Consumer Reports magazine will not give Tesla Inc’s compact Model 3 its recommendation because of the electric car’s long stopping distances and difficult-to-use controls.
The Model 3’s 95kph stopping distance of 46.3m was “far worse than any contemporary car we’ve tested,” the magazine said.
It took 2.1m more to stop than Ford Motor Co’s F-150 full-size pickup, it added.
Tesla told Consumer Reports that its own tests averaged a stopping distance of 40.5m and that results vary based on weather, tire temperature and other conditions.
Consumer Reports is one of the most influential sources of information for US car shoppers. It once gave the larger Model S its highest rating ever, lending credibility to the upstart maker of electric vehicles — and prompting Tesla CEO Elon Musk to declare his love for the magazine.
However, it went on to withhold its recommendation for that car on the basis of its less-than-average reliability.
The magazine’s finding on braking is inconsistent with other reviewers, but might indicate that some Model 3s require a longer distance to stop than others, Musk said on Twitter.
“If so, we will address this at our expense,” Musk said. “First time we’ve seen anything like this.”
The magazine praised the car’s battery range, handling and “exhilarating acceleration” that could make it a strong competitor to performance-oriented luxury cars, such as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s 3 series and Audi AG’s A4.
However, the Model 3’s stiff ride, unsupportive rear seat and excessive wind noise at highway speeds hurt its road test score, the magazine said, adding that in the compact luxury sedan class, most competitors deliver a more comfortable ride and rear seat.
The Model 3 has faced repeated production delays and manufacturing bottlenecks at both its assembly plant in Fremont, California, and battery production site near Reno, Nevada, which the company has said are starting to clear.
Tesla delivered 8,180 of the sedans in the first quarter of this year, making it the best-selling electric car in the US, and almost a half-million people have put down US$1,000 deposits for a Model 3.
Tesla in February said a dual-motor version would come at midyear and a standard battery pack would be available late this year.
In a letter to shareholders earlier this month, Musk said that the company would begin offering new options, such as all-wheel drive and a base model with a standard-sized battery pack, once the company reaches a production rate of 5,000 cars per week.
Reservation holders could start configuring all-wheel-drive versions over the weekend, Musk said on Twitter, adding that a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive performance version of the Model 3, with all options except for Autopilot, would cost US$78,000.
The company has yet to manufacture the base version of the car, which is supposed to start at US$35,000 before options or incentives.
“The lack of a Consumer Reports recommendation won’t hurt the brand amongst its loyal following, but certainly makes it harder to penetrate the mass market Tesla is relying on for long-term growth,” Kelley Blue Book Co executive analyst Rebecca Lindland said in an e-mailed statement.
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