New survey about automotive brands yields surprising results for popular model: 'Wins on every metric'

A survey in the United Kingdom revealed that people rate Tesla as the best overall car brand and the second-most reliable automaker.

As Teslarati reported, the consumer auto site HonestJohn.co.uk polled over 6,000 people about their car brand opinions. The site's results do not appear to be dated and the polling seems likely to have been conducted prior to some of the recent drops in Tesla sales figures in Europe.

But as analysts have pinned much of that sales performance to the public's feelings about CEO Elon Musk, it stands to reason that any earlier polling would at least generate a more unbiased assessment of the cars themselves. Feelings about Musk aside, most who have driven a Tesla have come away impressed with the vehicles.

Participants gave Tesla an 89.41% satisfaction index rating based on the EV company's reliability, efficiency, safety, practicality, performance, and comfort. Lexus earned the No. 2 ranking with 86.32%, and Porsche came in third with an 84.79% rating.

With regard to reliability, Tesla came in second place after Lexus. Tesla's reliability rating was 95.29%, just slightly below Lexus's at 97.01% and Toyota's at 94.65%. Honest John and Teslarati both expressed surprise at how highly Tesla ranked for reliability because critics often claim the brand produces imperfect vehicles made with cheap materials and prone to problems. 

"While we were always impressed by the technology within Tesla's range of exclusively electrically powered cars, build quality seemed to be a little hit and miss, to say the least," Honest John wrote. "Evidently, matters have improved significantly in this regard according to our readers' feedback as not only has the brand scored well for reliability across its four-strong range but the Tesla Model 3 was also rated as the most satisfying car to own overall."

These survey results are significant because they indicate a public preference for and greater mainstream adoption of electric vehicles. While there have been recalls and plenty of criticism for Tesla to deal with, the American company has been making strides in improving its vehicles, and it shows in public opinion surveys like this one. 

For example, Tesla introduced 4680D batteries to boost the range and efficiency of its EVs. It also released an upgraded Model 3 with a sleeker look and improved interior design. 

EV improvements like these generate greater excitement about the potential of clean driving and inspire more people to transition away from traditional gas cars. The more EVs on the road instead of gas-guzzling polluters, the cleaner and more sustainable our future will be. 

And while Tesla has been struggling in Europe overall, some reports have indicated that hasn't been as true in the U.K.

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost 💰 Battery range 🔋 Power and speed 💪 The way it looks 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

In response to a Teslarati post sharing the survey results to X, formerly known as Twitter, one social media user commented, "Way less moving parts than a petrol/diesel car, means less things that can wear out or fail." 

In response to an X post to Tesla Owners UK, someone else wrote, "Tesla is the safest brand, cheapest to run, most reliable, most satisfying, and so on. Tesla literally wins on every metric. Shame many don't know. Tell your friends." 

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