- What are the owner satisfaction categories?
- The Tesla Model X didn’t receive a perfect owner satisfaction score
- What are others saying about the Tesla Model X?
- Non-Tesla EVs that received perfect owner satisfaction scores
Beyond reliability and performance, Consumer Reports also makes a note of popularity with predicted owner satisfaction scores. Most Tesla models were received well with perfect owner satisfaction scores, but just one didn’t make the cut — the Model X.
What are the owner satisfaction categories?
A Tesla Model X on display | Gao Yuwen/VCG via Getty Images
Consumer Reports rates owner satisfaction across four main categories:
- Driving Experience: Acceleration and handling
- Comfort: Seats, climate control, noise, and ride
- Value: Price weighed against features
- Styling: Interior and exterior aesthetics
Keep in mind that there are two types of owner satisfaction ratings: predicted owner satisfaction ratings and actual owner satisfaction ratings. Consumer Reports holds an annual survey to get data on owner satisfaction. Consumer Reports predicts any ratings posted before this.
The Tesla Model X didn’t receive a perfect owner satisfaction score
The Tesla Model X hasn’t been through the owner satisfaction survey yet, so currently, its numbers are predictions. Still, it stands out as the only Tesla that lacks a perfect score on Consumer Reports. This is especially surprising since it received a meager overall score and a very low predicted reliability rating.
This is not to say that all Tesla models have the best overall ratings. The Tesla Model Y has only slightly higher ratings than the Tesla Model X. The Tesla Model 3 has two trims rated currently, which are both in the lead compared to other Tesla models but still aren’t the best compared to other EVs Consumer Reports has covered.
What are others saying about the Tesla Model X?
To understand Consumer Reports’ ratings in the context of other reviews, let’s look at what other reviewers have said about this electric SUV.
Car and Driver gave the Model X a 6.5/10. Multiple times in its review, it referred to the Tesla Model X as expensive. The reviewer had a positive perception of the vehicle’s performance overall but said that the “Model X’s interior lacks the panache we expect of a six-figure luxury SUV.”
They went on to say that the yoke-style steering wheel was frustrating and that it had “non-descript air vents, misaligned panels, and flat-backed seats that don’t offer enough adjustments.”
Kelley Blue Book had a similar view of the Model X, calling it expensive and saying it had an “odd steering wheel” while also praising its stellar performance. Consumer reviews were far more generous and gave the model a 4.6 (compared to 3.5 stars from expert reviews) at the time of writing. The main complaints were the price and the difficulties of getting the model serviced.
Edmunds was very generous with its overall review score, giving it an 8.1/10. It also listed some cons that others didn’t really mention, saying that the “finicky upward-swinging rear doors impede functionality” and that the “vast windshield lets too much sun and heat into the cabin.”
Other reviewers found the “Falcon Wing” doors to be more of a pro due to their interesting, luxurious feeling design, so this is interesting to see. As for other advantages, many stories of the Model X having stellar performance.
Non-Tesla EVs that received perfect owner satisfaction scores
If you’re unsure whether you want to go for a Tesla or not, it might be worth it to check what Consumer Reports said about some non-Tesla electric vehicles. The Ford Mustang Mach-E has a perfect predicted owner satisfaction rating on Consumer Reports. It also received high marks for pretty much everything else — it has a very high overall score, a good predicted reliability rating, and is a Green Choice vehicle.
The Volkswagen ID.4 has a much lower overall score and a poor predicted reliability rating from Consumer Reports. That being said, it still ended up with a perfect score for predicted owner satisfaction.