The electric car industry may be in its early stage but the Tesla Motor S is quickly proving to be the best electric vehicle today. Consumer Reports recently named Tesla Motors bestseller as its best-reviewed car of the year.
The Model S may be the best but it also has few glitches especially after the first 10,000 miles. Consumer Reports noted that the center screen went blank after 12,000 miles. Because of this, most functions were not accessible. Other issues include problems with the front trunk lid release and noise from the roof.
Surveying 637 2012 and 2013 Tesla Model S owners, the car scored average.
"Given the number of bits and pieces Tesla has replaced on our car, it might be tempting to guess that its reliability score will go down. The reality is, it might -- depending on the frequency and severity of problems reported by our subscribers and whether they show that reliability is below average," wrote Consumer Report.
Demand for the car still increased the past year, thanks to rave reviews by owners since Elon Musk first introduced the $71,000 electric car in 2012.
CEO Elon Musk admitted that early units had production issues but had already been addressed.
"I think we've addressed almost all of those for current production cars," Musk said.
The Tesla Model S was the first American car to receive the "Best Overall" title among the vehicles tested by Consumer Reports.
"We are particularly attentive in addressing potential issues, even if those issues appear to be very minor or have a low likelihood of causing any future problems. Like any owner, Consumer Reports benefits from the peace of mind afforded by the comprehensive Tesla warranty," Tesla spokeswoman Liz Jarvis-Shean said.
A Santa, Monica-based automotive data and pricing company, Edmunds.com, earlier reported that its Model S experienced some problems: difficulties in opening the sunroof, creaky steering wheel, and a frozen touchscreen. Tesla has since replaced the main battery pack.
The problems experienced could be because of the battery. Tesla Motors is willing to fix the problem for free under warranty. The company is also determined to review consumer reports so all issues are fixed immediately.
