more reliable because they are missing many problematic parts associated with ICE-powered vehicles, like the transmission, ignition, fuel systems, valvetrains, and exhaust system, among many other things. In reality, however, EVs have just as many, if not more, problems than gasoline-powered or hybrid models. Owners of electric cars have reported issues with the battery packs, charging, electric drive motors, and heating and cooling systems. Here’s a list of 15 electric vehicles ranked by Consumer Reports according to the issues reported by owners.
We have compiled the information provided below using information from the Consumer Reports website for the most part, but we have also used data from sites such as RepairPal, CarEdge, evsolutions, ev-lectron, and Kelley Blue Book.
Updated on August 26, 2023: The movement away from ICE vehicles to less harmful EVs is just beginning, so there are still many cars that have not been given reliability numbers by Consumer Reports, such as the Lyriq and Ariya, but out of the ones that do have a score we have taken and updated this list so you have the most up-to-date information as possible.
15 Tesla Model S
Predicted Reliability: 2/5
Tesla is perhaps one of the most well-known nameplates when it comes to electric cars and SUVs, but that is not to say that they do not have their own sets of problems. Even then, though, they are still one of the leading brands in the industry, and as they continue to strive forward with new and innovative technology, you can expect to see them continue to be on the list of the most reliable EVs on the planet. While the Model S doesn’t have major issues with the electric powertrain, it has more than its fair share of problems with the air suspension, which has dropped its reliability score to only 25.
Reliability
Owners also reported issues with the body hardware, windows that lock, loose interior and exterior trim, and mold or rust. In the past, up to nine recalls were reported for the Model S, ranging from transmission rebuild or replacement to in-car electronic and power equipment that must be replaced.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$1,047
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,566 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
1 (self-driving software may crash) -
Worst Model S Year To Buy Used:
2020 Tesla Model S (body hardware, climate controls, drive system, paint, and trim)
14 Hyundai Kona Electric
Predicted Reliability: 2/5
The Hyundai Kona EV is probably the biggest surprise on the list. Last year, it had a reliability score of 65, but this year it dropped to only 5. Consumer Reports says the Kona Electric is one of the best electric vehicles under $50,000 that it tested. The Kona EV is easy for most people to climb in to because it has a higher ride height than many others in its class, around seven inches off the ground, and high-mounted seating. Acceleration is quicker than in the ICE version, sprinting from 0 to 60 in right around six and a half seconds, compared to just over 11 seconds for the gas-powered Kona.
Reliability
Still, in the past few years, an alarming number of fires were reported caused by battery defects and various other issues with the charging system, the electric drive system, and the electrical system in general. Hyundai had to deal with massive recalls, and they had to replace the defective batteries. Since these fires seem to be occurring on many EVs and Hybrids, it can be attributed to the new technology. As such, it is a problem that will be fixed by all carmakers in the near future.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$468
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$7,871 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
0 -
Worst Kona Electric Year To Buy Used:
2021 Hyundai Kona Electric (electric motor, electric charging system, and climate system controls)
13 Volkswagen ID.4
Predicted Reliability: 2/5
One name you do not hear about nearly as much as you used to is Volkswagen, so even though the ID.4 is only rated as a two out of five rating for reliability, it deserves a place on this list. The drivetrain and electric motors are solid on this car, as are the safety tests. In fact, the 2023 ID.4 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick + award by scoring well on every test thrown at it, which is good news for those that put safety as the number one priority when choosing a new car.
Reliability
The Volkswagen ID.4 has been on sale for only two years now, but owners have found enough issues with the car to drop its reliability score to 32. One of the most significant issues with the ID.4 is its infotainment system. According to Consumer Reports, it is slow to respond and shuts down randomly, plus it requires a lot of adjustments that will make the driver take their eyes off the road. There are also three recalls for the ID.4, one for an inoperative rearview camera display and two for the electrical system that can lead to fire risks.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$676
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$8,166 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
4 (door opens randomly, electrical, coolant leaks, rearview camera) -
Worst ID.4 Year To Buy Used:
2021 Volkswagen ID.4 (electric motor, electric motor charging system, and in-car electronics)
12 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Predicted reliability: 2/5
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is growing to be one of the most popular electric vehicles on the American market and a serious threat to Tesla. Last year it was one of the most reliable electric cars, according to Consumer Reports, with a score of 82. Things have changed significantly this year, and the Mach-E is no longer a reliable car. Its reliability score has dropped to only 35, and owners reported many problems.
Reliability
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, the Mach-E has been on sale for over two years now, and current owners had time to discover all its issues. 2021 and 2022 model-year vehicles were recalled for requiring updated software, and customers reported issues with electrical problems, the battery pack, and the display screen that freezes on occasion.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$775
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,600 (evsolutions) -
Total Recalls:
0 -
Worst Mach-E Year To Buy Used:
2022 Ford Mach-E (body hardware, paint, trim, electric motor malfunction, EV battery, EV charging system, and in-car electronics)
11 Tesla Model Y
Predicted Reliability: 2/5
To everyone’s surprise, even if the Tesla Model Y is nothing more than a Model 3 with higher ground clearance, it has many more reliability issues than its sedan sibling. According to Consumer Reports, the Model Y revealed many reliability concerns that dropped its score to only 38.
