Consumer Reports has provided automotive testing and insights for over 85 years, making them a reliable resource when buying a new vehicle. When reading Consumer Reports, you can find tips on safety and the coveted reliability rating. A lot goes into creating the reliability rating, and you may be shocked to read some of its findings. Electric cars were up for the scrutiny of Consumer Reports, and you may be surprised by how the very popular Tesla Model 3 fared.
The Consumer Reports reliability rating can be trusted
The Tesla Model 3 in a Shanghai Tesla Center | Wang Gang/VCG via Getty Images
When looking to buy a car, you would be well served to consider the Consumer Reports reliability rating. The rating numbers only range from 1 to 5, and while the system appears simple, these numbers pack quite the punch. A poor reliability rating can cause a car to not earn the sought-after “recommended” badge. There is quite a lot of work that goes into those little numbers.
While the reliability rating is critical when considering whether or not a car is worth buying, other things can factor into the decision. Consumer Reports ranks those too. You can see ratings for areas such as performance and safety and some more minor things. Still, while they may be minor, these categories can still factor into your overall ownership experience. For example, you can check ratings for cabin noise.
Consumer Reports recently took a look at a line of 2022 model year electric vehicles. Cabin noise, or how much noise invades the cabin, was one of the factors being considered. Interestingly, all the 2022 electric cars received a positive score regarding cabin noise, except for one.
Most 2022 electric cars received positive noise cabin ratings
The 2022 electric vehicles look very promising, especially when it comes to having a quiet cabin. All but one electric car is rated well by Consumer Reports. If you like a tranquil ride, then consider these models. All the vehicles listed below have a noise rating of 5/5, which is the top score, and have the least amount of road noise coming into the cabin.
- Chevy Bolt
- Chevy Bolt EUV
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Porsche Taycan
- Tesla Model S
- Volkswagen ID4
- Jaguar I Pace
- Audi e tron
Right after those electric cars, you have the ones that score 4/5 for cabin noise.
- Nissan Leaf
- Hyundai Kona Electric
- Kia Niro EV
- Tesla Model Y
- pole star 2
- Tesla Model X
If 2022 is the year you want to buy an electric vehicle and like a quiet cabin, the lineup looks pretty encouraging.
The Tesla Model 3 is not so quiet
Interestingly, there is one electric car that did not score well regarding cabin noise. The Tesla Model 3 got the lowest rating of all the electric vehicles tested. It got a 3/5 rating. While a score of 3/5 is the lowest rating, the Model 3 is still considered to have average cabin noise instead of a negative rating. All the other vehicles received positive ratings.
Despite the lower rating for cabin noise, the Tesla Model 3 is still recommended by Consumer Reports. It is considered a Green Choice and has an overall rating of 79/100. This sports sedan is the most popular model by Tesla. It is said to be fun to drive with its “superb handling and immediate thrust from the electric motor.” The high points for the Model 3 include its instant power, handling agility, front-seat comfort, and low running costs.
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