EVs are the least reliable vehicle type: Consumer Reports

Yahoo Finance reporter Pras Subramanian details a new report that listed the most and least reliable types of vehicles.

Video transcript

- [INAUDIBLE] ?

- All right. While demand for electric vehicles has surged in last two years, new data from Consumer Reports finding that EVs are among the least reliable cars in the auto industry. Pras Subramanian here with the details and Pras, clearly something that the auto industry doesn't necessarily want to hear.

PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Yeah, you know, I was a little surprised to hear that. Because EVs, generally speaking, are simpler or easy to operate than a regular gas powered car. But I'm not surprised to hear about Tesla's issues with reliability here. So they found that owners of the Consumer Reports survey that they surveyed a bunch of their users and on all different models and all different makes of the cars.

And they found that for Tesla in particular, issues with body hardware, steering suspension, paint and trim, and climate systems on the models were of most concern. Rick and I tested the Model 3 a few years back and we found a lot of issues with fit and finish and parts on the inside of the car. Still, Tesla still rose four spots to 19th overall, which isn't that great, but at least it did climb with the rankings.

For non-Tesla EVs, there was issues with charging and batteries and also the motors. So that doesn't sound good, so that's kind of a little black market there for EVs. Overall, pickup trucks were bad overall in terms of the gas powered cars. Looking at the overall picture, we just saw that list up there, Toyota and Lexus retain the top spot. They've been there for a while now, very reliable cars.

BMW, number three. I was really surprised to see that. Kind of speaks to what they're doing with the brand and improving reliability and that better kind of first interaction with the car, followed by Mazda and Honda. So seven of the top 10 brands here were actually Asian companies. So this rounds out the top 5 here with Mazda and Honda at that 4 and 5.

- Interesting. All right, most reliable EVs also compiled. Who came out on top? Anything surprised you here?

PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Most reliable EVs?

- Hybrids.

PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Yeah. Yeah, so it turns out hybrids are actually very, very reliable. Talking about plug-in hybrids, think the Priuses of the world, things like that. So Consumer Reports put together 3 of their top hybrids here. The Lexus NX came out a few years ago in the premium luxury segment here. Very nice car, attractive car, good mileage there. The Ford Maverick. Now we actually had this truck. It is a small compact utility pickup truck. Unibody construction, 38 MPG with hybrid. Yeah.

- 38 miles per gallon.

PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: With the hybrid, yeah. It's actually a smooth car, really good fit and finish. And lastly, the Toyota Corolla. You can't go wrong here, not surprising from Toyota. They make the Prius, as you mentioned. This car gets 48 MPG.

- Boy, that is some astounding numbers. Reliability is what those cars are all about. Pras Subramanian, our senior autos reporter. Good to see you, sir. Thank you.