Reliability
Owners have reported issues with the electric motors, transmission, brakes, power equipment, and electrical system. There are also a total of six recalls for the Model Y. So if you plan to buy a Model Y this year, you should keep in mind that while an electric car costs about 40% less to maintain than a gasoline car, it is a lot more expensive to repair, so you should do very detailed research before buying one, even if we are talking about a Tesla.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$623
(KBB) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,732 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
6 (electrical system, steering, seat belts, suspension, and exterior lighting) -
Worst Model Y Year To Buy Used:
2020 Tesla Model Y (rear tailgate, exterior trim, rattles, suspension, climate system, and in-car electronics)
10 Genesis GV60
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
The Genesis GV60 is the first car designed by the carmaker from the ground up to be an all-electric vehicle, with no roots to any ICE siblings or relatives. After Consumer Reports checked it over they came back with the uplifting statement that the GV60 was one of the best EVs they had ever driven. They were genuinely impressed with the luxury offering that Hyundai produced because it has good and smooth acceleration, a decent range, and excellent comfort.
Reliability
Unfortunately, like every other car on the market, the Genesis GV60 does have some problems that need to be worked out by the manufacturer. Since this is a new model there is not much feedback from consumers on the subject yet, but since there are a couple of recalls concerning the seatbelts, that is definitely an aspect of the design that Genesis will need to figure out for the upcoming model year.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$565
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
unknown (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
3
(seat belts x 2, and powertrain) -
Worst GV60 Year To Buy Used:
2023 Genesis GV60 (brand new model so first year)
9 BMW i4
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
The BMW i4 is basically the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe that has been modified by removing the internal combustion engine and transmission and replacing them with one or two electric motors and the drivetrain that goes along with them. So, the great thing about it is that the car keeps all of its great interior luxury and tech features, as well as its fantastic exterior looks and performance qualities while losing all the harmful carbon emissions. The i4 is truly a win-win scenario in the eyes of the carmaker and the buying public.
Reliability
What may be slightly confusing to you when you look at the review by Consumer Reports on the BMW i4 is that the predicted reliability is only a three out of five, but the overall score is a high 84 out of 100. The thing is that the three out of five is a guestimate taken from past issues with the i3 and from previous EV models, so to get a genuine review of the BMW i4, you will have to wait a few years.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$1,000
(BMW) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$14,121 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
5
(electrical system x 4, and back over prevention sounds) -
Worst i4 Year To Buy Used:
2022 BMW i4
(no information, but it was the first year of production)
8 Toyota bZ4X
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
Toyota’s all-new model and nameplate for 2023 was a collaboration with Subaru, making it a close sibling of the Solterra. As you would expect, though, the Toyota bZ4X is cheaper to get your hands on. The powertrain choices are a single motor for front-wheel drive or a dual motor for an all-wheel drive powertrain. As you might expect from Toyota and verified through a test drive at Consumer Reports, the bZ4X is a lot of fun to drive.
Reliability
When a car is being produced for the first time, you will be very hard-pressed to find accurate feedback. One thing you can look at is the recalls associated with that specific car. In this case, the Toyota bZ4X has one recall, dealing with the lug nuts on wheels working loose and coming off. It could be a big issue, but at least it does not have to do with any of the EV systems.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$550
(ev-lectron) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$5,996 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
1 (wheels) -
Worst bZ4X Year To Buy Used:
2023 Toyota bZ4X (first year of production)
7 Kia Niro EV
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
The Kia Niro EV has gone all out when it comes to doing its part in reducing the harm that it does to the environment. It is not only an electric vehicle that removes the carbon footprint that its ICE predecessors leave, but the interior is made up of recycled materials. Items that would have usually been thrown out and taken up space in a landfill or, worse yet, been thrown into a lake or ocean somewhere.
Reliability
Since the Niro has been out for a few years, you have had some time to check it out, and owners have had time to give honest feedback about issues, or non-issues, they have had. So far, nothing has been logged for the 2023 model year, and the only issue for last year was minor EV motors problems. Looks like Kia is getting things figured out.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$142
(HotCars) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$700+ (Kia) -
Total Recalls:
0 -
Worst Niro EV Year To Buy Used:
2019 Kia Niro EV (electric system, noises, body hardware, paint, trim, and EV thermal management)
6 Subaru Solterra
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
The highly anticipated e-Subaru Global Platform arrived with the first-ever all-electric Subaru Solterra. It is an all-wheel drive compact SUV designed to kick off a new generation of electrification for the company. It comes loaded with all the expected modern tech, such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen, terrain selection, high ground clearance, and much more.
