While many places review cars and tell you all about the specs, the performance and the rest of the nitty gritty details, over at Consumer Reports different information is compiled and reported on. The more affordable Tesla Model S (well, to buy and not for maintenance) has just been upgraded by the organisation. The electric car hasn't quite shot to the top of the class, the upgrade sees the car move up from it's original 'worse than average" rating to a much more palatable rating of "average" in the Annual Auto Reliability Survey.

In 2013, Consumer Reports awarded the Model S a total score tally of 99 points, but that dropped to the worse than average rating after the Auto Reliability Survey compiled data from 1,400 owners. A series of problems, including the need to replace drive units, brake discs warping, interior squeaks and rattles and malfunctioning door handles, saw the Model S get added to the dreaded "not-recommended" car list, which came after the P85D version scored 103 out of a possible 100 points - awarded based on performance figures and and a rather healthy list of features. The improvements in reliability and quick fixes by Tesla move it up to "recommended" status.

While the Model S is now all puppies and roses, things aren't quite as good for the Model X. The car has had numerous problems since it's launch in 2015, these relate to the locks, latches, the climate system and the fancy falcon-wing doors. The Consumer Reports list 29 manufacturers, and out of that Tesla is on the lower rung with a rank of 25. That sucks, but at 25 that means it's still not the worst brand, the likes of Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat and Ram are deemed worse cars according to the criteria used and the data compiled.