Reliability
As with many other brand-new models, there is not much feedback to go on when figuring out if the Subaru Solterra will be a reliable vehicle. The main thing that has come up, just like its sibling, the Toyota bZ4X, is lug nuts have been coming loose, allowing the tires to come off, even if you are driving down the road. Unlike Toyota, though, Subaru has issued a warning for owners not to drive their vehicles until they get the recall fixed.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$617
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,320 (ConsumerReports) -
Total Recalls:
2 (lug nuts) -
Worst Solterra Year To Buy Used:
2023 Subaru Solterra (First year of production)
5 BMW iX
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
The BMW iX has only been on the market for a couple of years. It is a high-end luxury SUV, an electric version of the well-known BMW X5. The iX offers two electric motors with a combined output of 516 horsepower, or 610 horses, for the high-performance model. If driven calmly with ease, the iX can easily get 300 miles on one charge. However, the problem with that concept is that it is a BMW with some get-up-and-go, so it is not easy to keep your foot out of the gas.
Reliability
Reliability for the iX may be slightly misleading if you look at all the car recalls because the first year had nine, while this year has ten. Most of them center on the electrical system, though, covering such things as engine stalling and false displays of warnings when there are no issues at all.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$550
(ev-lectron) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,600 (evsolutions) -
Total Recalls:
10 (speed control, electrical system, airbags, and external warning sounds) -
Worst iX Year To Buy Used:
2022 or 2023 BMW iX (no accurate info yet to judge which year is worse)
4 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
Just like the Kona Electric, the Ioniq 5 has also seen a significant drop in the reliability score. It has dropped from the previous year’s score of 80 down to 41 this year. Just like with the Kona, the Ioniq 5 has been on sale for longer, so customers have had more time to discover various problems with the Ioniq 5.
Reliability
According to Consumer Reports, the car has about 17 potential trouble spots ranging from the electric motors to the in-car electronics and paint that is fading or peeling. There is also one recall for the Ioniq 5 involving the parking brake. Still, despite all these problems, the crossover scored well for acceleration, transmission, noise, fuel economy, and owner’s satisfaction.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$468
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,600 (evsolutions) -
Total Recalls:
0 -
Worst Ioniq 5 Year To Buy Used:
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 (climate system, paint, trim, and in-car electronics)
3 Nissan Leaf
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
Similar to models like the Toyota Prius or the Tesla Model 3, the Nissan Leaf has been in production for so many years that it has become an icon in the EV market. According to Consumer Reports, one of the oldest and most “original” EVs on the market, the Nissan Leaf is experiencing very few problems with batteries, electric motors, or charging, making it a very reliable EV.
Reliability
Of course, this doesn’t mean that buying a Nissan Leaf will be problem-free, but it will not be as likely as it will be with other, less reliable cars. The Leaf is one of the most affordable electric vehicles, with a starting price of $28,000, and offers a range of up to 212 miles.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$748
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$4,600 (evsolutions) -
Total Recalls:
2 (brake fluid leak, defroster performance) -
Worst Leaf Year To Buy Used:
2017 Nissan Leaf (door handles break, air and water leaks, paint, trim, EV battery, EV charging, electric motor, and drive system)
2 Tesla Model 3
Predicted Reliability: 3/5
One of the best-selling electric vehicles at the moment, the Tesla Model 3, has a reliability score of 58 – down from last year’s 79. However, despite being in a higher position than many EVs, data collected from more than 1,000 owners of cars from 2018 and above showed that the Model 3 has either average or better reliability when compared to the EV6. Since this is another Tesla, some of the common problems found across the board are present, but in the grand scheme of things, the Model 3 is still one of the most reliable EVs on the market today.
Reliability
However, owners also reported issues with batteries, electric motors, and charging, which dropped the reliability score. With a range of up to 358 miles in its best trim, and a price starting from $46,990, the Model 3 remains the customer’s favorite EV, and a facelift is just around the corner.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$623
(KBB) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$3,587 (CarEdge) -
Total Recalls:
3 (defective battery disconnect, electrical system, exterior lighting) -
Worst Model 3 Year To Buy Used:
2020 Tesla Model 3 (weather stripping allows air and water leaks, door hardware, paint, trim, and in-car electronics)
1 Kia EV6
Predicted Reliability: 5/5
The Kia EV6 has been found to be the most reliable EV, with a score of 84. However, you should keep in mind that, unlike all the other models from this report, the EV6 has been on sale for only one year, and it is a lot more difficult to detect potential long-term issues. On the other hand, though, Consumer Reports will never stick their necks out and give any vehicle a five out of five for reliability unless the vehicle truly deserves it.
Reliability
At this point, the EV6 has been found to be primarily trouble-free, but things could change a lot once people own it for more extended periods. Due to in-car electronic problems in 2022, it may be an issue for this year, but Kia has worked to solve them, so only time will tell. The EV6 is offered in three trims with prices starting from $48,700. Depending on the model, the range varies from 206 to 310 miles.
-
Avg. Yearly Maintenance Costs:
$474
(RepairPal) -
Est. Maintenance Costs During First 10 Years:
$7,920 (MotorBiscuit) -
Total Recalls:
1 (parking brake) -
Worst EV6 Year To Buy Used:
2022 Kia EV6 (in-car electronics)
Source
https://www.topspeed.com/the-most-reliable-electric-cars-according-to-consumer-reports/
